Published: August 05, 2008 08:13 am      

U.S. HOUSE RACE: County’s top Democrat alleges petition irregularities

The head of the Niagara County Democratic Party has asked District Attorney Michael Violante to investigate “irregularities” related to petitions filed by supporters of Akron businessman Jack Davis in the race for the 26th Congressional District.

Dan Rivera, chairman of the county’s Democratic Party, sent a letter to Violante on July 29 asking the district attorney’s office to look into claims that a Davis staff member failed to properly witness voter signatures on an election petition circulated on the candidate’s behalf.

Rivera said he has provided the district attorney’s office with notarized affidavits from nine individuals who claimed to have signed petitions that were supposed to have been witnessed by a female Davis staff member, Kelly Taylor, but were actually circulated by a male member of the Davis team.

“It is the responsibility of the Democratic Party to clean up our own backyard and such acts, whether you determine them to be illegal or not, should not be tolerated,” Rivera wrote. “I ask that you turn your immediate attention to this matter and request that you open an investigation with respect to this individual for the possibility of illegal activity.”

Joy Langley, the Davis campaign’s communications director, dismissed Rivera’s allegation as a “baseless attack” and said the Davis campaign has not heard from Violante’s office about any sort of investigation.

She added that the petition in question has already been approved by the state Board of Elections.

“We filed a valid petition,” Langley said. “The state Board of Elections said we filed a valid petition.”

Langley accused Rivera of working with Jon Powers, a challenger in the upcoming Democratic primary, in an effort to discredit Davis and his campaign. Powers is endorsed by the Niagara County Democratic committee.

“Birds of a feather flock together, but voters deserve more than just the same old politics that have divided local Democrats for far too long,” Langley said.

The Powers campaign issued a statement Monday echoing Rivera’s call for an investigation into the alleged petition irregularities.

“Once again, Jack Davis has shown he lacks the judgment to represent us in Congress,” Powers’ campaign manager John Gerken said.

Contact reporter Mark Scheerat 282-2311, ext. 2250