Town Supervisor Under Fire for Disenfranchising Voters

The Town of Newburgh Democratic Committee today issued a scathing condemnation of the unlawful and undemocratic actions taken by Town Supervisor Gil Piaquadio and the Town Board during last night’s Re-organization Meeting. In a blatant display of partisan obstruction, the Town Board refused to recognize, swear in, or allow the participation of Mary Lou Carolan, the duly elected and certified Councilwoman for the Town of Newburgh.

Despite the Orange County Board of Elections certifying Mary Lou Carolan as the winner following a mandatory hand recount, and despite her having already filed her signed oath of office with the Town Clerk, the Supervisor intentionally excluded her from all official town business.

A Documented Falsehood on the Record

During the meeting, Supervisor Piaquadio attempted to justify his refusal to seat Councilwoman Carolan by claiming he was under a “court order” that prohibited him from doing so. This statement was a documented falsehood.

Hours before the meeting on Monday, Councilwoman Carolan’s attorney, Michael Treybich, sent an explicit warning to the Supervisor via email that there was no such court order in place. The correspondence further clarified that as the certified winner, Ms. Carolan is a duly elected member of the Town Council and that any attempt to exclude her would result in an Article 78 proceeding.

The Supervisor didn’t just ignore the law last night; he lied to the public to justify a power grab,” said XYZ. “When a constituent interrupted to point out that no such court order exists, the Supervisor attempted to silence them and move on. You cannot hush away the results of a certified election.

A Pattern of Disenfranchising Newburgh Voters

Throughout the meeting, Councilwoman Carolan sat on the dais in the seat she was elected to fill. However, the Board refused to include her in the roll call or acknowledge her votes on numerous votes. This marks a new low for a Town Board already embroiled in litigation regarding its refusal to adhere to a court-mandated alternative to the at-large voting system currently in place in the Town of Newburgh.

This Board is building a reputation for undermining democracy. From fighting the ward system to challenging valid ballots over paper nicks and stray marks, they have shown they will do anything to stay in power except listen to the voters,” added XYZ. “Mary Lou Carolan won the election. The Board of Elections issued the certificate. Every minute the Supervisor spends pretending otherwise is an insult to every citizen who cast a ballot.

The Town of Newburgh Democratic Committee stands firmly with Councilwoman Carolan and demands that the Town Board immediately cease its obstruction, recognize the certified election results, and respect the will of the people.