Browne rips Scannell’s ‘reckless accusations’

Responding angrily to comments included in last week's Herald story, "Tax Revolt Party is over for Browne in the 5th," Republican and now Conservative candidate Chris Browne said his opponent, Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin), has "repeated and endorsed ... lies ... that accuse me of participation in criminal election fraud." Further angering Browne was a call from Scannell's attorney for Browne's arrest.

Some county Democrats had accused Republicans, including Browne, of fraud in gathering signatures to place Browne on the Tax Revolt Party line in November's election. Although Board of Elections officials stated that Browne is not personally liable for the petition, which Republicans withdrew on Sept. 8, some Democrats called for District Attorney Kathleen Rice to investigate.

Browne has denied being involved in gathering the signatures.

"I wish to state unequivocally that I have never engaged in any form of criminal conduct and it is simply outrageous that Scannell would, without a shred of evidence, say otherwise," Browne said in a written statement. "I have commenced a defamation lawsuit against the Scannell ally who first made these frivolous charges and I challenge Scannell to produce one scintilla of evidence to support his libelous comments.

"In fact," Browne continued, "both the Republican and Democratic Commissioners of the Nassau County Board of Elections have stated that I am in no way responsible for any alleged fraud on election petitions. Furthermore, neither a court, nor the Board of Elections, has deemed any signature on any petition submitted on my behalf to be fraudulent."

Browne said Scannell's "reckless accusations" went beyond tough campaigning into personal destruction and, "in the end, Joe Scannell’s repetition of these lies says more about his character and fitness for office than about my own."

When asked about his statement in last week's story, Scannell stood by it. "It's [Browne's] campaign ... you have to take responsibility for you and what your office does," he said. "That's the bottom line. He should take responsibility for the fact that Republicans filed hundreds and hundreds of objectionable petitions."