ThisIsRochester.com: Politics

Injuries in crash involving Gantt

May 30, 2019 -- State Assemblyman David Gantt was involved in an eraly-evening car crash that left several injured.

Rochester Police Department officers responded to Central Park just before 8 p.m. and determined with the help of store security camera video that Gantt's Chevy sedan had rolled through a stop sign and struck a Dodge van.

The van was carrying at least two small children who, witnesses say, were bleeding and injured. Rochester said four people from the van were transported to Rochester General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and were released.

Gantt was ticketed for going through a stop sign. The driver of the van was cited for driving without a license and not wearing a seat belt.

Halstead appointed to complete Conley's legislature term

April 13, 2019 -- Kara Halstead has been appointed as the new Monroe County legislator for the 18th District, covering portions of Perinton and East Rochester.

Halstead takes over for fellow Republican Tanya Conley and will stand for election in November, running against Democrat John Baynes. Conley, who was elected in 2015, resigned this month after being appointed a court attorney referee in the state Office of Court Administration. Halstead works as the senior administrative director for University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group. She has a master's degree in health systems administration from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Fight brewing between Dinolfo, Bello over ballot line

April 5, 2019 -- The two candidates for Monroe Couty executive could find themselves in court over who has the right to run on the Independence Party line in November.

Incumbent Cheryl Dinolfo, a Republican, and Democrat challenger Adam Bello both are claiming rightful ownership of the line in petitions filed with the Monroe County Board of Elections. The ballot line so coveted because it has a history of being attractive to voters who prefer not to support candidates on a major-party line, sometimes mistakenly equating Independence with independent.

Dinolfo picked up 4,032 votes on the Independence Party line when she won the office in 2015, and those votes could be crucial in what is expected to be a tight election against Bello, currently the Monroe County clerk.

Dinolfo's position is that the ballot line belongs to her because the Monroe County Independence Party backed her i a Feb. 15 meeting. Bello has staked his claim based on the actions of the New York State Independence Party, which five days later passed a resolution stripping the party's county organization of the right to endorse.

That resolution, which Dinolfo characterized as a backroom deal, in effect changed the party's bylaws and paved the way for Bello to get the nod. According to state election laws, it's up to the local party to designate a candidate unless the rules of the party provide for another method.

That leads to the likelihood that a court will decide whether the state party's resolution can be applied retroactively and after Dinolfo has already filed with the board of elections.

Disgraced judge files City Council election petitions

April 1, 2019 -- Ousted City Court Judge Leticia Astacio filed paperwork to run for a City Council seat representing the northwest quadrant of Rochester.

Astacio submitted her petitions to the Monroe County Board of Elections hours after the start of her trial in Syracuse on a Class E felony charge that complicates her potential candidacy if she is convicted. Felons are eligible to sun for public office in New York, but they must have compeleted their sentence prior to election.

Astacio, who was stripped of her judgeship last year, is accused of attempted criminal purchase of a firearm. Prosecutors allege she tried to buy a shotgun in violation of her probation stemming from a 2016 drunken driving conviction.

City Council VP takes plea deal

April 1, 2019 -- Rochester City Council Vice President Adam McFadden faces a likely sentence of 12 to 18 months under federal guidleines after admitting in court that he profited from fradulant work on behalf of Rochester Housing Authority, the public agency that subsidizes housing for the poor.

McFadden, 48, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return in 2015. He also admitted that he lied on tax returns for 2016 and 2017 by claiming illegitimate business deductions. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 27.

McFadden must return $87,500 to the RHA and pay more than $46,000 in back taxes.

By entering the plea to two felonies in front of U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wolford, McFadden vacates his City Council seat. He had said after his arrest in February that he would not seek re-election this fall. He was first elected to City Councl in 2003.

The wire fraud crimes stem from his 2015 work for Rochester Housing Charities, a subsidiary of the RHA agency he breiefly led as interim executive director in 2014. A company owned by McFadden was the primary beneficiary of a no-bid contract for $87,500 from Rochester Housing Charities.

The FBI has also accused former RHA Chairman George Moses of offenses related to McFadden's illegal actions. Moses is accused of fraud and lying to the FBI, and McFadden's plea does not include any agreement to cooperate with that investigation.

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	A summary of noteworthy news about Greater Rochester politics
	More from early 2019 Injuries in crash involving Gantt May 30, 2019 -- State Assemblyman David Gantt was involved in an eraly-evening car crash that left several injured. Rochester Police Department officers responded to Central Park just before 8 p.m. and determined with the help of store security camera video that Gantt's Chevy sedan had rolled through a stop sign and struck a Dodge van. The van was carrying at least two small children who, witnesses say, were bleeding and injured. Rochester said four people from the van were transported to Rochester General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and were released. Gantt was ticketed for going through a stop sign. The driver of the van was cited for driving without a license and not wearing a seat belt. Halstead appointed to complete Conley's legislature term April 13, 2019 -- Kara Halstead has been appointed as the new Monroe County legislator for the 18th District, covering portions of Perinton and East Rochester. Halstead takes over for fellow Republican Tanya Conley and will stand for election in November, running against Democrat John Baynes. Conley, who was elected in 2015, resigned this month after being appointed a court attorney referee in the state Office of Court Administration. Halstead works as the senior administrative director for University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group. She has a master's degree in health systems administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. Fight brewing between Dinolfo, Bello over ballot line April 5, 2019 -- The two candidates for Monroe Couty executive could find themselves in court over who has the right to run on the Independence Party line in November. Incumbent Cheryl Dinolfo, a Republican, and Democrat challenger Adam Bello both are claiming rightful ownership of the line in petitions filed with the Monroe County Board of Elections. The ballot line so coveted because it has a history of being attractive to voters who prefer not to support candidates on a major-party line, sometimes mistakenly equating Independence with independent. Dinolfo picked up 4,032 votes on the Independence Party line when she won the office in 2015, and those votes could be crucial in what is expected to be a tight election against Bello, currently the Monroe County clerk. Dinolfo's position is that the ballot line belongs to her because the Monroe County Independence Party backed her i a Feb. 15 meeting. Bello has staked his claim based on the actions of the New York State Independence Party, which five days later passed a resolution stripping the party's county organization of the right to endorse. That resolution, which Dinolfo characterized as a backroom deal, in effect changed the party's bylaws and paved the way for Bello to get the nod. According to state election laws, it's up to the local party to designate a candidate unless the rules of the party provide for another method. That leads to the likelihood that a court will decide whether the state party's resolution can be applied retroactively and after Dinolfo has already filed with the board of elections. Disgraced judge files City Council election petitions April 1, 2019 -- Ousted City Court Judge Leticia Astacio filed paperwork to run for a City Council seat representing the northwest quadrant of Rochester. Astacio submitted her petitions to the Monroe County Board of Elections hours after the start of her trial in Syracuse on a Class E felony charge that complicates her potential candidacy if she is convicted. Felons are eligible to sun for public office in New York, but they must have compeleted their sentence prior to election. Astacio, who was stripped of her judgeship last year, is accused of attempted criminal purchase of a firearm. Prosecutors allege she tried to buy a shotgun in violation of her probation stemming from a 2016 drunken driving conviction. City Council VP takes plea deal April 1, 2019 -- Rochester City Council Vice President Adam McFadden faces a likely sentence of 12 to 18 months under federal guidleines after admitting in court that he profited from fradulant work on behalf of Rochester Housing Authority, the public agency that subsidizes housing for the poor. McFadden, 48, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return in 2015. He also admitted that he lied on tax returns for 2016 and 2017 by claiming illegitimate business deductions. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 27. McFadden must return $87,500 to the RHA and pay more than $46,000 in back taxes. By entering the plea to two felonies in front of U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wolford, McFadden vacates his City Council seat. He had said after his arrest in February that he would not seek re-election this fall. He was first elected to City Councl in 2003. The wire fraud crimes stem from his 2015 work for Rochester Housing Charities, a subsidiary of the RHA agency he breiefly led as interim executive director in 2014. A company owned by McFadden was the primary beneficiary of a no-bid contract for $87,500 from Rochester Housing Charities. The FBI has also accused former RHA Chairman George Moses of offenses related to McFadden's illegal actions. Moses is accused of fraud and lying to the FBI, and McFadden's plea does not include any agreement to cooperate with that investigation. [ LOOK BACK AT OLDER STORIES ]