FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 20, 2022
GLENS FALLS, NY– Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik released the following statement after radical Democrats illegally forged beloved Glens Falls business owner Jerry DiManno’s signature on letters mailed to voters across the North Country in a desperate attempt to sway votes away from Congresswoman Stefanik.
Senior Advisor to Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, Alex DeGrasse, stated:
“This is not the first time Far-Left Democrats and desperate opponents have illegally forged letters and engaged in fraudulent electioneering against Elise Stefanik. It’s shameful that they would target Jerry Dimanno, one of the hardest-working small business owners, and someone that everyone knows is 100% behind Elise. Whoever committed this crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Elise strongly stands up for Upstate small businesses and always will. Especially against today’s Democrat Party whose policies are so bad and damaging to small businesses that the Left has to stoop so low and illegally forge letters.”
Diner owner asks police to investigate phony political mailing
The Post-Star
Maury Thompson
GLENS FALLS— Lawrence Street diner owner Jerry DiManno said he has asked the state police Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Glens Falls Police Department to investigate a fraudulent political letter claiming that he is urging people to vote against U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, in the Nov. 8 election.
“It’s a phony letter,” DiManno, owner of Poopie’s DiManno’s Lunch, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday. “They’ve got a lot of nerve doing this.”
DiManno said he wants people to know that he actually has endorsed Stefanik in her re-election bid against Democratic challenger Matt Castelli, a former CIA counterterrorism official who lives in Glens Falls.
The letter, dated Oct. 12, was written on a letterhead with DiManno’s business name, address, and telephone, and was mailed to business owners in the Glens Falls area, including The Post-Star.
The letter, claiming that DiManno was writing on behalf of “The Glens Falls Area Small Business Coalition,” which is not a known organization locally, suggested that Stefanik has not adequately represented small business and the restaurant industry.
However, the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation’s largest small business organization, has endorsed Stefanik and contributed $3,500 to her re-election campaign.
DiManno, contacted to verify the letter, said it is one of several versions of recent letters sent out to area residents impersonating him that falsely claim he is urging people to vote against Stefanik.
DiManno said the letters that area residents received were mailed from a New York City address.
DiManno said he suspects that whoever mailed the letters is angry about his vocal support of former President Donald Trump.
Alex DeGrasse, a senior adviser to Stefanik, said the letter is a “desperate” attempt by “far-left Democrats” to deceive voters.
“It’s shameful that they would target Jerry DiManno, one of the hardest-working small business owners, and someone that everyone knows is 100% behind Elise,” DeGrasse said, in a statement. “Whoever committed this crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Castelli campaign, too, criticized the sending of the letter.
“Obviously, our campaign had nothing to do with this and we hope state and local law enforcement get to the bottom of it,” the campaign said in a statement.
Beau Duffy, a state police spokesman, said he is looking into the situation.
Read the fullPost-StarstoryHERE.
