111. Candidate Mastroianni accused of mail theft | News

The footage was sent by the Schenectady County Democratic Committee on Wednesday, along with an attached complaint sent by the party to law enforcement, state election officials and the U.S. Postal Service.

Amid a wave of condemnation from area Democrats — including calls for him to resign as a Rotterdam City Council member — Mastroianni refused to answer questions about the details of the election later that evening at a 6 p.m. news conference before the Schenectady County Board of Elections in Rotterdam answer videos. He pointed out that he had to attend a Rotterdam City Council meeting that began at 7 p.m

“Every campaign season there are silly cases in which politicians want to raise questions about stolen lawn signs, false accusations or misleading campaign literature,” he read in prepared remarks. “My campaign has knocked on thousands of doors and prior to this complaint there has not been a single allegation against me or any of my staff for any incident.”

The video purportedly shows the Republican Party-backed conservative and an unidentified person walking toward a suburban household. While saying “bad, bad, bad,” Mastroianni picked up what appeared to be a letter letter from rival Democratic incumbent Angelo Santabarbara, folded it and put it in his jacket before dropping off another letter letter at the residence.

A timestamp on the video shows the scene was captured on October 17 at 5:55 p.m

Mail theft is a federal crime. A conviction for such an offense can result in a prison sentence of up to five years.

According to municipal spokesperson Adam Halbfinger, the Scotia Police Department is the lead law enforcement agency in this case. The incident is currently under investigation.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service spokeswoman Emily Spera said in an email that the agency cannot confirm, deny or comment on the existence of an ongoing investigation.

MASTROIANNI takes up the allegations

Mastroianni told reporters that the known use of law enforcement resources in this case was “deeply” troubling. “But given the Democratic machine’s relentless pursuit of President Donald Trump, that would hardly be surprising.”

Frank Salamone, chairman of the Schenectady County Democratic Committee, alleged in a complaint that the candidate was involved in a “serious crime.”

“This is a blatant theft of U.S. mail and a violation of the privacy of the resident of the home,” Frank Salamone, chairman of the Schenectady County Democratic Committee, wrote in the complaint. “But more than that, it is an attack on our democratic process.”

Rep. Patricia Fahy, D-Albany, who is running for the seat in the state Senate district that represents much of the territory covered by the 111th Assembly District, said Mastroianni is unfit for the position. Scotia-Glenville Democratic Committee Chairman Michael Aragosa expressed a similar sentiment.

“He knows in his head and in his heart if he stole mail, and if he stole mail he should probably resign,” Aragosa said. “How can you be a lawmaker and a criminal at the same time?”

The reactions to the film material have so far been party-political. Local GOP leaders in the area have yet to respond to the allegations.

An unidentified resident first sent the footage to Santabarbara's office on Tuesday, which then forwarded the footage to Salamone. The party leader said in an interview that he would have reported the recordings earlier if he had had them.

Salamone added that he spent hours reviewing the clip to ensure its authenticity.

“I made sure the matter was handled with due respect,” he said. “You don’t accuse someone of committing a crime without having evidence and without being completely sure of what you’re doing.”

The allegations have emerged at a critical time in the election cycle. Early voting in New York is scheduled to begin Saturday and continue through next Sunday, November 3rd. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th.

This is Mastroianni's second run for parliament against Santabarbara since 2022. Mastroianni, a family businessman who was first elected to the Rotterdam city council in 2021, expressed his intention to run for the state seat shortly after the 2023 election cycle.

He has criticized his opponent for what he believes is an unrealistic record in public office, which emphasizes conspicuousness rather than substance. His views lie to the right of Santabarbara, who has described himself as a moderate Democrat.

During Wednesday's press release, Mastroianni called the video an “intentional departure” from issues in the district, such as Santabarbara's vote for the Equal Rights Amendment, an anti-discrimination amendment to the state constitution that conservatives have accused of pursuing a hidden agenda.

“Angelo Santabarbara has consistently failed to justify his controversial votes, which has increasingly frustrated me and many voters in the district,” he said. “It’s time to focus on the real challenges facing our community and demand accountability from public officials.”

Mastroianni has faced controversy over his views in the past. During his bid for Rotterdam city council in 2021, he was criticized for sharing false information about 9/11 a year earlier. He has since defended the move as a way to challenge official narratives about COVID-19.

“My opponent has already raised serious concerns with his disturbing previous comments promoting conspiracies about the 9/11 attacks,” Santabarbara said in a statement. “However, mail theft is at a new low and exceeds an unacceptable limit. The actions shown in the video reflect extremely poor judgment and fall well below the dignity expected of anyone seeking or holding public office.”

After reviewing the footage, Santabarbara said he was “really shocked and disheartened” by what he saw. He declined further comment while the case is under investigation.

So far this election cycle, it is the first time Santabarbara has addressed his opponent to the press.

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State Assembly candidate Joseph Mastroianni has now received the formal blessing of a controversial printing contractor whose name has gained popularity.

111TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT – A proposed debate between the two candidates vying for the 111th State Assembly District is still pending.

Both candidates on Monday accepted an invitation to participate in a 110th District debate hosted by the Daily Gazette and SUNY Schenectady on Oct. 24.