He Said, She Said Tops Reed, Mitrano Congressional Race

WASHINGTON – As election draws closer, the race between incumbent Congressman Tom Reed and his challenger, Tracy Mitrano, is heating up with the weather.
Reed issued a campaign press release this week saying Mitrano supporters harassed members of his staff and said it was uncalled for.
“As an elected official, I have come to accept all that goes with it. That unfortunately includes unfair, baseless personal attacks against me and my family,” Reed said. “But to harass and threaten members of my staff is completely unacceptable. These actions are cruel, petty, and concerning, and reflect the extremism of our opposition. Such extremism must end.”
Reed said campaign manager Nicholas Weinstein was harassed and threatened during a “Unity Rally” held by Mitrano supporters.
However, Chautauqua County Democratic Committee Chairman Norman P. Green has an opposite opinion.
“Those of us involved in politics in the Southern Tier know Weinstein as the harasser-in-chief. Here in Chautauqua County, Weinstein has arrogantly attempted to enter our own Democratic county dinner in Dunkirk and a Democratic straw poll we in the party sponsored earlier this year in nearby Randolph,” Green said. “With filming equipment, Weinstein and the Reed campaign did not identify themselves and attempted to sneak into private buildings where opposing candidates would be speaking in a lead up to the Democratic primary. Weinstein was asked to leave both times and verbally resisted, but eventually did leave. His sole purpose as the Reed man on the scene was to harass Democratic candidates on behalf of the incumbent Congressman.”
Reed’s campaign noted the harassment follows on the heels of Maxine Waters encouraging harassment of public servants, telling a crowd of protestors:
“Let’s make sure we show up wherever we have to show up. And if you see anybody from [President Trump’s] Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.”
Green said Weinstein has been meddling in Democratic campaigns.
“One of Weinstein’s most recent activities included circulating and filing an Opportunity to Ballot petition relating to the Women’s Equality Party endorsement of Tracy Mitrano. The Reed campaign’s silliness of filing the petition was followed up by a mailing to all Women’s Equality Party voters in the NY23 asking those voters to write-in Tom Reed’s name or any one of the Democratic candidates also not listed on the ballot. The silly filing cost taxpayers across the district thousands of dollars in county government election expenses and in the end Tracy Mitrano received all of the votes. The purpose of Weinstein and Reed? Harass the voters. It has to be a historic first for any candidate to send out a mailer that says vote for me or anyone else.”
But Reed said his campaign staff was threatened, harassed and insulted following this weekend’s Mitrano Rally in Olean which, he said, was hosted by a coalition of liberal activist groups including Citizens for a Better Southern Tier, the group whose leader was recently arrested for stealing Tom Reed campaign signs.
Green countered with a complaint about how Weinstein video taped Mitrano last weekend.
“This past Saturday,” Green said. “Weinstein stood dead center in front of Mitrano silently filming her. It wasn’t the filming that was the problem. Tracy Mitrano has nothing to hide. In fact her aim is to expose Reed and his take from the mouth of working families policies. But Nick Weinstein took that position dead center in front of Mitrano for one reason and one reason alone; to be the Reed harasser in chief. Abbey Daugherty, communication director for Reed was also at the rally respectfully filming from a side view. It should be no surprise that no one called her out.”
Reed said “Citizens for a Better Southern Tier is the protest group that controversially held up a Nazi flag and compared Republicans that support Donald Trump to Germans who supported Adolf Hitler.”
It is Reed that is inflaming voters, Green charged.
“Tom Reed has one goal and that is to divide and inflame the voters. He does not want to engage on the issues. He instead prefers to call his opponents names and to send his harasser in chief to any and every event. I would urge Tom Reed to stop these antics and start talking the issues.
Weinstein said he was shocked to see the abuses at a so-called Unity Rally.
“It was surprising to see such hateful rhetoric resulting from an event that was billed as a ‘Unity Rally’,” said Weinstein. “When my colleagues and I attend events, we are courteous even if we fundamentally disagree. We will continue to respectfully engage on the issues and look forward to working every day to earn the support of every voter in the 23rd Congressional District.”