Fair Campaign Practices of the Capital Region, a non-partisan campaign watchdog group, has found both incumbent Assemblyman George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, and challenger Mark Blanchfield have stepped over the line in their campaigns.
FCP, which is affiliated with the League of Women Voters, issued a ruling Tuesday, Sept. 30, that stated a Democratic advertisement unfairly twists the words of Amedore, and that Amedore, in turn, used unfair campaigning practices by blasting the ad in a campaign mailing.
The ruling came after a complaint from Amedore, R-Rotterdam, who claimed an ad by Blanchfield distorted his words.
The Blanchfield ad uses audio of an interview Amedore did with The Business Review earlier this year. Amedore, who runs a home-building business, is quoted as saying, I have building in my blood, that’s my job. I don’t look at the Assembly position as a job.
Amedore’s next sentence ` `I look at it as serving, giving back.` ` is omitted.
According to FCP’s ruling: `The radio and automated advertisements violate principle No. 4: ‘a candidate will not permit distortion or falsification of facts regarding an opponent.’ By using only the first sentence and omitting the second sentence, the advertisements distort Mr. Amedore’s attitude toward his position in the Assembly. This distortion is further amplified by Mr. Blanchfield’s implication, without basis in fact, that the Assemblyman’s elective position was not his top priority. There is a long tradition in New York state of citizen-legislators who serve as lawmakers in addition to their regular occupations. Mr. Amedore considers himself in that tradition.`
In response to the ruling, Amedore issued the following statement:
`I am genuinely gratified that FCP has ruled in favor of clean campaigns and affirmed that the Blanchfield campaign ads were, in fact, misleading. The FCP ruling clearly shows that the Blanchfield campaign has not been telling it straight. It is my hope that Mark will stop running those ads that have been ruled misleading and join me in honoring the Fair Campaign Practices Pledge. Voters across Schenectady and Montgomery counties deserve an honest discussion of the issues that matter to them: the need for a real property tax cap, more jobs and a state government that spends, borrows and taxes less.`
Blanchfield, a Schenectady City Councilman who works as an attorney in Albany, did not return calls before press time.
The FCP also ruled the Amedore campaign acted inappropriately by not renouncing a flier sent by the Schenectady County Republican Committee. The flier read: `Blanchfield and the Albany political bosses are distorting George Amedore’s words. Don’t believe their lies!`
FCP ruled that the Blanchfield ads in question were misleading, but `they did not contain lies. To characterize the offensive material as such, is in itself both a character attack and misleading.`
Another complaint brought by the Blanchfield campaign related to an anonymous Web site was not ruled on by the FCP, but was renounced by Amedore.
`My opponent has brought to my attention certain content on a Web site titled www.markstaxrecord.com, which appears not to reflect his current employment and appears to misstate the nature of his current firm’s law practice,` Amedore said in a written statement. `Whoever is responsible for this Web site should remove that information immediately.“
