Cohen's 5 Campaign Complaints Result in 1 'Unfair Practice'

The Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee today released their findings on complaints filed by Bob Cohen, candidate for New York's 37th state senate district, against his opponent, George Latimer.

Cohen lodged five separate complaints with the committee—which ruled all but one as fair campaign practices.

A mailer entitled “The Truth About Bob Cohen” distributed by the Latimer campaign contains a statement that “Bob Cohen violated state law.” The committee ruled this an unfair practice, citing "insufficient evidence produced of a conviction or finding that 'Bob Cohen violated state law.'"

Cohen also took issue with the mailer because it referred to him as a "slumlord," and, from his perspective, failed to reference sources to qualify the statements regarding suits brought by the Giuliani and Bloomberg administrations. Cohen also said the mailing depicts a "fabrication of a purported drug deal occurring at one of Mr. Cohen’s buildings."

The committee found the statements to be supported by sufficient documentation and said the depiction was "campaign rhetoric" and "does not depict any of Mr. Cohen’s buildings."

Cohen also asked the committee to weigh in another another mailer he said had "false and misleading" statements, but the committee had no finding as it was produced by an outside group unaffiliated with the Latimer campaign.

"Unaffiliated groups issuing campaign materials are a new phenomenon. We continue to encourage campaigns and candidates to disavow such mailings and attacks," the committee said in its findings.

During the hearing, the Latimer campaign said they did not sanction the mailing.

It's the second time in a month the committee has heard from the campaigns for the race; in their communications in television spots and with reporters.

The 37th Senate District is comprised of parts of New Rochelle and White Plains, Bedford-Katonah, Harrison, Rye, Port Chester, Larchmont-Mamaroneck and Bronxville-Eastchester.