Editorial - John J. LaValle - Party Leader OR Party Cheater?

September 10, 2013 was “Primary Day” for Republicans in Smithtown. It was the culmination of a very long hard fought battle.  There was bellowing from almost every candidate. Sign stealing was rampant throughout the campaign, although every candidate denied that their campaign would ever steal anyone’s literature or signs.  Finger pointing went on and on and on. But we expect that in the political season.

But what no one expected was an email blast sent out the day before the primary and a second the day of the primary from Suffolk County Republican Chairman John J. LaValle blatantly misrepresenting the Smithtown convention designees.  Was it an attempt to hijack the election? Or did he just assume Smithtown Republicans were asleep at the wheel and they wouldn’t know who  the party’s designees were?  Maybe he thought Smithtown primary voters are stupid and just go to the polls and follow party leader’s directives. 

What John J. LaValle thought is almost irrelevant, it is his actions that betrayed his intent. LaValle, a Robert Creighton supporter, sent out an email as Republican Chairperson misleading Smithtown’s Republican electorate. He replaced Party designee Patrick Vecchio with Robert Creighton’s name and then left off Thomas McCarthy’s name as a designee (a Vecchio supporter). LaValle’s email listed only Kevin Malloy’s name, a Creighton supporter, as a designee for councilman. La Valle did this despite the fact that voters were asked to select two candidates to represent the party in the November election.

Neither Robert Creighton nor Kevin Malloy won in the Republican primary.

Where is the integrity in lying to your Party’s voters Mr. LaValle? Creighton and Malloy lost perhaps due to your unconscionable behavior. There is no justification for this behavior and there certainly isn’t any room for this in Smithtown politics.  There is a Suffolk County Republican party convention at the end of this week. Will Mr. LaValle retain his position as county leader and how will Smithtown’s committee people vote? Will the Creighton - Malloy team support LaValle? If so, that will say a great deal about their integrity and their respect for both fair elections and the primary voters of Smithtown.

Mr. LaValle has boxed Councilmen Creighton and Malloy into a corner. No one should accept lying to voters. This is not the time to point fingers at Vecchio, it is time to clean up the mess your Chairman has left you. Send a message to New York State Chairman Cox telling him that this is unacceptable and show John J. LaValle to the door.

Pat