Police called to Democratic Headquarters over dispute with candidate
Police officers were called to the Riverhead Town Democratic Committee headquarters on Tuesday due to a dispute between party leadership and one of their own candidates, according to a Riverhead Town police report.
Greg Fischer, the party’s candidate for tax assessor, became involved in a dispute with Riverhead Town Democratic Committee chairperson Marjorie Acevedo about “his perceived frustration of the election process,” the report stated. He left of his own accord after speaking with a police officer outside the building, though the report states that Ms. Acevedo asked him to leave “at least three times” before police arrived.
Mr. Fisher, who has a long history of unsuccessful campaigns for public office, faced harassment charges in 2011 and earlier this year. He alleges the dispute arose because the Democratic committee has been “sabotaging” his campaign by refusing to collect petition signatures on his behalf and by denying him access to the headquarters on East Main Street.
“I’m a candidate and should have use of the place freely,” he said in an interview.
Ms. Acevedo and other town Democratic leaders declined to comment on the incident this week. The police report states that they notified Suffolk County Democratic Committee chairman Richard Schaffer about the incident.
Mr. Fischer said he had been trying to contact party leaders unsuccessfully for several weeks, so Tuesday, he stopped at the headquarters with his two children while an executive board meeting was in session between Ms. Acevedo and fellow committee members Kiesha Washington-Dean and Michael Roth.
Ms. Acevedo told police that “Mr. Fischer became increasingly agitated and raised his voice and became upset with [her],” after which she asked him to leave at least three times. Mr. Fischer said the discussion “ended up being fairly loud.”
Mr. Fischer claimed he recorded the entire incident as proof that party leadership came after him, but declined to share that recording with a News-Review reporter because the reporter “was not a privileged listener.”
He was told he could return the next day between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. to conduct campaign business, but on Wednesday afternoon, he said he had not yet returned.
This is the second consecutive town election in which Mr. Fischer has secured the Democrats’ nomination for tax assessor. He lost in 2013, securing 35 percent of the vote.
Photo Caption: Greg Fischer, the Democratic candidate for Tax Assessor speaks during a debate in Jamesport Thursday. (Credit: Paul Squire)
