ALBANY, NY, October 31, 2019 – Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, Rensselaer County Republican operative Rich Crist, former Troy mayoral candidate Jim Gordon, and former Congressman John Sweeney threatened their own Republican Troy mayoral candidate Tom Reale to drop out of the race and endorse Democrat Rodney Wiltshire or risk losing his job with the NYS Senate.

Upper Hudson Green Party

www.facebook.com/uhgreenparty

For Immediate Release

October 31, 2019

Contact:

upperhudsongreenparty@gmail.com

These four Republicans are not strangers to scandals and corruption. Steve McLaughlin was recently sanctioned by the NYS Assembly Ethics Committee for sexual harassment, Rich Crist is currently under investigation by the FBI and State Attorney General's Office for his work with political campaigns, Jim Gordon's wife called 911 on him for holding her down while he was running for Troy mayor 4 years ago, and John Sweeney was accused of strangling and beating his wife, misusing funds, and interfering in the 2000 Florida recount.

After surviving verbal abuse by these four henchmen, Reale is back in the race after briefly suspending his campaign. Reale has called out his own Republican Party for corruption and bullying at his Tuesday press conference.

"The Upper Hudson Green Party stands with Tom Reale against political corruption and against bullying of any kind. We may not agree on everything, but what Reale's party has done to him is truly disturbing and I commend him for standing up to the corrupt bullies no matter the cost" said Upper Hudson Green Party Chair Kaleb Winters.

Reale spoke about his fellow Republican candidates holding events with Wiltshire and even carrying his campaign literature while door knocking.

Winters concluded, "Wiltshire successfully stole the Green Party ballot line for mayor after Primary absentee ballots of Troy Republican family members were counted. At least three Troy Republican candidates have their family members enrolled in the Green Party to steal the ballot line.

"Troy Republican District 4 City Council candidate Seamus Donnelly's uncle Michael Donnelly, brother Sean Donnelly, cousin Sara McDermott, and Donnelly's partner Jonathan Shannon, all enrolled in the Green Party in Troy according to public voter registration documents.

"Similarly, Troy Republican City Council President Carmella Mantello's son Paul Laviano and Troy Republican District 1 City Councilman Jim Gulli's wife Barbara Terenzini-Gulli and son Joe Gulli all are enrolled in the Green party.

"We need to end this political corruption if we expect people to trust their government again."