Jon Campbell

@JonCampbellGAN

ALBANY - A lobbyist with deep connections to several Rochester leaders is facing a police investigation after a 71-year-old columnist and political activist accused him of striking her in the face and threatening to kill her.

Gloria Winston Al-Sarag filed a complaint Sunday with the Albany Police Department, accusing lobbyist Robert Scott Gaddy of angrily confronting her Saturday night in an Albany hotel suite before hitting her in the left side of the jaw.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Gaddy had not been charged with a crime or violation, according to Albany Police spokesman Steven Smith.

An incident report taken by Albany Police and based on Winston Al-Sarag's signed complaint focused on second-degree harassment, a violation.

Gaddy, 47, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

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Both Winston Al-Sarag and Gaddy have long-standing ties to Rochester politics and many of the city's top politicians, including Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and Assemblyman David Gantt, D-Rochester.

The alleged incident came with Winston Al-Sarag in the capital city for an annual, well-attended conference of the state Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators.

Reached by phone Wednesday, Winston Al-Sarag said the incident happened in a suite rented by Gantt, a senior member of the association.

She said Gaddy entered the suite around 8:30 p.m. and confronted her over a column she wrote in The Minority Reporter, a weekly Rochester-based newspaper.

The January column suggested Gaddy could be in legal trouble for his ties to the late Assemblyman Bill Nojay, who killed himself in September as he was about to face federal charges.

"He put his face so close to my face physically, I could smell his breath," Winston Al-Sarag said in an interview with the USA TODAY Network's Albany Bureau. She said he then threatened to kill her.

According to Winston Al-Sarag, Gantt — who was sitting on a couch next to her — interjected, telling Gaddy to leave.

At that point, Gaddy drew back his right hand and "literally punched me in my jaw," Winston Al-Sarag contended.

Asked Wednesday about Winston's account, Gantt repeatedly told a reporter: "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

The alleged incident is laid out in an incident report on file with Albany Police, which was based on Winston Al-Sarag's complaint. The report says Winston Al-Sarag "denied any medical attention."

Gaddy is listed as the suspect, with the victim's name redacted. Winston Al-Sarag, who walks with a cane, confirmed she filed the complaint and agreed Wednesday to tell her side of the story on the record.

Winston Al-Sarag, whose columns have sparked controversy, is a longtime supporter of Warren.

Gaddy is a former Warren supporter and former aide to Gantt. He has supported Democrat Rachel Barnhart's bid to unseat Warren.

Gaddy, as president of Excelsior Advocates, is also an Albany lobbyist for several Rochester-area interests, including the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority and the Rochester City School District.

In 2013, he spent about $41,000 to benefit Warren’s campaign for mayor through an independent committee called Rochester Rising.

This year, he has backed Barnhart's primary challenge, with Gaddy and a company associated with him contributing $8,900 to her campaign, according to campaign finance records.

Both Warren and Barnhart sought to distance themselves from Gaddy on Wednesday.

"The mayor has not had a relationship with Scott Gaddy for a year and a half," Warren spokeswoman Jessica Alaimo said in an email.

In a statement, Barnhart said she was "deeply saddened" to learn of the allegations.

Gaddy did not have a formal title with Barnhart's campaign, but has been an outspoken supporter. In a 2016 e-book recounting her bid for the state Assembly, Barnhart thanked Gaddy for "believing in me."

"Violence is never an acceptable answer to any problem, and I condemn it in no uncertain terms," Barnhart said in her Wednesday statement.

"This afternoon I spoke to Scott to express my dismay at these allegations and suggested it would be best for him to focus on his work in Albany and resolving these legal issues."

Gaddy and Winston Al-Sarag had argued on social media in the week leading up to the alleged incident, with Gaddy making references to a potential defamation suit. At one point a Facebook account belonging to a Robert Gaddy wrote that he knew Winston Al-Sarag would be in Albany and threatened to serve her with legal papers.

On Tuesday, Gaddy took to Twitter to call Winston Al-Sarag a "Hate-monger" and Warren's "BFF."

JCAMPBELL1@Gannett.com

Jon Campbell is a staff writer for USA TODAY Netywork's Albany Bureau.

Includes reporting by staff writer Brian Sharp.