Mount Vernon Dems Call For Ethics Chair to Resign After Arrest

MOUNT VERNON, NY — The chair of the Mount Vernon Board of Ethics is supposed to be the one to make sure certain officials in the city are behaving scrupulously, but now lawyer Gregory Cannata is facing criminal charges after allegedly threatening city council member Janice Duarte.

Cannata was arraigned Tuesday on two misdemeanor charges of third-degree attempted coercion after he was accused of threatening Duarte because of her brother's objections to his nominating petitions to appear on the ballot for city council. The board of elections recently voted to remove Cannata’s name from the ballot, in part, because of those objections raised by Duarte’s campaign, asserting that some of the signatures on her political rival’s nominating petition were invalid.

“I just want you to know that there are consequences,” Cannata allegedly told Duarte in a phone call first reported by New York CBS-affiliate WCBS. “If you want a taste of what I’m gonna give you … I am going to be ruthless with you. I will be sending out weekly emails blasting you every chance I get.”

Although supporters of Cannata have described the language as nothing more than tough political talk, Westchester County Prosecutor Mimi Rocah disgreed.

“People talk about dirty politics, but this was more than that,” Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah told the station’s Tony Aiello. “This really crossed a line. Councilwoman Duarte spoke about feeling unsafe.”

The campaign arm of councilmember Duarte’s Democratatic primary opponents put election politics aside to issue a united call for Cannata to step down following news of his arrest. Cannata is widely expected to be removed from the board should he not offer his resignation.

“Although we are opponents in our primary, we stand in solidarity with our fellow Democratic colleague Councilwoman Duarte at this time,” Mount Vernon Forward said in a statement released on Wednesday. “No one should be attacked by bullying and attempted intimidation. Mr. Cannata should resign immediately from the Board of Ethics.”

Mount Vernon Forward describes itself as “a diverse coalition of concerned Democrats, dedicated to continuing making progress for a better future for Mount Vernon by supporting a slate of dedicated candidates for City Council - Danielle Browne, Cathlin Gleason, and Ed Poteat.”

The group’s full statement calling for Cannata’s resignation can be read below.

Once again, Mount Vernon has been touched by political scandal, this time in our own race for City Council. As a coalition dedicated to ending dirty politics and infighting in our city, the Mount Vernon Forward team condemns the tactics of threats and intimidation uncovered by the District Attorney. Although we are opponents in our primary, we stand in solidarity with our fellow Democratic colleague Councilwoman Duarte at this time. No one should be attacked by bullying and attempted intimidation. Mr. Cannata should resign immediately from the Board of Ethics. We call on all the candidates for public office in Mount Vernon to adhere to better ethical standards and to desist from attacks, false charges, threats and disinformation. We also thank District Attorney Rocah for her office’s serious attention to this case, and to our city’s elections. As we continue this campaign, we’re recommitting to positive messages aimed at a better future for everyone. Let’s move Mount Vernon Forward together.