Peekskill Councilman Rob Scott
The defendant, who was seeking to get on the ballot for a county legislator
seat in the June 2023 Democratic primary, allegedly signed his petitions as a
witness verifying forged signatures
On April 17, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah announced that Robert Scott, 44, of Peekskill, was arrested and charged with filing designating petitions containing forged signatures for a seat on the Westchester County Board of Legislators in the June 2023 Democratic primary election.
DA Rocah said: “Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy. Undermining
the petition process in an attempt to get on the ballot in an election violates the public’s
trust.”
The defendant, who is currently a Common Council member in the City of Peekskill, was
arrested April 16 by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and charged with
Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a felony.
The defendant was issued a Desk Appearance Ticket for an April 30 arraignment in White
Plains City Court.
It is alleged that on April 10, 2023, the defendant filed, with the Westchester County Board
of Elections, designating petitions containing forged signatures of eight individuals, who told
DA’s Office investigators that they never signed a petition for the defendant.
The alleged forged signatures appeared on three of the 37 sheets that the defendant signed
as a witness
The defendant was seeking to get on the June 27, 2023 ballot as a candidate in the
Democratic primary election for Westchester County Board of Legislators District 1, which
encompasses Peekskill and parts of Cortlandt and Yorktown.
The Criminal Investigators Squad of the DA’s Office launched an investigation in July 2023
after receiving complaints from individuals who attested their signatures were forged.
The case is being prosecuted by the Public Integrity and Law Enforcement Integrity Bureau.
The charges against the defendant are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed
innocent unless and until proven guilty.
