“I just want you to understand that there – that there are consequences.”
A Mount Vernon lawyer who is chair of the city Board of Ethics and had hoped to make a Democratic primary run for City Council in June has been arrested and charged with attempted coercion after threatening a political opponent who challenged signatures on his nominating petitions.
Gregory Cannata was arraigned on the misdemeanor attempted coercion charge on April 20 in Mount Vernon City Court and pled not guilty.
The complaint outlined a range of actions taken by Cannata against Council Member Janice Duarte after her campaign challenged signatures on Cannata’s nominating petitions for the June 22 City Council Democratic primary. The Westchester Board of Elections ultimately determined that Cannata’s petitions did not have the required number of valid signatures, and he will therefore not appear on the ballot.
“Politics is politics, but, as charged, Mr. Cannata’s threats against Ms. Duarte crossed the line from competitive to criminal under New York’s coercion statute when he tried to intimidate her to drop legally permissible challenges to signatures on his nominating petitions,” said Westchester DA Miriam E. Rocah. “Mr. Cannata could have availed himself of a legal process to object to those challenges, but instead he turned to threats and intimidation, which we believe amount to attempted coercion.”
Cannata reached out to Duarte on April 9 regarding his objection to the petition challenges. He left her a voicemail stating “I just want you to understand that there – that there are consequences.”
Later that same day, Duarte recorded a phone conversation with Cannata in which he stated that, if Duarte’s campaign did not withdraw objections to signatures on his petitions, “it will be my singular focus between now and June 22nd to work against you individually.” Cannata also said, “I am going to be ruthless with you. I will be sending out weekly emails, blasting you every chance I get,” and “So if you want to take that risk then, you know, then, then, then proceed the way you’re proceeding.”
Following the phone conversation, Cannata sent to Duarte a sample of the email he intended to send to Mount Vernon voters, which was sharply critical of Duarte’s actions while serving on the City Council. On April 11, Cannata sent a text message to Duarte stating that “the first letter will go out at 4:00 tomorrow if the objection is not withdrawn.” Cannata did send the email the following day to registered Democrats in Mount Vernon.
Duarte told an investigator that she feared financial impacts from Cannata’s actions, and was also concerned for her physical safety. The case was investigated by the Westchester DA’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Cooper Gorrie.
A statement released by Mt. Vernon Forward, MVF, on the arrest of Gregory Cannata reads: “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,” stated MVF, and council candidates Danielle Browne, Cathlin Gleason, and Ed Poteat.
