Fischer, Democratic Chairman Trade Accusations at Press Conference

With only weeks to go until Democrats go to the polls to choose their candidate  for Town Supervisor, Democratic Committee Chair Vinny Villella and Democratic candidate Greg Fischer found themselves in a shouting match at a local pizzeria during a press conference called by Villella to accuse Fischer of petition fraud on Monday night.

Villella read from a prepared statement that accused Fischer of forging the signatures of the Rev. Charles Coverdale of the First Baptist Church of Riverhead and his wife, former Democratic town council candidate Shirley Coverdale.

“These signatures are forgeries,” Villella said. “On behalf of the Riverhead Democratic Committee, I am asking the District Attorney to quickly investigate this matter, given that the rights of the voters, especially the Coverdales, are at stake.”

The Coverdales were out of town and were not available for comment. District Attorney Tom Spota did not return a call for comment.

Fischer vehemently denied the claim, saying he had four times the number of signatures needed and that he will request a subpoena of the Coverdale's business records to check their signatures. 

Fischer then presented a statement of his own claiming that his opponent, former Town Supervisor Phil Cardinale, failed to report the alleged abduction of Fischer's children by their mother in 2007.

From there the orderly meeting devolved into a circus of yelling, as Fischer and running mate, town council candidate Ruth Pollack, traded barbs with Villella and others in attendance as Cardinale sat silently at one of the tables.

Fischer and his running mate were quickly thrown out as the committee meeting officially began.

Outside the pizzeria, Fischer accused the Democratic Committee of playing political games.

"I'll see your [bet of] petition fraud and raise you a child abduction," Fischer joked.

When asked about his own accusations against Cardinale, Fischer said, "They're telling lies. I'll combat it with the truth."

Suffolk County Democrat Committee Chairman Rich Schaffer did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Cardinale later claimed he had no knowledge of the scheduled press event or the claims against Fischer, and said he was at the pizzeria simply to attend the meeting.