Op-Ed: Rockland County GOP Denounces Clarkstown Top Cop's 'Frivolous Lawsuit'

From the Rockland County Republican Committee:

Clarkstown Police Chief Michael Sullivan’s lawsuit filed yesterday in Rockland County Supreme Court is disappointing, but not surprising, coming from a Police Chief who has chosen to make politics the driving force of his daily decisions rather than prioritize the protection of the people of Clarkstown. Sullivan’s accusations, while clearly fantastical, are intended to deflect attention away from the troubling charges that have been levelled against him. Based upon public statements, the latest group of charges against the Chief stem from illegal, warrantless and unconstitutional surveillance of politicians, judges and ordinary citizens. These charges, if accurately reported and true, place a stain on the Clarkstown Police Department that will take years to remove. Instead of responding to the charges and making sure that the citizens of Clarkstown get to the bottom of what is going on in the Strategic Intelligence Unit, Sullivan files a spurious lawsuit.

The accusations that Sullivan makes in his lawsuit concerning the Rockland County Republican Committee and its donors are categorically false. All donations to the Rockland County Republican Committee were appropriate, legal and used to support republican candidates and republican causes in Rockland County. Chief Sullivan, by labeling donations “illegal” with no supporting information, is simply attempting to draw attention away from his own misbehavior.

Supervisor Hoehmann and Councilmen Borelli and Noto were elected to lead the Town of Clarkstown out of the fiscal mess that it has become and away from the corrupt practices of the prior administration. It is no secret that Sullivan actively supported former Supervisor Alex Gromack and has expressed only disdain for Supervisor Hoehmann since the day he was elected. Supervisor Hoehmann pledged and practices the mantra, “equal treatment for all and special treatment for none.” This mantra applies to the Clarkstown Police Department, the employees of the Town of Clarkstown, the donors to Supervisor Hoehmann’s campaign, and the donors and members of the Rockland County Republican Committee.

The Rockland County Republican Committee calls on the chief to immediately dismiss his frivolous lawsuit and publicly address the very serious charges leveled against him concerning illegal, warrantless and unconstitutional surveillance of Clarkstown’s citizens. Chief Sullivan has an obligation to help the citizens of Clarkstown get to the bottom of what is happening in the Clarkstown Police Department’s Strategic Intelligence Unit.

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