City workers, lawmaker seen taking down illegal Lee Zeldin campaign signs
NEW YORK -- With less than a week to go before Election Day, there is a new controversy. In parts of the Big Apple, city workers and even a lawmaker are taking down Lee Zeldin's campaign signs.
A sanitation worker removed one of Zeldin's campaign signs from a Midwood, Brooklyn street. Democratic Assemblyman Peter Abate Jr. had several Zeldin signs in his hand when a local resident confronted him. He told her the Long Island congressman was breaking the law, CBS2's Marcia Kramer reported Wednesday.
"You can quote me as saying I think it would be a disgrace for someone running for governor who is breaking the law before he even takes office," Abate said.
"If you are a state assemblyman, you should be spending your time knocking on doors. You are on the ballot as well. Go advocate on behalf of yourself or candidates you support," Zeldin said in response.
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The effort to remove the illegal signs is getting a lot of attention. Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a Republican, tweeted her office has been "flooded with complaints" about people taking down Zeldin signs.
"I understand the shock that they might be going through where they're seeing so much outspoken, proud support for us," Zeldin said.
A spokesman for the Department of Sanitation told CBS2, "Posting political or business signs of any kind -- for any candidate or any business -- on public property is illegal in New York City, and it is the job of the Department of Sanitation to keep the city clean in accordance with the law."
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Meanwhile, Gov. Kathy Hochul held a rousing get-out-the-vote rally in Mount Vernon with Westchester officials.
"We understand the economy. We understand small business. We put money in your pocket. All we need you to do is what?" Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins asked the crowd.
"Vote!" they responded.
"What?" she asked.
"Vote!" they responded.
"What?" she asked again.
"Vote!" they repeated.
"Let's get out there and win," Cousins said.
"There's only two ways, you go backwards and you go forwards. We're going forward with Kathy Hochul and Antonio Delgado and the Democratic ticket. Get them to the polls," Westchester County Executive George Latimer said.
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Hochul called the race the Super Bowl and said she is confident in her team's ability to win.
"I've waited my entire life for a Super Bowl. I'm from Buffalo. This is our Super Bowl for the state of New York," Hochul said. "We're going to spike the football and say this is a victory for New York."
The governor is really ramping up her campaign. On Thursday, she has a late-afternoon rally with Hillary Clinton and Vice President Kamala Harris.