The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Student lied about Brindisi in op-ed
I would like to correct the false statements in a recent Utica Observer-Dispatch Letter to the Editor by Catherine Berry, who said she is a senior at Hamilton College, enrolled in a government class:
1. She said the Brindisi campaign held an Indivisible Summit. WRONG. FACT: This was a summit sponsored by NYCD22 Knit the District, a coalition of progressive groups from the 22nd Congressional District. In fact, it was formed BEFORE Anthony Brindisi was a candidate for Congress. It was NOT sponsored by the Brindisi campaign.
2. She said she registered for the meeting two weeks prior. Yes, she did...BUT SHE CLAIMED TO BE A MEMBER OF ONE OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND SHE IS NOT. Her registration was untruthful.
3. She said she was approached by a member of the Brindisi campaign and asked to leave. WRONG. She was approached by a member of OUR organization, NOT the Brindisi campaign. She was asked if she was a member of one of the organizations in NYCD22 Knit the District (the group sponsoring the event). When she said she wasn’t, she was asked to leave this private meeting.
4. She said she was asked to leave while Anthony Brindisi was speaking. WRONG. Fact: The meeting hadn’t even started, and Anthony Brindisi hadn’t even arrived at that point.
5. She said she was humiliated in front of a large group of people. WRONG. Only three people even knew it happened: me, the member of our group who spoke to her, and the person who recognized her.
This was a meeting of a private group, NOT a Brindisi campaign event. Assemblyman Brindisi has held numerous open town halls and forums at which ALL constituents are welcome. This meeting was a private meeting by a private group.
I find it disturbing that a student in a government class didn’t represent herself correctly. And then, she added to the deception by writing the letter she did, full of misstatements. Oh, by the way, there is NOCazenovia Hilton. The meeting was held at the Hampton Inn & Suites. Just another one of the misstatements.
Maureen Zupan, Cazenovia