Political Corruption, or Politics As Usual in Rockland County?

(Editor's Note: Transcripts provided by Frank Sparaco have been added to this article.)

Rockland County Legislator Frank Sparaco (R-Valley Cottage) Monday morning released video and audio recordings which he said implicate several local elected officials and party leaders in a bribery scheme. 

Sparaco, who said he provided the tapes to the FBI at least six weeks ago, said the secretly-recorded meetings reveal a design to gain his cooperation and influence to oust current Clarkstown highway superintendent Wayne Ballard, a Republican, and replace him with a Democrat.

Sparaco said he recorded approximately eight hours of meetings with Rockland County Democratic Party attorney Larry Weissman, Clarkstown Councilman Frank Borelli (R-New City) and Clarkstown Highway Department Fleet Manager Dennis Malone, the democratic highway superintendent candidate. He also alleged that county Democratic Party Chair and Board of Elections Commissioner Kristen Stavisky was aware of the offers.

Sparaco said he was approached with bribes and threats in an effort to get him to use his familiarity with Independence and Working Families parties’ voters to get their support for Malone’s campaign.  

Sparaco—who was appointed to the $75,000 part-time constituent service position in the highway department—said at a Monday morning press conference that he was first approached on election night of 2012.

Sparaco said he was offered a paid vacation if he disappeared for the month of July (when petition signatures are gathered for the September primary), a $35,000 salary increase and $40,000 in benefits if he helped Malone get the minor party lines.

“I was never approached in such a blatant manner in my life,” Sparaco said.

Sparaco said he spoke to Rockland County Republican Party Chair Vincent Reda and Ballard about the overtures and then started wearing a wire to tape conversations. After turning the tapes over to the FBI, Sparaco said he answered questions for three hours but said he has not been contacted since then.

Sparaco said he went along with the discussions for the purpose of recording them.

“What is said on the tapes is theatrics,” he said. “I’m acting.” 

Borelli issued a statement that he is taking legal action against Sparaco. 

“Because Frank Sparaco has edited the tapes of our conversations in such a way as to completely alter them in order to make it appear I did something wrong, and because he is insisting on moving forward with this political hatchet job and smear campaign against me, I am now moving forward with a defamation of character lawsuit against him.”

Town of Clarkstown Republican Committee Chair Robert Axelrod said Borelli would be removed as a town committee member.

Messages requesting comment were left for Stavisky and Malone. Weissman could not be reached.