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Is Dennis Delano violating the Federal Hatch Act?
Delano's actions may have left Buffalo PD liable in possible Hatch Act violations
Buffalo (October 31, 2008) –"He speaks! Republican Dennis Delano has finally made a public statement and what came out of his mouth was dishonesty regarding his political campaign's apparent violation of the Hatch Act," said Campaign Manager Cathy Calhoun. "At best, Delano is being purposefully misleading about a law he does not understand and refuses to release any relevant information. At worst he is actively shirking our laws."
The fact that Dennis Delano continues to collect a public salary while campaigning for political office has come under increasing scrutiny in recent days.
Contact with the Special Counsel earlier today confirms the legitimacy of this concern. According to the Special Counsel, the law specifically applies to any federal, state or local official who duties or employment are carried out in full, or in part, with federal grants and funding. Buffalo law enforcement has been and continues to be the recipient of federal funding and grants.
"Often campaigns break the law and get away with it because the issue was never raised. That does not change the fact that they are actively breaking the law," explained Calhoun who added, "Pleading ignorance is no excuse. It's time for Delano to just come clean and definitively clear this matter up. Why hasn't he yet?"
According to the National District Attorney's Association (NDAA) an employee funded in part with a federal grant is indeed covered by the act, and cannot "run for partisan office without resigning from her position or risking a funding penalty for her agency."
NDAA also states that "Hatch Act restrictions apply to any act in furtherance of candidacy, including acts before a formal announcement. Canvassing for votes, circulating petitions for candidacy and soliciting funding are prohibited."
Furthermore, it was reported just last month that the U.S. Congress held hearings on the Hatch Act regarding a proposal that "would allow state and local employees to run for partisan offices such as city council or sheriff in cities with 100,000 or fewer residents. These government employees currently are prohibited from partisan campaigning, and if found guilty of violating the Hatch Act, they would be fired and could not be reinstated for 18 months."
"Delano doesn't seem to have answers to our questions, so he is making stuff up as he goes. All we want is for him to do the right thing and provide the proof he says he has. There is an abundance of advisories and legal rulings here that Delano cannot ignore. He is placing others at risk for any liability that results in any violation incurred by his campaign and that is not acceptable," said Calhoun.
Dennis Delano, rogue cop
Buffalo Police detective Dennis Delano was suspended from the force in February. He was accused of handing out unauthorized, highly sensitive evidence in the Lynn Dejac murder case. According to police, it was crime scene video and the polygraph exam of a suspect. "There saying on thing. I'm saying another. I deny em", said Delano back in February.
Delano was suspended with pay. It's been 8 months without a hearing. Eyewitness News has learned that a hearing has been scheduled for January.
Sources also tell Eyewitness News that a deal was in the works, but there was a hitch. We're told the Delano camp wanted the words "no wrong doing" included in the resolution, but police commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson would not do it.
It is nearly a year later. Since then, Delano has announced he is running for state senate, and has had plenty of free time, with pay, to do it. Using 2007 numbers Delano's base pay was $61,946. Since he's been suspended, just after March, Delano has made about $41, 297.
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Delano Lies - A Work in Progress
"Aren't you getting tired of all the rhetoric and lies?" - Dennis Delano, Buffalo News 10/21/08
Yes, Dennis, we are.
LIE #1:
Dennis says he didn't seek endorsements, because he is not a politician. TRUTH: Dennis did seek numerous endorsements, including one of the most important, the Working Families Party, even showing up for an official endorsement interview.
LIE #2:
Dennis says he is not a politician. TRUTH: Dennis has raised money like the most crooked of politicians. He has taken thousands from corporations and other Republicans, and little from actual donors.
LIE #3:
Dennis says that voters have a right to know who they vote for. TRUTH: Dennis has refused to talk about any topic, any issue, anywhere.
LIE #4:
Dennis alleges to be running for change. TRUTH: Dennis does not even know what change means. He admits to not knowing what the problems are.
LIE #5:
Dennis says voters deserve better. TRUTH: Dennis is too lazy to go to the voting booth himself.
Shining a Light on the Delano Case
Dennis Delano is known within Buffalo civic circles as someone who takes credit for other people's work. Within police ranks, Delano was constantly being shifted between departments and was known best for his laziness and a carelessness that hurt investigations. He also arrived at conclusions before adequately reviewing results.
The people who were freed in regards to the case for which Delano has cashed in may very well still be sitting in jail today were it not for the work of other investigators. Dennis Delano was given the task of finding DNA evidence from the year in which this crime happened. He called the hospital, asked if they had such a record, was told no. He hung up and gave up.
Another investigator saw Delano's final report. Knowing his tendency to allow facts to fall through the cracks, he went to the hospital in person found the DNA evidence Delano could not. With a bruised ego, Delano purposefully leaked classified information to the press and took credit for the work he did not do. He claims he purposefully disregarded regulations because he believed in the case, but that is not true. He wanted the credit.
Questions remain as to whether a party to guilt was released because of Delano's haste.
There is a pattern here. Remember that classmate in college who took your work and ran to the professor with it as their own, while you're in the restroom? Meet Dennis Delano.
Dennis Delano refuses to face voters, opponent
Republican State Senate candidate Dennis A. Delano is guaranteed not to lose any debates this election season — which happens when you refuse to square off against your opponent.
Newspaper endorsements might prove hard to snare, too, since he has declined invitations to appear before at least one editorial board.
Ditto for community forums.
Indeed, the former Buffalo police detective makes it quite clear he will run his campaign his own way.
“That’s the way politicians have been doing things for years,” he said. “I don’t have time to do things traditionally.”
Delano will not meet his Democratic opponent, incumbent William T. Stachowski of Lake View, in any debate or public forum this election season because he says he doesn’t believe in them.
“Debates are what career politicians do, and I’m not a career politician,” Delano said.
He also has not responded to invitations from The Buffalo News to discuss the issues with its Editorial Board in a process that leads to the newspaper’s endorsement. He said the endorsement is “not as crucial to me as it is to other people.”
“They would make me jump through hoops to make it seem fair and equal,” he said. “But I have an instinct for things that says they’ve made a decision long before I go through the door. I have a plan, and with the response I’m getting, it’s working.”
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