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From Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW)

We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.

Is it Legal? Email Abuse by Mamaroneck Mayor uncovered for a Second Time

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 25, 2015

CONTACT:
Kiley Blackman
[email protected]
www.adow.org

Is it Legal? Email Abuse by Mamaroneck Mayor uncovered for a Second Time
Intervention, investigation by Atty General requested by activists

Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW) and other animal advocates are requesting the attorney general investigate Mamaroneck Mayor Norm Rosenblum, for using his name and mayoral account to send residents a hate-filled, factually incorrect 'sample letter,' complaining about deer, that they should sign and forward to the DEC and state officials.  The sample letter, as sent out by "Mayor Norman S. Rosenblum" reads as follows:

Dear Commissioner O’Connor and Commissioner Martens,

I am writing to ask you to make deer control a priority.

I live in the Village of Mamaroneck. Our Village is bordered by the County parkland in Rye City, Saxon Woods Park in White Plains as well as the Hommocks area in the Town of Mamaroneck. The Village has the salt marshes known as Guion Creek, Otter Creek, the Magid Pond and Taylors Lane and the Hommocks as well as the open areas of the Hampshire Country Club.

The marsh and other open areas and the nature trails are overrun with deer, which have spread in increasing numbers to the streets and yards of homes in Mamaroneck and Rye, at all hours of the day and night. The herd that started with 3 to 5 deer is now estimated to be over 45 and growing.

I know that there have been successful programs to relocate deer to areas more conducive to wildlife, such as parks and/or preserves within the state, and that Westchester County has taken some measures to control the deer population. I urge you to increase such efforts in the County, especially in the Village of Mamaroneck.

I know you are aware of the problems created by an overabundance of deer: Lyme disease spread by deer; dead deer in residents’ yards; decimation of the landscape and related destruction of the ecosystem for other wildlife; danger to people in cars; increased cost to residents attempting to deter deer; and lack of natural predators to control the number of deer.

I understand that the County is in the process of devising a program to deal with the deer problem. I urge you to take whatever action you and the experts in Westchester County think would be most effective in controlling the growing deer population, and to do it without delay. Whatever program the County determines to be the most effective deer-culling method for Westchester County, including relocation, birth control, or hunting, I ask you to implement it as soon as possible to reduce the deer population to sustainable levels in Westchester County.

Thank you for your consideration of this issue.
Sincerely,
(insert your name and address here)

cc: N.Y.S. Senator George Latimer; [email protected]
N.Y.S. Assemblyman Steve Otis; [email protected]
Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker; [email protected]
Village of Mamaroneck Mayor Norman Rosenblum; [email protected]
Town of Rye Supervisor, Joe Carvin; [email protected]
Town of Mamaroneck Supervisor, Nancy Seligson; [email protected]

This is the second time Mamaroneck has been the subject of activist and media scrutiny due to email:  In March of 2013 it was proven that Mamaroneck had illegally used an email filter that bounced email which had the word 'geese' in the subject line, during a battle to stop a massive geese slaughter there, a slaughter that was vigorously supported by Mayor Rosenblum, who ultimately did not prevail.  ADOW was notified of this new infraction by Mamaroneck resident Gina Von Eiff, who uncovered the previous Mamaroneck email breach.

Kiley Blackman, founder of ADOW said, 'The mayor must be censured for using his title to promote his own agenda for something Mamk residents may know nothing about and not support - in addition to disseminating false, cruel, prejudiced information.  This whole issue was a total shock:  There hadn't been any reports of animal issues in Mamk other than one coyote incident - now fictitiously multiplied in the mayor's email - which we are going to meet with them for.  The mayor clearly has his own agenda, same as he did when he vigorously defended his desire to kill geese there, which was successfully fought and avoided.  It is outrageous that the mayor has waged his own war on wildlife, especially after taking over a rural area near a body of water where the animals resided before him. It is grossly inappropriate for him to promote his agenda in his official capacity:  Would he be allowed to send out biased, anti-minority messages on his govt email?  Anti-abortion messages?  He shouldn't be allowed to encourage and promote hate mail about the animals either, while blatantly using his influence to make constituents follow him. We as decent humans have to learn to share: Especially at a time when wildlife is being threatened by urban sprawl, hunters, the USDA etc, unwarranted demonization is not acceptable; If any intervention results, we expect it to be humane, non-lethal and respectful of wildlife - all wildlife.   

'We are asking our members to request an investigation into this matter: If he wants to contact the DEC himself he has that right; but using his official capacity to tell constituents to send email supporting his his own choice - and giving them a sample letter to sign - is a breach of his mayoral duties; he must be censured for abuse of power and using his official title to promote his own agenda - to an end that is biased and possibly profitable to Rosenblum, who has clearly demonstrated an over-eagerness to use taxpayer funds for slaughter via the USDA and their DEC licensing agent.' 

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