Garden City, Long Island – At a Democratic headquarters on Tuesday, four Nassau County candidates denounced a series of Republican mailers they say spread false accusations and seek to divide voters ahead of the November election.

Democratic leaders call out alleged lies

Hempstead Town Supervisor candidate Joe Scianablo warned, “The lies… they just have to stop.” Retired Nassau police officer and Port Washington police commissioner Sean McCarthy said a flyer wrongly claimed he was funding an “anti‑American antisemitic agenda,” a charge he called “completely contrary to my career defending the community against antisemitism and Islamophobia.”

State Assembly candidate Kim Keiserman received a similar mailing that arrived on Yom Kippur. She said, “The motivation is to divide our community and make us all angry at each other and distract us from the real issues that are facing Long Island.” Assembly candidate Dean Tarulli disputed a flyer that paired his photo with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s, stamped with the word “insane,” and quoted alleged statements from left‑wing commentator Hasan Piker. “No, I haven’t met Mayor Mamdani,” Tarulli said, adding, “Never said America deserved 9‑11.” He argued the mailer was designed to paint him as un‑American.

Republican Party defends the mailers

The New York State Republican Party responded that the mailers highlight the radical positions of certain Democrats. A party spokesman cited Piker and Mamdani, saying, “Democrats who lack the spine to stand up to these radicals have no business being anywhere near political power.”

Democratic committee pushes cease‑and‑desist

Jay Jacobs, chair of the New York State Democratic Committee, rejected the GOP’s justification, calling the tactic a “guilt‑by‑association” ploy with no factual basis. Democrats have sent a cease‑and‑desist letter to the Republican Party, a step both sides say has been used in past campaigns to make a statement.

Voter reaction

Local voters said they are largely ignoring the contentious flyers. One resident said, “I disregard them,” while another added, “I try to protect my energy at all costs.” A third voter noted, “Absolutely tossing it in the trash.” With less than three weeks until Election Day, many say they are focusing on learning about the candidates and issues rather than the inflammatory mailers.

Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.