Constantino Accuses Gendebien of Illegal Dumping Before Empty Debate Podium
Republican candidate Anthony Constantino accused Democratic opponent Blake Gendebien of illegal dumping, though state environmental officials reported they found no violations at the site.
Republican congressional candidate Anthony Constantino accused Democratic opponent Blake Gendebien of illegally dumping tires and cattle carcasses on a property in Lisbon, New York. During a press event on October 5, Constantino presented drone footage from Brooks Investigations Group and a sworn affidavit from a former employee of Gendebien's Twin Mill Farms, alleging that Gendebien ordered the disposal of dead cattle into a creek to avoid fees.
Blake Gendebien denied the allegations, characterizing the drone footage as stalking and stating he follows all state waste disposal laws. While Constantino called for investigations by the New York State Police and the Department of Environmental Conservation, the latter reported that environmental police had already investigated a complaint filed on September 3 and closed the case after finding no violations.
The conflict continued on October 7 during a scheduled debate at the CBS6 studio in Niskayuna. Constantino appeared for the forum, but Gendebien declined to participate, citing prior commitments to voters in Plattsburgh. Constantino spent a portion of the shortened 30-minute forum standing next to an empty podium and reiterating the dumping allegations. The two candidates are competing in the November 3 general election for New York's 21st Congressional District to replace U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik.
