Oneida County executive latest: Michael Hennessy will run as Independent

Former Oneida County Legislator Michael Hennessy will run as an Independent in the race for Oneida County executive, his campaign announced Friday.

Hennessy, who on Tuesday said he had enough signatures to have his name added, but claimed current county executive Anthony Picente was challenging them, will be on the November ballot under the Independent line, TermLimitTaxCut.

Hennessy had also been seeking to get on the Republican line – which Picente already occupies – to force a primary later this month.

“We feel very strongly that these are all good signatures,” Hennessy said Tuesday of the 2,125 signatures collected.

Hennessy said he feels the signatures for the Independent line in the race for county executive are stronger than the signatures formerly gathered for the Republican line.

“We feel confident the board of elections will do the right thing,” Hennessy said.

Hennessy-Picente rematch

Hennessy served three terms on the Oneida County Board of Legislators from 2005 to 2011. He ran as an independent Democrat against Picente last election cycle and was not endorsed by the Oneida County Democratic Committee.

The former legislator said he left the Democratic party earlier this year and is now a Republican.

Picente, the incumbent Republican, is the 13th county executive and the longest serving in the county’s history. He was appointed to the job in 2006 to fill out the term of former County Executive Joseph Griffo after Griffo was elected to the state Senate.

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Hennessy attacked Picente numerous times during Tuesday’s press conference, stating the county executive did not want to face anyone for the seat and that the Oneida County Board of Elections was doing Picente’s bidding.

In a statement, the Oneida County Board of Elections denied any wrongdoing.

"The Board of Elections followed all state laws and rules when it invalidated Mr. Hennessy’s petitions," the Oneida County Board of Elections said Tuesday in a statement. "The trial court agreed with the Board’s determination that his name should not appear on the primary ballot. Unfortunately, Mr. Hennessy is once again promoting a false narrative, just as he did when the court dismissed his lawsuit after finding that his wild accusations had no basis in law or fact."

Picente calls allegations 'conspiracy theories'

"Mike Hennessy continues to build a campaign of lies and accusations based in an alternate reality of conspiracy theories and delusional thought, just like he has every other time he has run for office,” Picente said Tuesday in a statement.

“The simple truth is that the people of Oneida County see through these political games. My results as County Executive speak for themselves. We will continue the great work we have accomplished through strong, effective leadership with the temperament to continue moving us forward.”

State Supreme Court Justice Bernadette Clark dismissed Hennessy's lawsuit last month, which was aimed at securing a spot on the Republican line in the race for county executive.

The decision came a week after Hennessy said he would file a lawsuit seeking to get on the Republican line after the Oneida County Board of Elections found he did not have enough signatures to make it on.

The elections board said 585 signatures were invalid, causing Hennessy to fall below the required 1,000 needed.

What happens next

According to information previously provided by Hennessy, he provided the election board with 1,571 signatures. Of that number 584 were found to be invalid, leaving Hennessy 13 signatures short. 

Hennessy appealed the ruling and was expecting a decision late next week.

A Republican primary would be forced if Hennessy wins the appeal. Oneida County’s primary election is scheduled for June 27.

“It’s going to be hard to run a campaign in two weeks, but I’ll take one day,” Hennessy said Tuesday, detailing the tight window if successful in his appeal.

Hennessy also said he would send a letter to the state attorney general to have them look into Picente and the Oneida County Board of Elections and their handling of his campaign. Hennessy has not yet written the letter and declined to go into specifics on what it would entail.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Oneida County executive hopeful to run as Independent