Candidate Accused of Domestic Violence Calls for Release of Police Blotter Report

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November 02, 2006 12:52 PM

New York Congressman John Sweeney (R-N.Y.) and his wife now confirm State Police were called to their home last December 2005, but insist a police blotter report circulated to the media describing domestic violence "is a concocted document" circulated by a "hired gun" from their opponent's campaign.

"I give my permission for the State Police to release the real report for all to see," said Mrs. Sweeney in a conference call with local reporters, including ABC News' affiliate WTEN in Albany.

"There was no domestic violence, and, like my wife, I would call on the State Police to release the original report," Congressman Sweeney told reporters yesterday.

The Sweeney campaign said both the candidate and his wife filed the appropriate paperwork to authorize release of the official incident report. A spokesman for the New York State Police said the report can be released "if both parties sign a notarized waiver of privacy with instructions drawn out to who gets it and when."   

"The evening in question was a very difficult time for our family. Real life has real problems," said Mrs. Sweeney in her first public comment about the incident to reporters. "The pressure of a year–long public scrutiny reached its breaking point, and so had I. I did not need to be protected from John."

Calls to the campaign headquarters of Sweeney's Democratic challenger Kirsten Gillibrand were not returned.