Congressman Backs Off Pledge to Make 911 Report Public

Email

Print

Share

November 06, 2006 2:52 PM

New York Republican Congressman John Sweeney, who faces a tight congressional race, has  apparently changed his mind and no longer wants police to make public a 911 telephone complaint in which his wife allegedly said the congressman had grabbed her around the neck and was pushing her around the house.

According to the Associated Press, Sweeney's attorney advised the congressman not to follow through on his promise to authorize release of the documents.

Both the congressman and Mrs. Sweeney admitted last week that state troopers did respond to a 911 call from Mrs. Sweeney to their home on Dec 2, 2005, but continued to insist a police blotter report circulated to the media describing a domestic violence call "is a concocted document" circulated by a "hired gun" from their opponent's campaign.

"There was no domestic violence," Congressman Sweeney told reporters last week, saying both he and his wife would give permission for the official report to be released to reporters.

A spokesman for the New York State Police confirmed to ABC News the report can be released "if both parties sign a notarized waiver of privacy with instructions drawn out to who gets it and when." 

But as of this morning no waivers had been filed with the New York State Police, and neither the Sweeney campaign nor his attorney responded to requests from ABC News.