With great power comes great responsibility, at least that’s how the saying goes. It also comes with great scrutiny and a great many critics. Over the past few weeks and months, no one knows that better than, Mr. Reginald A. Lafayette. As the Westchester County Democratic Party Chairman, the Mount Vernon City Democratic Party Chairman and Westchester County Democratic Board of Elections Commissioner, many have questioned the possibility of a major conflict of interest in wearing all three hats. I have even raised the question, if wearing all three hats is a conflict and have spoken about it often on PBP Radio, waiting for Mr. Lafayette to finally except one of our many invitation to talk to us, unsuccessfully.
Reginald Lafayette spoke exclusive to Black Westchester about 10 days ago, to set the record straight. He says even his daughter asked him why he doesn’t fight back…
“I’m talking to you now, for one reason and one reason only, because people said to me on this last thing, you should say something,” Lafayette tells BW in the 32 minute phone interview.
Over the pass few weeks several articles by Lohud were released about him and his Republican counterpart Doug Colety, being both party chairman and board of election commissioners. Including an article about lawmakers seeking to ban party bosses in election posts. Last week two days after our actually interview, Lohud released another article titled, Westchester County bosses’ perks continue.
There was also a highly publicized and scrutinized interview on the White Plains public access television show, Total Faith Network, in which many people throughout the county publicly expressed their outraged over some of Lafayette’s answers to questions about poverty in Westchester, does Westchester need a special prosecutor, and is Westchester County segregated? Then there was an email blast that went out about an alleged plot being planned to take MV City Council candidate André Wallace out, from running in the upcoming election as well as few comparing his perceived stronghold on the Democratic party to Micheal Corlene of the Godfather movies and the Mafia’s Costa Nostra.
These are just a few of the publicly critical things floating around the in press and on the internet. So while BW is never truly been on Lafayette’s Christmas list, it’s understandable why is now breaking his silence with the media in BW now.
We have reached out to Mr. Lafayette to appear on our radio show People Before Politics because he was upset about comments made by Westchester County Independence Party Chairman, Dr Guilio Cavallo. Plus BW Publisher Damon K. Jones have publicly been very vocal about Lafayette. After several invitation request denied, the last email blast about him was the straw that broke the camels back.
So we reached out to Lafayette to give him a chance to address all of these issues and allegations, he quickly returned the phone call and addressed everything.
Mr. Lafayette discusses everything from the ongoing investigation into Damon K. Jones stemming from when he ran for MV City Council two years ago, Mount Vernon Exposed publisher Samuel L. Rivers, the call for him to fight back against lies being told about him, an alleged plot against MV City Council candidate André Wallace, the eligibility of Ernest Davis to remain in office, the call for the AG’s office to investigate Davis, the Democratic nomination of Mayor Davis in 2015 Mount Vernon Mayoral Race, lawmakers writing legislation to ban party bosses from being board of election commissioners, the Lohud articles, the alleged outburst of Councilman and Mayoral Candidate Richard Thomas, voter registration drives, prisoner’s rights to vote, if wearing the three hats is a conflict of interest and much more in this no-holds-barred interview.
Check out the full interview minus the first 5-7 seconds (caused by a delay in the recorder to begin) in its entirety.
