An unsuccessful upstate New York congressional candidate has turned himself in to police after being caught on camera stealing a rival's campaign flyer from a resident's mailbox and replacing it with his own.
Republican Joseph Mastroianni was charged with misdemeanor theft after surrendering to the Socita Village Police Department on Thursday.
Mastroianni, a member of the Rotterdam City Council, was running against incumbent Democratic Rep. Angelo Santabarbara in the 111th Congressional District, which includes Schenectady and Montgomery counties.
Despite his alleged efforts to replace Santa Barbara's message with his own, Mastroianni lost to the incumbent on Tuesday.
On Oct. 17, a Ring doorbell camera captured a candidate removing political mail from a voter's mailbox, shoving it into his pocket, and then placing one of his campaign flyers in the same mailbox.
“Bad, bad, bad,” Mastroianni says grimly in the video, as a woman laughs in the background.
According to the video, the homeowner received a Santa Barbara election flyer sent to his home the same day through the Postal Service's “Notice Mailer” email, but it was missing and was allegedly swiped by a Republican challenger.
Mastroianni could face federal charges in addition to the local misdemeanor charges, as mail theft is a federal felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
The Scotia Village Police Department was alerted to the alleged theft by Schenectady County Democratic Committee Chairman Frank Salamone.
Salamone also filed complaints about the mail exchange with the U.S. Postal Service, the State Board of Elections, the State Police and the Schenectady County Sheriff's Office.
He cited Ring camera footage of the homeowner's mail carrier delivering election flyers and crystal clear footage of Mastroianni laughing and telling his accomplice, “This is the worst,” as he removes the mail carrier, folds it, and puts it in his pocket. The footage was provided to the agency. Bad, bad,’ clearly admitting his wrongdoing,” Salamone said.
The committee chairman, who is also a lawyer, once again called on Mastroianni to resign from his position as Rotterdam city councilor.
“Not only did Mr. Mastroianni commit a crime on camera, but his refusal to explain his actions shows his complete disregard for the people he claims to serve,” Salamone said. said in a statement Thursday.
“The city of Rotterdam deserves to be represented by someone who is not an unapologetic thief.”
Mastroianni did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
