Mayor denies rumors that he's under investigation and will resign
Brown labels claims ‘politically motivated’
By Brian Meyer NEWS STAFF REPORTER
Updated: 06/20/08 7:40 AM
-
- Mayor Byron Brown: “None of these rumors are true, and I look forward to continuing my tenure as mayor.”
Related Content
Mayor Byron W. Brown denied rumors Thursday that he is a target in a federal probe that would spur him to resign soon, branding the widespread claims “politically motivated.”
“There have been several rumors circulating about my status as mayor of Buffalo, ranging from being considered for high-level federal or state appointments to alleged FBI probes that would cause me to consider resigning from office,” Brown wrote.
“None of these rumors are true, and I look forward to continuing my tenure as mayor. In fact, I look forward to continuing to oversee the programs and initiatives that are contributing to Buffalo’s revival,” he continued.
Brown ended his 79-word written statement this way: “Clearly and sadly, this is politically motivated.”
Earlier Thursday, when a Buffalo News reporter asked Brown about the rumored probe and his possible resignation, he said the claims had “zero percent” accuracy.
If there is an investigation aimed at the mayor, it is not being conducted by the Buffalo FBI office or the U. S. attorney’s office in Buffalo, law enforcement officials said.
The officials told The News that Buffalo FBI agents and prosecutors who normally handle political corruption cases in the region are not aware of any such probe.
And it would be “extremely unusual” for federal agents from elsewhere to investigate Buffalo’s mayor without at least notifying the U. S. attorney and the FBI in Buffalo, one source said.
Rumors of Brown’s possible resignation were so prevalent in City Hall earlier this week that Common Council staffers were researching the city’s succession plan. The City Charter states that the Council president would become mayor in the event of a resignation.
Council President David A. Franczyk, who heard the rumors, had no comment beyond saying he has no desire to become mayor. “I wouldn’t want to see that happen,” he said of any scenario that would see Brown resign.
The rumors started swirling around City Hall offices Monday. By Thursday, they were posted on at least one Web site that focuses on local politics. The News does not publish unsubstantiated rumors, but Brown’s decision to deny the allegations in a written statement led The News to address them.
It’s rare for Brown or other elected officials to issue statements rebutting unsubstantiated claims. The downside of such a strategy is that the statements could spur media coverage by some outlets that might have otherwise ruled out covering the rumors by themselves.
But Peter K. Cutler, Brown’s communications director, said the administration made the decision to issue a statement after receiving numerous inquiries from media outlets. Cutler said the mayor felt it was important to “set the record straight” about claims that were totally off base.
“They were so widespread and, in some cases, so pernicious — on top of being inaccurate — that the decision was made to put these silly rumors to rest,” Cutler said.
