Findings in the Complaints of Vedat Gashi Against Kevin O'Keefe

/ Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee/

The Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee met via Zoom on October 30, 2025 to hear the complaints of incumbent Vedat Gashi (Democrat) against Kevin O’Keefe (Republican), candidates for the Westchester County Board of Legislators (District 4). Scott Berlin and Harry Brussel, Mr. Gashi’s representatives, attended the Hearing. Mr. O'Keefe was repeatedly notified about the Hearing but did not attend, send a representative, or submit a response to the complaint.

COMPLAINT #1: Mr. Gashi complained that text messages sent by Mr. O’Keefe were misleading since they were signed: 
“Kevin O’Keefe
Westchester County Legislator – District 4
Common Sense * No Nonsense,”
creating the false impression that Mr. O’Keefe is the current District 4 Westchester County Legislator.
 
FINDING: UNFAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICE 
The Committee found that including “Westchester County Legislator – District 4” below Mr. O’Keefe’s name without prefacing it with language such as “Candidate for” is misleading since it could lead the public to assume the candidate is the incumbent.

The mailer violates the following FCPC Principle: 
“The candidate will not use or condone any campaign material or advertisement that misstates, misrepresents or distorts material fact or any communication that misleads the public,”

and FCPC Guidance #4:
“A candidate should not create the false impression that she/he is an incumbent. A high standard of clarity is expected in campaign materials.”

COMPLAINT #2: Mr. Gashi complained that Mr. O’Keefe misled voters by making the false claim on his website that Mr. Gashi is “the highest-paid county legislator in New York State.”
 
FINDING: UNFAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICE 
The Committee found that the statement was false, as evidenced by publicly available salary data for county legislators in New York State.

The statement violates the following FCPC Principle: 
“The candidate will not use or condone any campaign material or advertisement that misstates, misrepresents or distorts material fact or any communication that misleads the public.”

COMPLAINT #3: Mr. Gashi complained that Mr. O’Keefe misled voters by distributing a campaign mailer on or about October 10, 2025 that falsely claimed – without citation or supporting evidence – that: “[Gashi] supported the closing of Indian Point WITHOUT A PLAN to replace the energy it supplied.” 
 
FINDING: UNFAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICE
The Committee found that the statement was false since no evidence was provided to substantiate the claim that Mr. Gashi supported the Indian Point closure. The decision to close Indian Point was made in 2017 before Mr. Gashi took office in 2020, and was made by the State government rather than the Westchester County government. 

The mailer violates the following FCPC Principle:
“The candidate will not use or condone any campaign material or advertisement that misstates, misrepresents or distorts material fact or any communication that misleads the public,”

and FCPC Guidance #10:
“A candidate is urged to exercise great care when characterizing his/her opponent’s positions. In the absence of a specifically publicly stated position on an issue, a candidate should avoid attributing a position on this issue to her/his opponent.”

COMPLAINT #4: Mr. Gashi complained that Mr. O’Keefe misled voters by distributing a campaign mailer on or about October 10, 2025 that falsely claimed: “When a massive battery storage facility was proposed near Somers, Gashi stayed silent. He never stood with our community.”

FINDING: UNFAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICE  
The Committee found that the statement was false since there were several examples of Mr. Gashi’s position on the placement of the battery storage facility near Somers. Examples included (1) a letter to the Town of Carmel Planning Board publicly stating his many concerns on the proposed battery farm near Somers, and (2) Mr. Gashi’s appearance on News12 where he publicly stated his position.

The mailer violates the following FCPC Principle:
“The candidate will not use or condone any campaign material or advertisement that misstates, misrepresents or distorts material fact or any communication that misleads the public,”

and FCPC Guidance #10:
“A candidate is urged to exercise great care when characterizing his/her opponent’s positions. In the absence of a specifically publicly stated position on an issue, a candidate should avoid attributing a position on this issue to her/his opponent.”

Committee Members: Susan P. Guma, [Chair], Jennifer Mebes Flagg [Coordinator], LaRuth Gray, Cassandra Hyacinthe, Kyle-Beth Hilfer, Lee Kinnally, Robert C. Kirkwood, Carole Princer Levy, Don Marra, Paul Bennett Marrow, Joy Rosenzweig, Susan Schwarz, John Stern, Evelyn Stock, Lilian Wu

Party representatives (ex officio): Republican Party, Democratic Party, Working Families Party.

The purpose of the Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee is to help set an acceptable standard for political discussion by offering a forum for identifying unfair campaign practices and promoting a climate in which candidates conduct honest and fair campaigns. The Committee encourages candidates to conduct campaigns openly and fairly, to focus on issues and qualifications, to refrain from dishonest and defamatory attacks, and to avoid the use of campaign materials that distort the facts.

The Committee accepts written complaints from candidates about alleged unfair campaign practices. The Committee may then hold hearings to determine whether the action complained about is indeed unfair or whether it falls within acceptable political discourse. Among other things that the Committee will consider to be an unfair campaign practice is a misstatement of a material fact or any communication that misleads the public.

The Committee has no power to compel anyone or any group to stop doing what it has found to be unfair, nor does it have the authority or power to enforce election or other laws.

If the Committee acts on a complaint, it will release its findings to inform the public. The Committee may choose not to consider a complaint; in that case, a hearing is not held and the parties to the complaint are notified.

Statement of Principles of the Committee, as stated in its Manual, is available at www.faircampaignpractices.org. The Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee believes that candidates should conduct their campaigns in accordance with the following principles:

  • The Candidate will conduct a campaign for public office openly and fairly, focusing on issues and qualifications.

  • The Candidate will not use or condone any campaign material or advertisement that misstates, misrepresents or distorts material fact or any communication that misleads the public.

  • The Candidate will neither engage in nor be involved with false or misleading attacks upon the character of an opponent, nor in invasions of privacy unrelated to fitness for office.

  • The Candidate will not participate in nor condone any appeal to prejudice.

  • The Candidate will clearly identify by name the funding source of all advertisements and campaign literature published and distributed.

  • The Candidate will not abuse the Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee process in order to obtain political advantage. This includes, but is not limited to, announcing that he/she has filed a complaint, or quoting the Committee’s Findings unless the individual Finding cited is quoted in its entirety. The Committee considers selective quotation or misrepresentation of its Findings to be an unfair campaign practice.

  • The Candidate will publicly repudiate materials or actions made on behalf of their candidacy that violate this Statement of Principles.