Finding in the Complaint of Marjorie Hsu Against United Sleepy Hollow Slate
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The Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee met via Zoom on October 20, 2025 to hear the complaint of Marjorie Hsu (Democrat), candidate for mayor, against incumbent Jim Husselbee (Unite Sleepy Hollow), candidate for mayor, incumbent Tom Andruss (Unite Sleepy Hollow), candidate for Village Trustee, Jim Garvey (Unite Sleepy Hollow), candidate for Village Trustee, and Carol Banino (Unite Sleepy Hollow), candidate for Village Trustee. Ms. Hsu and Ms. Banino attended the Hearing.
COMPLAINT: Ms. Hsu complained that an ad placed in the River Journal was misleading since the headline made it appear that the Unite Sleepy Hollow slate had the official endorsement of the Democratic Party. The headline reads “Democrats Endorse Unite Sleepy Hollow.”
FINDING: UNFAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICE
The Committee found that the headline was misleading by creating the false impression that the Democratic Party is endorsing Unite Sleepy Hollow. The use of the word “Endorse” in the political arena is used to imply the endorsement by political parties.
The ad 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.”
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.
