Creighton complains about defaced signs in Smithtown

Smithtown’s Republican race for supervisor has reached a political low, according to Councilman Robert Creighton, whose four campaign signs were recently defaced.

The word “Crooks” was scrawled in red paint across each of his Kings Park signs, which measure about 4 by 6 feet, said Creighton, who is running against 36-year Supervisor Patrick Vecchio. Smaller, adjacent signs for incumbents Councilman Kevin Malloy and Smithtown Clerk Vincent Puleo were also crossed out with a red X, he said.

“That to me is just low-class politics,” Creighton said, adding that he was “disgusted.”
Creighton said he recognized the word “Crooks” as something Vecchio had said at a Smithtown Republican Committee meeting, held before the town’s Republican convention.

“If you want to go back to the corrupt days of the ’60s and ’70s, vote for Bob Creighton,” Creighton alleged Vecchio to have said. “I firmly believe that the supervisor has to take responsibility for that and should address it,” he said of the signs. “I think it’s very offensive.“

Vecchio denied making the statement and declined to comment on the accusation that someone in his camp was responsible for the sign defacements.

“I’m not even going to dignify that remark, and he should know better,” Vecchio said. “I didn’t complain when three of my lawn signs disappeared.”

As of early yesterday evening, two of Creighton’s signs with red paint were still posted at the intersections of Indian Head and Old Northport roads, as well as Lawrence Road and Route 25A, Creighton said. Two other signs along Indian Head Road on the grounds of Raleigh Poultry Farm were removed, he said.

Creighton said he does not plan to report the signs to police, adding, “I think that the police have more important things to do.”