E-mails cause campaign controversy

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Another cloud of controversy is hanging over Buffalo City Hall. Did e-mails tell city employees they must volunteer for Mayor Byron Brown's re-election campaign?

Tanya Perrin-Johnson said, "I have no comment. No comment."

Buffalo's Community Services Commissioner Tanya Perrin-Johnson has nothing to say about the weekly e-mails she's allegedly been sending to her employees strongly encouraging them to volunteer on Mayor Byron Brown's re-election campaign.

Mayor Brown said, "That was a mistake. The commissioner works hard. She does a tremendous job, but certainly an e-mail like that shouldn't have gone out. I've made it clear that I don't want to see things like that being done."

The Community Services Department employees were apparently told in the e-mails that they were supposed to work at compaign headquarters eight hours a week, four hours on Tuesdays, and four hours on the weekend.

In the e-mail published by The Buffalo News, the commissioner concluded by saying "Please respond that you have received this e-mail. Let me know the days and times you will work. If I don't hear from you, I will contact you."

Section 24-22 of the City Charter clearly states "A city officer or employee should not knowingly request...any direct subordinate...to participate in an election campaign or contribute a political committee."

Do the e-mails violate the city charter?

Mayor Brown said, "I don't think those e-mails violate the city charter. They were sent from a private e-mail account to private e-mails."

But it's still unclear if they were sent from the commissioner's work computer while she was on the clock.

Buffalo Councilman 1983-1995 Clifford Bell said, "Whether or not it was proper, I think the jury's still out on that one."

Bell says in his day as a councilman-at-large during Griffin and Masiello administrations it was almost expected that he would work on their campaigns.

Bell said, "If my job depended on an appointment by the mayor, I would certainly support the mayor in his re-election to assure my job."