Tips to Comptroller claim County Executive plays hockey with others; Poloncarz denies this

Posted: Dec 28, 2020 / 08:51 AM EST

Updated: Dec 28, 2020 / 02:55 PM EST

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw says his office has received a number of tips claiming County Executive Mark Poloncarz plays hockey with others at the Northtown Center in Amherst.

“The volume of tips increased once he denied this on December 21st,” Mychajliw’s office wrote in a statement released Monday morning.

On Monday morning, Mychajliw posted a video to Twitter and YouTube, which he says shows the County Executive carrying a hockey stick and a bag to a vehicle.

Whistleblower stated Mark Poloncarz plays hockey Sunday mornings at the Northtown Center at Amherst. This Sunday cameras captured him with hockey stick and hockey bag in hand. Your kids can't play youth hockey. Holiday Twin Rinks was shut down. Rules for thee but not for me. pic.twitter.com/zLJwmIqxot
— Stefan Mychajliw (@StefanMychajliw) December 28, 2020

In response to this, Poloncarz says he hasn’t been playing hockey with others, but instead, has been alone on the ice.

“I didn’t play hockey with my usual mates,” Poloncarz tweeted Monday morning. “I got on the ice about [a] half-hour before they did to skate and shoot by myself and then left. Nothing wrong with that, though being followed is a bit creepy.”

During a conference later in the day, Poloncarz elaborated on this. He shared a photo he says he took while on the ice, noting the clock in the background, which shows the time he was at the Northtown Center.