As a lifelong Democrat, I believe that we should be concerned with the
corruption that has occurred during Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns’ time
in office.
This man seems to escape responsibility time and time again.
Voters should be aware that an independent forensic audit found that his
office had internal control problems – allowing his deputy clerk, Alexander
J. McDougall, to embezzle $320,000 of taxpayer money.
McDougall is currently in jail, having pled guilty to grand larceny in the
second degree. Apparently, he used the money for “rent and personal
expenses.”
I ask: How can Kearns continue to serve as our County Clerk if he cannot
detect such a significant sum of money gone missing?
We the voters are left to speculate on whether he was in on it – especially
given the fact that McDougall sent emails to himself that hinted at his
boss’ involvement.
Channel 4 (WIVB) wrote that in 2022, McDougall’s email address sent and
received emails with the subject headlines “extortion money” and “Mickey’s
extortion money.”
This may not be enough to implicate Mickey in a court of law, but it is
enough for me and I know other voters who feel the same.
Corruption has occurred right under our noses.
According to Channel 7 (WKBW), in 2022 Kearns illegally spent over $100,000
in taxpayer money to pay for political advertisements. We can not allow
this and we can not allow our Clerk’s Office to be run by a man who is only
looking out for one resident – himself.
Gregory Crawford
