Putnam Independence Party Official Charged with Felony

Putnam District Attorney Kevin Wright announced that felony charges were filed February 25th against George E. Gallinger, Secretary of the Independence Party of Putnam County, alleging fraud concerning an Independence Party petition submitted to the Board of Elections for last fall’s September 14th primary election. The District Attorney said an investigation was opened on July 23, 2004, when a member of the Independence Party wrote and made a forgery complaint to the District Attorney’s Office.

Wright said the two felony counts charged against Gallinger allege he falsely made a petition to elect a deceased 9/11 victim to a position on the Independence Party Committee. The deceased N.Y.C. Emergency Medical Technician, who was killed responding to the World Trade Center attacks, Christopher Blackwell of Brewster, as well as his surviving wife Jane Blackwell, were both designated for election to these Independence Party positions in the petition. Jane Blackwell cooperated completely with the investigation which established that she knew nothing whatsoever about the petition.

The felony complaint filed in the Southeast Justice Court alleges an Independence Party Designating Petition was falsely made by Gallinger forging the signature of another Brewster resident, Curtis Johnson, to the petition with Gallinger then falsely executing an affidavit stating that Curtis Johnson had actually signed the petition in Gallinger’s presence. On this same fraudulent petition Mr. Gallinger himself is also purportedly appointed by Johnson’s forged signature to serve on a committee within the Independence Party to fill any vacancies of positions occurring in the Putnam Independence Party. Curtis Johnson also fully cooperated with the investigation which established he also knew nothing at all about the petition which purportedly bore his signature.

Wright said Investigator Edward Johnston of the District Attorney’s Office led the investigation and filed a felony complaint charging Gallinger with Forgery 2nd Degree - a class D felony - and Offering a False Instrument for Filing l Degree - a class E felony.

Attorneys for the sixty-one year old Gallinger, a resident of Lake Peekskill, made arrangements for Gallinger’s voluntary surrender to take place on Monday, February 28th at 10 am in Carmel. Under the terms of the surrender agreement, Chief Assistant District Attorney Christopher York, who is assisting Investigator Johnston in the matter, will consent that Gallinger not be required to post bail with the Court at this time.

District Attorney Wright said the investigation was continuing and asked that any member of the public who had reason to believe they were similarly victimized to contact his Office.