Ceretto Keeps Word, Files Campaign Disclosures Walker Now Only Elected Official in WNY to Not File

Beth Ceretto filed her disclosures.

Lewiston's councilwoman elect, Beth Ceretto, a member of the Independence Party closely aligned with Republicans, was identified in a Niagara Gazette story two weeks ago as having failed to file her campaign disclosure forms with the NYS Board of Elections.

She told the Gazette she would pursue the matter of filing adding, "I'm going to have someone else complete it for me."

Last Friday she did as she promised and filed all five of her legally required disclosure reports. Ceretto, who was elected this year, was a few months late.

Last week, prior to her filing, the Niagara Falls Reporter brought a little light to bear on her and the only other elected official in WNY to not file campaign disclosure forms - Niagara Falls Councilmember Charles Walker.

Walker is nearly two years late. He was re-elected in 2013.

And as of press time he has still failed to comply.

Following our story, Walker was asked on the Vince Anello WJJL radio show when he would file his campaign disclosure reports and the councilman said he was working in it.

This was not unlike the answer he gave last July to the Niagara Gazette.

Walker said he was going "to sit down this week or next week to get that figured out."

This was not unlike what he told the Buffalo News in the fall of 2013, when he said, "he would check with the two people helping to manage his campaign about the unfiled paperwork."

Walker has been a councilman for 17 years.

Internet records suggest he has not filed disclosure forms for more than a decade.

Campaign disclosure forms show who donated to a candidate, how much they received and how the candidate spent the money.

By failing to file disclosure forms, Walker is in violation of New York State election law. According to New York State Election Law 14-126 (1) "Any candidate who willfully and knowingly fails to file required forms can be fined $1000 per failure." In addition (EL 14-126 (4) provides that a candidate can be charged with a misdemeanor.

Walker is now distinguished as the sole elected official in WNY who has not filed his campaign disclosure forms.

Charles Walker is working on it.