CARMEL – The Putnam County Conservative Party acknowledged violating state Election Law by distributing campaign mailings containing materially deceptive images in a lawsuit brought by Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne, according to the terms of a court settlement.
Under the settlement, Conservative Party Chairman William Spain, the brother of Putnam County Attorney Compton Spain, acknowledged in court that the party “created materially deceptive media in violation of Election Law § 14-106(5)(a)(i).” The acknowledgment also stated that images used in the challenged mailings “depict a scenario that did not occur or was significantly altered.”
Judge Gina Capone presided over the proceedings in the State Supreme Court. The party will be required to pay Byrne’s legal fees, with the amount to be determined by the court.
Byrne said the mailings were designed to mislead voters and called the settlement an acknowledgment of wrongdoing by party leadership.
“These were intentionally deceptive political mailings designed to mislead Putnam County voters, and now the people responsible have been forced to answer for their actions in court,” Byrne said. He urged voters not to trust communications from the county Conservative Party.
New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar also criticized the conduct acknowledged in court, saying political disagreements should not involve misleading voters or violating election law.
“The people of Putnam County deserve transparency, integrity, and confidence in the electoral process,” Kassar said.
The dispute has also raised questions about the party’s campaign-finance disclosures. Byrne questioned whether the party had filed required financial reports since its campaign activities began in August and called for information about who financed the mailings and how much they cost.
Byrne alleged that Brett Yarris and others were financially supporting efforts to divide the center-right vote in the county. He also referenced a similar political dispute involving Conservative Party support in a 2012 state Senate race.
The supplied court settlement information does not indicate that the judge made a finding concerning the party’s campaign-finance filings or the source of funding for the mailings.
The controversy comes during the 2026 election cycle, as Byrne seeks another term as county executive. Spain is also seeking election to a judicial position in Brooklyn.
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