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Criminal Charges Filed Against Ex-Elections Commissioner

Story Published: Jan 16, 2013 at 5:14 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jan 16, 2013 at 5:14 PM EDT

A former Lewis County elections commissioner now faces criminal charges for allegedly authorizing payments to her daughter as an elections worker, work her daughter did not do.

Elaine McLear was suspended from her job in late December 2011.

On Tuesday, McLear was charged with:

- 3 felony counts of offering a false instrument for filing
- 1 misdemeanor count of petit larceny
- 1 misdemeanor count of official misconduct

The indictment alleges she submitted $347 worth of requests to Lewis County to pay for elections inspector training as well as work in the primary and general elections as a poll inspector.

Last September, state Supreme Court Judge Jim McClusky ruled that the county was not within its rights in suspending the Democratic elections commissioner.

He said McLear is entitled to her job, along with back pay and benefits, because the law guarantees an elections commissioner the right to a hearing before his or her job is taken away, unless he or she has been convicted of a crime.

The county is appealing that decision.

See our earlier report
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
, Watertown, NY

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