Gentile then warned the seniors that the opposition had been making nasty, late-night phone calls to voters and saying they were from his campaign. Gentile said his office had fielded about 10 complaints that day from people who had received rude the calls the night before. DiCarlo's campaign manager, Clorinda Annarummo, denied the phone call allegations. DiCarlo also dismissed Gentile as out of tune with the community philosophically. He's a liberal.
Voters have a right to know where a politician stands on an issue.
The accusations flew in a chaotic debate on NY-1 News marked by DiCarlo and Gentile constantly interrupting each other. Gentile countered that DiCarlo had supported Giuliani's zoning laws that moved sex shops into the neighborhood when he was senator. The history of this political feud dates back four years. DiCarlo held the Senate seat from 1993 to 1996 but had alienated many within the Republican Party during that time. Some political insiders attribute his problems to a combination of impolitic moves and an abrasive style.