Roque responds to claims of deceased petitioners

WEST NEW YORK — Dr. Felix Roque, who is leading an effort to recall West New York Mayor Silverio “Sal” Vega, responded Monday to allegations of the two deceased people who signed petitions in favor of the recall.
Roque said this morning that of the two, one is alive and the other lied about who he was. Roque said Pedro Costales is alive and well and that he wished the town clerk or Vega’s attorney had made sure of that before announcing that he was deceased. He said that after hearing of the reports, Roque went to the man’s home with this circulator to verify whether he was alive or deceased.
Last week, town clerk Carmela Riccie released a report to both Vega and Roque stating that she rejected nearly half of the petitions submitted by Roque. The report included incidents in which two deceased people signed petitions. Vega then announced his attorney would file a formal request for a criminal investigation with County Prosecutor Edward Defazio and State Attorney Anne Milgram regarding the incidents.
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