Smullen Campaign Demands Takedown of Constantino Radio Ad Filled with Lies

Constantino's pattern of fabrication continues after previous ad pulled for fake newspaper headline

GLOVERSVILLE, New York (May 29, 2026) – The Robert Smullen for Congress campaign is demanding the immediate removal of a radio advertisement paid for by the Anthony Constantino campaign that contains multiple outright lies about retired Marine Corps Colonel and New York State Assemblyman Robert Smullen.

The ad makes at least three demonstrably false claims:

LIE: Robert Smullen "is endorsed by the ultra liberal New York State Teachers Union."

This is a complete fabrication. Robert Smullen has received no endorsement from any teachers union. The Constantino campaign invented this claim out of thin air in an apparent attempt to mislead Republican primary voters.

LIE: Robert Smullen was "not qualified" for veterans tax exemption benefits.

Robert Smullen served 24 years in the United States Marine Corps, including multiple combat deployments. He earned his veterans benefits through decades of sacrifice and service to this country. The suggestion that a retired Marine Colonel was not qualified for veterans benefits is not only false, it is an insult to his service and to every veteran who has earned the same.

LIE: Robert Smullen "used his political contacts to negotiate the felony charge down."

This is another outright fabrication with no basis in fact. Robert Smullen did not use political contacts to influence the outcome of his tax case.

This is not the first time the Constantino campaign has been caught lying to voters. The campaign was previously forced to pull a separate advertisement that fabricated a quote attributed to the Albany Times Union newspaper.

"Anthony Constantino is a lifelong Democrat who has lied to voters over and over again in this race," said Robert Smullen, retired Marine Corps Colonel and candidate for Congress in New York's 21st District. "He fabricated a Times Union headline and had to pull his own ad. Now he is running a radio ad with at least three provable lies about my military service and my record. This is what happens when you have no record to run on and no respect for the voters you are asking to trust you. This is a man who has profited off anti-cop, pro-violence stickers manufactured and shipped through his own business. He should spend less time making up lies about a Marine Corps Colonel and more time explaining to Republican voters why his company was in the business of spreading hatred against law enforcement. We demand this ad be taken down immediately, and we call on every station airing it to pull it from their rotation."

The Smullen campaign is issuing a formal legal takedown letter to every station running this false and defamatory advertisement.

Robert Smullen is a retired Marine Corps Colonel with 24 years of military service, including multiple combat deployments and Pentagon defense policy experience. He currently serves as a New York State Assemblyman and Chairman of the Assembly Republican Conference. He is the only candidate in this race with a proven conservative record of public service.

Anthony Constantino is a first-time candidate who was a registered Democrat, has a documented history of selling antipolice merchandise through his company, and has faced an FEC complaint for misappropriation of hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds.