Smullen Responds To Constantino's Horrendous Shakedown Letter: "Beyond The Pale, Despicable, And The Last Gasp Of A Mentally Unfit Candidate"

GLOVERSVILLE, New York (June 15, 2026) – The campaign of Assemblyman Robert Smullen today responded to a legal threat from lifelong Democrat Anthony Constantino, calling it a transparent shakedown – one that demands Assemblyman Smullen pay cash compensation in connection with statements he made defending the memory of his 14-year-old son, AJ. This is a man who has no business seeking a seat in the United States Congress and no soul left to speak of.

Constantino, through his Florida-based attorney, has demanded that Assemblyman Smullen retract truthful statements, publicly apologize, and – most outrageously – pay Constantino a cash settlement for daring to speak out after Constantino's allies attacked him for discussing the death of his son. Let that sink in. A lifelong Democrat who switched his registration to try to buy a Republican congressional seat is now demanding that his opponent pay him money to stop telling the truth about him.

This letter is beyond the pale, despicable, and the last gasp of a mentally unfit candidate. And the voters of New York's 21st District deserve to know exactly what kind of unethical, immoral man Anthony Constantino is.

He Is Running a Shakedown.

Constantino's attorney demands that Assemblyman Smullen "compensate Constantino with a sufficient sum to resolve any claims." This is not a good-faith legal dispute. This is a shakedown – a last-ditch attempt by a desperate, flailing candidate to use the legal system to silence a political opponent and extract money he has not earned and does not deserve. Anthony Constantino cannot win on the merits, cannot win on the issues, and cannot win the trust of North Country voters, so he is trying to buy his way to victory and bully his opponent into silence. It will not work.

He Surrounds Himself With People Accused of Crimes.

Assemblyman Smullen has documented, and multiple credible news outlets have reported, that Anthony Constantino's campaign has worked with and continues to work with individuals accused of and convicted of serious crimes. The New York Times reported on campaign associates accused of murder and inappropriate contact with a child. POLITICO reported on a paid petition gatherer previously convicted of petition fraud. WTEN Channel 10 and other local outlets reported on a campaign associate accused of stealing $3,000 from a youth baseball league. A man who surrounds himself with people like that has no morals. He has no soul. Nothing is off limits for Anthony Constantino – and that makes him unfit to serve the people of New York's 21st District or any district in this country.

He Is Attacking a Grieving Father While Demanding Payment.

The same man whose allies attacked Assemblyman Smullen for discussing the death of his 14-year-old son – who was killed in a traffic accident in 2024 and gave the gift of life as an organ donor – now has the audacity to demand financial compensation for being called out on it. Constantino's own campaign allies posted on Facebook that Assemblyman Smullen was "using his own dead son as a political prop." Constantino then texted Assemblyman Smullen directly, calling him "a truly evil person" and threatening legal action. And now his attorney is attaching that conduct to a demand for money.

That is beyond the pale. That is despicable. That is Anthony Constantino.

He Is Mentally Unfit for Office.

The behavior documented throughout this campaign speaks for itself. Constantino has called Assemblyman Smullen "evil" in unsolicited text messages. He has threatened to sue the Watertown Daily Times and a reporter personally if they attempted to contact his campaign for comment. He has threatened voters who criticized his business. He has weaponized the legal system against a sitting state legislator, a decorated Marine Corps Colonel, and a grieving father – and he has done all of this while demanding Republican voters send him to Washington. Anthony Constantino is a piece of human scum, and the people of this district can see exactly who he is.

The Lies Must Stop.

Constantino has defamed Assemblyman Smullen throughout this entire campaign – trafficking in smears, false accusations, and coordinated attacks through his allies and his SuperPAC. Now, faced with the truth about his own record, his own associates, and his own conduct, he has sicced a Florida attorney on his opponent and demanded cash. The lies must stop. The shakedown must stop. And on June 23rd, Anthony Constantino's campaign must stop.

Assemblyman Robert Smullen will not be silenced. He will not be shaken down. He will not apologize for telling the truth. And he will not stop fighting for the people of New York's 21st District.

"Anthony Constantino is a lifelong Democrat who has spent this entire campaign lying, threatening, and now demanding money from a political opponent he cannot beat on the issues," said Assemblyman Robert Smullen. "This shakedown letter is beyond the pale and despicable – exactly what we have come to expect from a man with no morals, no soul, and no business being anywhere near the United States Congress. I told the truth. I will keep telling the truth. And the voters of New York's 21st District will have the final word on June 23rd."

The primary is June 23, 2026. Early voting is underway now. For more information, visit RobertSmullenForCongress.com.