Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley is seeking a court order to remove Irondequoit Town Supervisor Andraé Evans from office.
Under the state's Public Officers Law, a district attorney can petition to unseat a town officer for "any misconduct, maladministration, malfeasance or malversation in office." The petition seeking the ouster of the first-term supervisor was filed Wednesday with the state's Appellate Division.
Evans, a Democrat, has been accused of sexual harassment and retaliation against a town staffer. Those claims were supported by an internal investigation commissioned by the Town Board, which censured Evans and referred the findings to Doorley, a Republican.
He is up for re-election this year, facing a June primary against town board member John Perticone, and has rebuffed board members' calls to resign.
The DA’s office conducted its own investigation to determine whether criminal charges or penalties were appropriate, according to a statement Doorley issued Wednesday. That review determined that the petition for removal was the appropriate action.
Doorley’s petition largely recounts those allegations while also asserting that Evans once sought to use the police to investigate someone who sent him politically charged emails or take away signs from protesters at a public meeting. It also raises concerns about his leadership and lack of communication with staff.
“The respondent's actions have made it untenable that he continue in office,” read the petition filed on Doorley's behalf by Assistant District Attorney Martin McCarthy.
Evans has sued the town, alleging officials overstepped their authority. Reached Wednesday, Evans referred questions to his attorney, who did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
