ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Mayor Lovely Warren announced Friday she is refunding $21,000 donated to her but critics who say that went above the legal limit, including Democratic challengers Rachel Barnhart and James Sheppard, were quick to pounce.
Warren says her opponents are trying to create an issue out of a refund that is standard practice for campaigns.
“My opponents for mayor don’t want to talk about issues. They don’t want to talk about their record or accomplishments, because they have none," said Warren, D-Rochester. "Instead, they are personally attacking me in creating fake issues, because like (President) Donald Trump they are desperate politicians, willing to say anything to get elected.
"If Lovely Warren doesn't think campaign finance is important, I bet she will if she's in handcuffs," said Barnhart.
“It’s not a fake issue. It’s not a personal attack. We’re talking about election law, and it should matter to every citizen and every voter.”
"It's unfortunate that it took a public outcry for the mayor to do what she should have done from the beginning," Sheppard said.
"Just because you don’t like what’s being said, doesn’t mean you can change the conversation. I will continue to call out Mayor Warren for her lack of transparency, lack of ethics, her lack of integrity.”