Another lawsuit has been filed against a Southern Tier politician, this one targeting the Broome County Executive. A former sheriff's deputy is suing Debbie Preston for harassment. Alexa Green explains why Dawn Shafer says Preston needs to be held accountable.

Dawn Shafer began working Broome County Sheriff's office when she was 18. She said she had no plans retire. That was until this year, when she said she was forced to leave early, because of the on-going harassment from County Executive Debbie Preston.

"I got to the point where I could no longer work for the Sheriff's Office not knowing every day what was going to be next," Shafer said.

Shafer said the harassment began in 2011 when her relationship with Town of Conklin Superintendent of Parks Thomas Delamarter started. The suit claims that Preston was unhappy with their relationship and wanted it to end. Preston was Delamarter's boss before she was elected County Executive.

"We teach our children in school not to be bullies, and that's what I think this is. It's bullying. We have a County Executive who is bullying people," said Shafer. 

The suit also alleges that Preston sent drove by Shafer's house on multiple occasions photographing her. As for how she knows it was Preston, Shafer said she recognized her car because it's the same one as her boyfriend's.

"My home is secluded in the woods. My front yard is exposed to the road. There's only three houses on my road. So to take  that off the beaten path there's really reason to go on my road."

Shafer's attorney said the County Executive needs to be held accountable for her actions.

"We're talking about an abuse of public power. A public official taking the authority that she wheels and using it basically to further her own purposes. Not for something that is public business," added Shafer's attorney Ron Benjamin.

Broome County attorney Robert Behnke did release a statement, saying, "I  am aware of allegations made by the Plaintiff.  I am confident that they are without merit and at the appropriate stage of the litigation we will be asking the court to dismiss this meritless complaint." 

Preston has not addressed the matter publicly. Shafer is seeking monetary compensation against Preston and the county.