Person close to Long Island town supervisor stalked and menaced political challenger days before GOP primary: police

A shocking scandal has rocked a low-profile Republican primary on Long Island, just hours before polls were set to open. The incident involved the arrest of Joshua Smith, the boyfriend of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim’s daughter, for terrorizing Wehrheim’s political rival, Suffolk Legislator Rob Trotta.

According to police reports, Smith engaged in a series of disturbing late-night visits to Trotta’s residence over three consecutive nights. He would pull into Trotta’s driveway, blare his brights, and rev his engine loudly in what can only be described as a campaign of intimidation. On some occasions, Smith even went as far as defacing Trotta’s political signs by cutting them up and spray painting others.

Trotta, understandably shaken by the events, expressed concerns for the safety of his family, especially in light of recent tragic events involving state legislators in Minnesota. The harassment escalated to the point where Trotta contacted Suffolk police, who installed a discreet license plate reader in his driveway to catch the perpetrator in the act.

After the license plate reader flagged Smith’s vehicle on the third night of disturbances, police were able to track him down and eventually arrest him. This arrest came just one day before the crucial primary election that would decide the Republican candidate for Smithtown Supervisor, with Trotta challenging Wehrheim for the seat.

Before the arrest, Wehrheim’s campaign denied any wrongdoing on Smith’s part and condemned political harassment, emphasizing their focus on highlighting the supervisor’s record rather than engaging in distractions. However, the campaign did not provide an updated comment following Smith’s arrest.

The shocking turn of events in this Long Island primary serves as a reminder of the intensity and stakes involved in local politics. As the community awaits the outcome of the election, the repercussions of this scandal are sure to reverberate throughout the political landscape of Smithtown.