By Michael Risinit
mrisinit@lohud.com
CARMEL — Democrat Mike Kaplowitz and supporters gathered Monday in Carmel to criticize Republican Assemblyman Greg Ball's personal and professional interactions with women.
Kaplowitz, a Westchester County legislator, is battling Ball for a state Senate seat. The group recalled a 2003 order of protection against Ball, highlighted Senate leadership concerns about him and faulted his anti-abortion stance.
"As a woman and mother of two daughters, I am deeply concerned about Greg Ball's issues with women," said Lisette Kubie, a registered Republican from Patterson.
A Ball campaign spokesman dismissed the opposing group's statements.
"Two million New Yorkers didn't leave over the last five years because Greg Ball is pro-life," spokesman Jim Coleman said. "They left because of taxes from people like 'Tax Hike Mike.' "
Kaplowitz's gathering came about two weeks after a Siena College poll had the two "in a virtual tie." The poll showed Ball leading 45 to 44 percent, within the margin of error of 4.7 percentage points. Kaplowitz led by 11 points among women.
"We are here to tell the truth in the Hudson Valley, something you never hear from my opponent," Kaplowitz said.
Coleman insisted there was no order of protection against Ball.
But documents shown by Kaplowitz and heavily circulated since Ball's 2008 run for Assembly include a page titled "Temporary Protection Order." Ball two years ago blamed his political enemies for publicizing the order, which stemmed from his alleged stalking of a former girlfriend.
Kaplowitz also faulted Ball for twice voting against the Fair Pay Act, which makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate between employees by paying different wages. Ball did vote in favor of the bill this year and said he supports "equal protection and equal pay."
"I was concerned with the bill as originally introduced because it was a huge unfunded mandate on small business, and turned the Department of Labor into Big Brother, especially in this tough economy," Ball said.
A Kaplowitz spokesman called the switch political.
"After taking new political calculations into consideration, i.e. a run for Congress (and then state Senate) … he shifted and tried to appeal to a less conservative district by voting for the exact same bill he voted against twice previously," spokesman Josh Luger said in an e-mail.
In July, the Senate Republican Campaign Committee paid for a mailer that mentioned accusations Ball groped an Albany waitress. The committee, headed by Sen. Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, was supporting Somers Supervisor Mary Beth Murphy, the GOP-endorsed candidate in the September primary. Libous in April said he was "very concerned about his (Ball's) personal behavior in the past" — a quote Kaplowitz repeated Monday.
Committee spokesman Scott Reif on Monday wouldn't address those comments.
"We are absolutely committed to getting him (Ball) elected to that seat," Reif said.
"As a woman and mother of two daughters, I am deeply concerned about Greg Ball's issues with women," said Lisette Kubie, a registered Republican from Patterson.