MONTICELLO – Sullivan County Attorney Michael Maguire, Wednesday, criticized Acting District Attorney Brian Conaty for his comments last week in which Conaty accused Maguire of stonewalling legal proceedings that could have saved a toddler’s life.
“The county attorney himself, Mike Maguire, refused to institute removal proceedings as requested,” said Conaty.
Maguire responded head-on to those remarks.
“Mr. Conaty’s comments were callous, misleading and demonstrate a level of poise and demeanor incongruent with one who seeks to hold the office of district attorney in this or any county,” Maguire said.
The county attorney said that anyone involved in such a case believing the life of a child was in danger has “an opportunity but an obligation under the law to remove the children and place them in protective custody regardless of the opinion that Maguire’s office may or may not have been.
Conaty last week also said he was the chief law enforcement officer in Sullivan County, a rule that the county charge says belongs to the county sheriff.
Maguire said Conaty’s comments appeared to be “unhinged.”
On Wednesday, the DA stood by his remarks.
Conaty will face off this fall against Deputy County Attorney Thomas Cawley in the race for district attorney.
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