LACKAWANNA, N.Y. — Mohamed Albanna is well known businessman in Lackawanna who founded a charter school. It wasn't a surprise when he won a seat on the city council.
The Mayor of Lackawanna took the matter to court.
"Our charter provision declares,14.9 of the Lackawanna City charter, any person who is convicted of a crime or an offense involving moral turpitude can not assume or could be removed from office," said Mayor Geoffrey Szymanski.
Albanna vows to fight.
"My lawyers are in the process of seeking a stay of her order and filing for an appeal to her (Supreme Court Judge Tracey A. Bannister) decision," Albanna said. "The people have spoken, they voted, and I was endorsed by the committee, I was allowed by the Board of Elections to go forward."
Based election law and the Lackawanna City charter, the city council will have to appoint a democrat from the first ward to fill the seat for one year. The person will serve for one year, after which a primary and general election will select a person to serve the remainder of the term.