Republican candidate for New York's 21st Congressional District Anthony Constantino raised concerns that his Democratic challenger Blake Gendebien is illegally dumping on his St. Lawrence County property, but the state Department of Environmental Conservation has already dismissed Gendebien of any wrongdoing.
In a small, carpeted room inside the Desmond Hotel near the Albany International Airport on Monday, Oct. 5, Constantino showed reporters drone footage of property belonging to Gendebien. The video, which was taken on Aug. 4, shows pieces of wood, several large rocks and some tires strewn across a grassy area along a small algae-filled body of water.
Constantino also provided reporters with a copy of a signed affidavit from an anonymous person
who claims they used to work for Gendebien's Twin Mill Farms. In the sworn statement, dated July 27, 2026, the individual asserts he was instructed by Gendebien to transport and dump dead cattle into a wooded area located behind the farm.
The Sticker Mule CEO then called on state police and the state DEC to investigate the site, as he asserts the waste could potentially contaminate surrounding waterways.
Responding to the USA TODAY Network's questions about the matter, however, the DEC says it has already visited the Lisbon site in response to a Sept. 3 complaint and didn't uncover any environmental violations. State police said the matter remains under investigation.
Gendebien responded to the allegations in a statement on Monday, Oct. 5.
"Six-dollar diesel is making farming hard enough without this weirdo drone stalking my home and business because he doesn’t know how farming works," Gendebien said. Gendebien added he's "already been cleared" in this matter, while raising questions about Constantino paying someone with a criminal record "to hang around his campaign" in an apparent nod to reporting by Politico.
Here's what to know.
Constantino hired investigative firm to look into Democratic challenger
Constantino says he hired Plattsburgh-based private investigator firm Brooks Investigations Group LLC "to look into Mr. Gendebien" after "seeing a guy insulting the American people."
The investigators, which Constantino's campaign says are licensed by the New York State Department of State, sent two drone flights over Gendebien's farm — first in July, and again in August — but they weren't able to confirm that cattle had been disposed there.
As for potential contamination of the St. Lawrence River and other nearby waterways, as alleged by the unnamed former employee of Gendebien's farm, Brooks Investigations chief of investigations, Jeremiah Stone, says that could not be confirmed.
Constantino says he believes his campaign paid for the investigator firm but added that "he doesn't pay the bills." And while Stone did not share an exact amount that the Constantino campaign paid them for their work, he said they have an established rate of $150 per hour and estimated around 20 hours was put into this specific investigation.
Federal records show two separate Constantino For Congress campaign payments in May to Brooks Investigations Group for a total of nearly $3,500.
Emily Barnes covers state government for the USA TODAY Network-New York with a focus on how policy and laws impact New Yorkers' taxes, communities and jobs. Follow her on Instagram or X @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: NY-21 House race sees Constantino claim Gendebien is illegally dumping
