ONTARIO COUNTY, N.Y. — Ontario County District Attorney Jim Ritts held a press conference Thursday, which addressed a party held at the DA’s office on Election Day last year.
According to an internal report by Ontario County, an annual office party, known as “Fall Fest,” spilled into a jury room and courtroom with alcohol.
In the press conference Thursday, Ritts said he was unaware anyone had brought alcohol into courtrooms.
In an interview back in April with News10NBC Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean, Ritts opponent in the election for district attorney and Ritts’ former top assistant Jason MacBride, said alcohol was never part of Fall Fest.
Ritts says that was a lie, and showed pictures he claims show MacBride participating in past Fall Fests.
“MacBride was happy to join in courthouse celebrations until he saw an opportunity to scandalize our team-building and use it for his own political gain. This is not just hypocritical, it’s dishonest,” said Ritts.
In a statement from MacBride, he says Thursday’s press conference was a “politically motivated attempt to rewrite history.” He also stated that Ritts let “the reputation of the District Attorney’s Office and Ontario County deteriorate in silence,” and claims he only spoke out now as a result of his primary election loss.
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Read MacBride’s full statement:
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