By Mark Scheer Niagara Gazette The Niagara Gazette Thu Aug 18, 2011, 11:24 PM EDT
NIAGARA FALLS — The head of the city’s Democratic Party is facing eviction.
In city court on Thursday, Judge Robert Merino issued a warrant for eviction against Niagara Falls Democratic Party chief David Houghton who failed to make good on rent payments at his Zito Drive apartment for June and July. In granting the warrant, Merino also granted a judgment in the amount of $1,210 against Houghton on behalf of Niagara Falls Enterprises, the owners of his apartment building. The judgment amount included a total of $800 in back rent for June and July, late fees and fees for the landlord’s attorney. After the proceeding, the attorney representing Niagara Falls Enterprises indicated that it is still possible for Houghton to avoid actually being evicted and have the judgment lifted by making good on the amount owed to his client.
Houghton appeared at the Main Street Public Safety Complex before his case was heard Thursday morning but elected not to appear in front of the judge for the actual proceeding. In an interview by telephone after the court session, Houghton, who coordinates campaigns for various Democratic candidates, indicated he had recently lost his job and was in the process of attempting to collect unemployment when he fell behind on the rent. He said he attempted to work out a payment arrangement with the building’s owner but could not come to terms.
“I’ve had some personal difficulties,” he said. “I’m waiting for unemployment. Right now, I have no personal income. I wish he would have agreed to work with me, but I respect his right to run his business. I’m not trying to shirk my responsibilities, but I’m having a really difficult financial time at the moment.”
Houghton added that politics played a role in word getting out of his court proceeding Thursday.
“They feel they want to make me the target of their witchhunt while I’m having some unfortunate problems,” Houghton said. “I’m not whining about it, but I think it’s despicable that people try to make political hay out of people’s personal misfortunes.”
Also in attendance during Thursday’s court proceedings was mayoral hopeful Johnny Destino, the endorsed Republican in the mayor’s race.
After the hearing, Destino, who is a practicing attorney, indicated that he sat in on the morning session because he will be handling legal work for eviction cases in the coming weeks and was doing research in preparation for them.
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