The all-Democratic Common Council in the City of Peekskill called on one of its members to resign at its Wednesday night, Oct. 8, work session — one day after Councilman Robert Scott accepted a guilty plea to a misdemeanor at White Plains City Court.
Scott, who was arrested in April 2024 and charged with filing false documents, pled guilty to a misdemeanor for obstruction of governmental administration in the second degree, and disorderly conduct.
Scott’s charges originally were classified as felonies, but a plea deal offered by the district attorney’s office in February 2025 allowed those charges to be reduced to a misdemeanor.
The plea’s conditions require that he commit to 250 hours of community service within 365 days. If the conditions are met, Scott can withdraw his plea to charges of government obstruction at a sentencing in a year. The plea deal did not require him to step down from his seat, which expires Dec. 31, 2025.
Upon returning from an executive session, City of Peekskill Mayor Vivian McKenzie referred to an article on Scott’s guilty plea and led a call asking for Scott’s immediate resignation from the council.
“Public service is a privilege built on the trust and confidence of the people we serve,” McKenzie said. “That trust is sacred, and once it is broken it cannot be overlooked. Councilman Scott’s temporary or interim guilty plea is a clear representation of the violation of that trust and undermines the integrity of our local government. The residents of Peekskill deserve leaders who uphold the highest ethical standards and follow both the law and the spirit of the law.”
Prosecutors said in 2023 that Scott’s designating petitions for a seat on the County Board of Legislators in the June 2023 Democratic primary election contained the signatures of eight individuals who told investigators that they never signed a petition for Scott and the names of three deceased individuals.
“I’m calling on Councilman Scott to do the right thing and step down immediately,” McKenzie said. “However, if he chooses not to, we will move forward for a resolution for censureship and also seek the guidance from the governor’s office for removal procedures. Here in Peekskill, our progress depends on honest leadership and accountability, and the community deserves nothing less.”
All members other than Scott echoed Mayor McKenzie’s sentiment, with several describing Scott as a good person who made a mistake and needed to step down for the good of the city.
Councilman Dwight Douglas recalled running for office in 2021, when he “didn’t know anything about the process”and was able to get help with his campaign from Drew Claxton, a former deputy mayor.
“I think if Rob had had a Drew Claxton and was operating under her wings, he would never have gotten into this in the first place,” Douglas said. “So I’m very, very sad about it. The fight that Rob has put up for this thing shows the strength of his character. But I think at some point you’ve just got to step back and say this is not working out well for the city.”
Councilman Brian Fassett said that “in the interest of fairness and respect for due process, this council has allowed council member Scott to continue serving while the matter was pending before the court… remaining in office after admitting guilt sends the wrong message and distracts from the essential work of the city.”
Fassett added, “It is important to note that this council does not have the authority to remove a seated member. That authority rests solely outside of our power. However, moral responsibility does not require a legal order. It requires personal integrity and respect for the public’s trust.”
Deputy Mayor Patricia Riley also emphasized the importance of integrity and referenced that two people sat on the council who were “guilty” of wrongdoing. (Councilman Ramon Fernandez was censured by the council in January over allegations he used his official position to get traffic tickets dismissed for a family friend.)
“Tonight I sadly sit here with two of my colleagues on this council who recently and a few months ago were guilty of wrongdoing — no apologies, no taking accountability, some of us deflecting and blaming others,” Riley said. “This unfortunately seems to be the new normal. Well, the buck stops here.”
Councilwoman Kathleen Talbot commented that she was in favor of Scott resigning due to the council having a lot of work to do and preferring it not to be an “ongoing spectacle like it sometimes can be. I said to Rob maybe resigning would be a good thing for him to do. It also would be a good thing for the council. It’s really unfortunate. He’s a nice guy.”
Councilman Fernandez also said he believed it was the right thing for Scott to step down at this time.
Councilman Scott thanked his colleagues for all their words but did not indicate whether he would step down.
“At this particular time, I’m just going to take in everything that was said here today,” Scott said. “The decision is mine to make alone, and I will give an official statement in another forum. This is not the space that I would like to give that statement in.”
He added, “What I will say is, don’t believe everything you read. A lot of that information there is inaccurate. I did not plead guilty to forging anything. So if you read anything that says that, that is a lie. But again, I will have further discussion with the community in a different space. But I just want to thank the council for giving me an opportunity to consider what was stated here today.”
