Yesterday, I reported the state Independence Party committee of Oneida, Herkimer and Cayuga had announced it’s (rather ill-timed) endorsement of Republican Richard Hanna’s re-match challenge to Democratic Rep. Mike Arcuri in NY-24, despite the fact that an ’08 contribution from Hanna to the Oneida County Indy Party is the subject of an investigation by the local DA.

As it turns out, that announcement, which was touted in a press release from Hanna’s campaign, isn’t nearly as clear-cut as the release made it out to be.

Shortly after 9 p.m. last night, the following statement from Fred Farrell of the Cayuga County Independence Party landed in my in-box:

“In light of concerns regarding the ongoing investigation by the Oneida County District Attorney and because our committee which had already voted to back Congressman Arcuri was not consulted, the Cayuga County Independence Party does not support today’s endorsement of Richard Hanna.”

“In order to remove any potential perception of impropriety, we believe any endorsement in 24th Congressional District should be designated by the State Party’s executive committee.”

I spoke briefly last week to state Independence Party Chairman Frank MacKay about the Oneida County DA’s probe of the local Indy chapter and he told me he didn’t know anything about the case and didn’t plan on getting involved.

MacKay, who has his own legal troubles to worry about, also told me he would suggest the Oneida County Indys “cooperate however they can” with the investigation.

As it turns out, the state Indy Party hasn’t taken MacKay’s own advice, despite his insistence in the past that party leaders were fully cooperating with Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr.’s investigation of John Haggerty.

Last week, the party’s attorney unsuccessfully sought to quash a subpoena for him to testify before the grand jury. When Vance was asked yesterday if the party has been cooperating, he replied simply: “No.”

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