Livingston County Tea Party Founder Indicted for Bribing Witness

LIVINGSTON COUNTY – One of the founders of the Livingston County Tea Party and a member of the West Sparta Republican Committee has been indicted by a Grand Jury on new charges for allegedly bribing a witness in a pending felony case to prevent their appearance or testimony in court.

Livingston County Sheriff Thomas Dougherty confirmed that Andrew Keiffer, 44, was charged with Bribing a Witness, a class D felony according to Penal Law section 215.00, and arrested by the Sheriff’s Office. Jail records say that Keiffer is currently held without bail at the Livingston County Jail.

Keiffer was first arrested in early June 2014 for allegedly shooting two dogs in January 2014, killing one, a female rottweiler named ‘Zoey,’ and injuring another, smaller dog. He was rearrested in February 2015 for allegedly filing a false written statement to State Police about the deaths of his girlfriend’s goats, saying that they had been shot when a Monroe County lab reports that the goats did not die by shooting, and bullets found inside the goat carcasses were placed there after death.

Keiffer has continued to strongly deny the animal cruelty and tampering charges, saying that they were lodged against him for political reasons. He indicated on social media throughout early court proceedings in June 2014 that he intends to eventually run for Livingston County Sheriff.

Keiffer’s two pending felony cases for Aggravated Animal Cruelty and Tampering with Physical Evidence are headed for trial, and he with his attorney Mark Foti indicated at his Huntley Hearing on both matters that they are not inclined to accept any offers from District Attorney Greg McCaffrey’s Office.

The cases are being presided over by New York State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Moran. Both Livingston County Court Judges, Judge Robert Wiggins and Judge Dennis Cohen, recused themselves from Keiffer’s cases in January 2015. Justice Moran said at the Huntley Hearing that this was likely because both Judges have announced their candidacy for re-election as Livingston County Republican judges, and Keiffer is currently one of two members of the Republican Committee for West Sparta and stood to vote on their designation by the party.