Editor, OBSERVER:

After U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy publicly cited safety threats as the reason for closing his Jamestown district office; newly obtained public records raise serious questions about that claim. Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests with both the Jamestown Police Department and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office seeking records of reported threats tied to the office were submitted.

The Sheriff’s Office confirmed it found no records responsive to the request.

Jamestown Police records show only a single February 2025 informational report involving minor property damage to a door handle estimated at about $30, with no evidence of a violent threat and no active investigation. The report itself was classified as informational documentation only. Separate dispatch notes referencing a threat involved a different office location outside Jamestown.

Taken together, these records do not support the public claim that documented local threats required the Jamestown office to be closed.

After these findings were shared with Western New York media outlets, the Jamestown office was reopened. Did that occur because he discovered this information was going to be released?

Residents of Chautauqua County deserve clear answers. Closing a congressional office removes direct access for seniors, veterans, small business owners, and families who rely on in-person constituent services. Such a decision should be based on verified facts — not statements that cannot be supported by local law-enforcement records.

Congressman Langworthy should explain:

— What specific threats justified the closure of the Jamestown office.

— Which law-enforcement agencies documented those threats.

— Why those records do not appear in local searches.

Public trust depends on transparency. Chautauqua County deserves congressional representation that is present, accountable, and honest with the people it serves.

Marcia Westling Johnson,

chair

Chautauqua County Democratic Committee