The campaign of David Forsythe, candidate for Assembly in the 118th District, says the Republican was not surprised that Assemblywomen Addie Russell received a failing grade -- an ‘F’ rating -- from the New Yorkers for Better Libraries Political Action Committee.

John Hammond, chairman of New Yorkers for Better Libraries, says that, except for one member downstate, every member of the state Assembly got either a D or an F from the library advocacy group.

In fact the new voters’ guide from the group’s web site, at http://nylibs-pac.net/, says that the entire Assembly got the Fahrenheit 451 Award for Legislator with Worst Voting Record on Library Issues “for its bureaucratic methods that prevented sensible library legislation from coming to floor for a vote.”

Hammond says the library group, based in Canton, gives a grade to every member of the Senate and Assembly.

Candidate Forsythe said, “The ‘F’ received from the New Yorkers for Better Libraries certainly stands for fiction. Ms. Russell’s misleading account of her record is certainly a work of fiction,” Forsythe said.

Forsythe is a small business owner and St. Lawrence County Legislator.