Campaign aide quits over Sandy rumors

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NEW YORK, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- A man who tweeted dramatic rumors as Hurricane Sandy hit New York resigned Wednesday as campaign manager for a Republican congressional hopeful.

Shashank Tripathi tweeted under the Twitter handle @ComfortablySmug, ABC News reported. During the storm, he tweeted a lot of misinformation -- rumors that the New York Stock Exchange was flooded and that Con Edison was shutting off power throughout Manhattan as a safety measure.

Christopher Wight's campaign released a statement about Tripathi's departure.

"Today, Christopher Wight, candidate for New York's 12th Congressional District, accepted the resignation of Shashank Tripathi. Previously, Mr. Tripathi served on various New York congressional and local campaigns," the statement said. "This is a pivotal moment for voters of New York's 12th Congressional District. The campaign looks forward to carrying on Christopher Wight's message of job creation in the days ahead."

Wight is running against U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, a Democrat who has represented the 12th District since 1993. The district includes parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.