Goff said some people might view him through the lens of his years on the Town Council in East Hampton, a governing body that has seen its share of controversies in recent years. “The decisions that I made 100 percent were based on information and facts.”
More later.
Brenda Sullivan, HTNP:
Bill Devine, who served on the East Hampton Town Council during one of the most tumultuous periods in town politics said today (Oct. 22) that he has completed the necessary paperwork to be a write-in candidate for state representative for the 34th District this November.
Republican Devine failed to gain his party’s nomination this year. Instead, the party chose Melissa Ziobron of East Haddam.
Now, as we all know, our own local version of Homer Stokes belongs to “a certain organization.” And isn’t it curious how, after months of silence, no public expression of interest after losing the nomination and the clear impression that the standard-bearer for the East Hampton Good Ol’ Boys/Republicrat clan is not doing so well against a very well organized moderate Republican, suddenly William Devine, East Hampton’s most retiring jeweler, has decided to stage a write-in campaign?
Your Dude’s prediction? Devine will garner a number of votes equal to or less than the membership of East Hampton Candid. Oh and yes, Devine did really donate to the Goff campaign.
Not really news, but:
Ziobron/Goff debate will be taking place this Thursday, October 25 at 7pm at Nathan Hale Ray High School. The event is being hosted by our local Patch. Might be interesting.
Of note:
Seems as if an inordinate number of Ziobron campaign signs have been subject to theft and vandalism. More than 20 at last count.
Savvy readers of this blog will recall similar experiences from last year when Chatham Party signs were targeted.
Is this the act of mischievous, ill-behaved children or East Hampton DTC/RTC ‘Republicrat’ business-as-usual?
Sadly, I’m not sure there is a difference.
Wendy VIncent, East Hampton-Portland Patch:
Though Chris Goff, the Democrat running in the 34th House District, refused to take part in a debate last night in East Hampton, his opponent, Republican Melissa Ziobron, showed up and took questions from the public.
Yes. The Chatham Party, who has no candidate of their own running for this seat (but has been obviously supportive of Ms. Ziobron), was thoughtful enough to organize a candidate forum event for this coming October 11th at Sears Park. And — zomg — guess who declined their invitation?
That’s right, Mr. “I am hearing what is being said“ Chris Goff. The same man whom, when nominated, was decried by Red McKinney as a squeaky-clean, goody two-shoes selfless public servant with “no baggage.”
Excuse me. Just threw up a little in my mouth.
Lest you haters out there start screaming about conspiracies: the format of the forum was determined to be fair. Candidates were offered 3 pre-approved questions and opportunities for closing statements. The Goff campaign citied an unwillingness to appear at a “partisan event” as their official excuse. It certainly could’t be because of a schedule conflict: a check of his official campaign calendar show absolutely no events between now and the election. None.
Ziobron will still be appearing.
If Chris’ absence bothers you, be sure and let him know how you are feeling on his Facebook page and on the event page. My guess is the following sums up Chris’ feelings about appearing before concerned East Hampton voters:
Well, not precisely. The official anniversary is this Friday. Nonetheless:
And somehow I find it fitting that after all this time things have become so pleasantly quiet. Oh, I am certain the haters are out there, lurking and seething as The Chatham Party majority pretty much delivers and accomplishes what they set out to do.
By all accounts the new Town Manager has done an excellent job of settling into his duties while managing to deal parsimoniously with issues that in times past would have assuredly been blown out of proportion. The only thing of real import lately was the sudden and inexplicable resignation of members of the Fire Commission, but with Campground Apparatchik Mike B. no longer ginning folks up with his coverage on Patch, the commentary has shifted over almost entirely to either the presidential race or whose cat is the cutest.
And that’s totally fine with me.
Of course, there is one lingering issue: the curious candidacy of Christopher Goff. Chris has finally decided to start campaigning, and predictably he’s trotting out the typical empty electioneering rhetoric. His website curiously invites us to “Ask Chris”, but of course I don’t expect inquiries that might be unflattering — especially anything that might reference his disastrous final term on the EHTC — to be answered publicly. Certainly were I to “Ask Chris” a few questions I am sure he would never respond. But I’ll offer a few here. Perhaps some intrepid soul might bring these to his attention:
Just wondering.
Howdy Jeff, it has been a while!
An investigation into a complaint by former Town Council Chairwoman Melissa H. Engel found flaws in an investigation of Engel by a senior police sergeant and concluded Police Chief Matthew A. Reimondo had failed to adequately supervise the investigation.
However, the investigation by attorney Michael C. Harrington concluded Engel’s rights were not violated.
Of particular interest is the statement attached to the article from Reimondo’s attorney Leon Rosenblatt:
Mike B., in full detail, over at Patch: (h/t commenter Resident)
In a letter dated Aug. 13 to town council members, Maniscalco said that after taking significant time to look into the many facets of the Harrington investigation and other information surrounding the events in this important matter, disciplinary action is not warranted given the findings of the report.
Engel is still suing the town, of course. Or at least has not backed off her announcement of intent to sue. Because that would be reasonable. And we can’t have that!
Everyone’s least favorite former Town Council Chairwoman and Lawyer Retirement Fund Contributor is — to no one’s surprise — back at it today, with every word carefully recorded by Mike B., Her Majesty’s loyal and dutiful Scribe of Markham:
Melissa Engel, through her attorney Ken Barber, has informed the town by way of a letter dated July 30, that she intends to bring a lawsuit against the town and certain employees.
“The lawsuit will spring from certain acts and omissions of Town employees in investigating a complaint to the police department concerning Ms. Engel’s activities that were ruled on by the Connecticut State Election Enforcement Commission in March 2012,” the letter states.
Funny how Mike B. always gets those PDFs up online before everyone else. That kid is sure as hell one ace of a reporter! (Except when dealing with sensitive news stories about fatalities — but thats for another time.) Someone oughta get him a job at the Courant or somethin’! … Oh, wait.
Your Dude’s take: notwithstanding the perhaps-not-illegal-but-ethically-questionable situation created when an elected member of the BOE is retained as counsel by a plaintiff suing the same legal entity he serves, I see two outcomes:
Never mind the fact that this all is, as Col. Sherman T. Potter would say, ”fully and entirely a boatload of horse hockey!” Tissa was, as a matter of public record, caught on several occasions doing a lot of ethically questionable — and in some cases outright illegal things — was duly investigated, got in trouble for a few and was lucky enough to get off the hook for others.
But, true to narcissistic form, rather than count her lucky stars for dodging the bullet and retreating to private life, she keeps coming back to remind us that she: a) likes to squander taxpayer resources and funds, b) is indeed a most litigious person, c) really, really, really hates Matt Reimondo, and most of all d) desperately, desperately craves attention, no matter how unflattering. Ain’t she sweet?
Get ready for a new round of ”WAIT UNTIL THE TRUTH REALLY COMES OUT OMGWTFBBQ!!!!” commentary, kiddos.
Mike B. on Patch, reporting on the results of the investigation into whether or not former Council Chairwoman Melissa Engel was “targeted” by Reimondo:
The report, by Attorney Michael C. Harrington, found no evidence that the Code of Ethics or the police department’s policy regarding Conduct Unbecoming of an Officer were violated.
