Early In Election Year, Political Pot Starts To Simmer

Democrats Concerned

By Early Campaigning

By Kendra Bobowick

This week the Democratic Town Committee (DTC) drew a bit more from the political vein running through Fairfield Hills campus.

What was not on the record as a campaign move until last week now has the committee talking about business owner, resident, and registered Republican Matthew DeAngelis. He filed a civil lawsuit against the town and various officials in November questioning the Fairfield Hills reuse plans. He also launched a website that contains an ongoing critical commentary about Fairfield Hills, for one, and lambastes town officials, especially Democratic First Selectman Herb Rosenthal.

Committee members have cautiously offered their thoughts on what Mr DeAngelis has conceded is a campaign on issues with next November as its motivation.

Committee Chairman Earl Smith addressed his party’s lack of action so far in handling what appears to be an attack on the town’s Democratic leadership.

“Without overreacting to outrageous claims, we’ll proceed when we feel it is appropriate,” he said.

Aside from the website and lawsuit, officials are taking hits from another front — letters to the editor.

Mr Smith said that individually some residents have written letters to The Bee in rebuttal to letters also appearing in this newspaper that often echo criticisms of Fairfield Hills plans, officials’ actions, the town’s financial affairs, and more.

Will the Democrats formally respond? “We’ll look at all the facts before us,” Mr Smith said. “We are definitely working on this.”

Committee Vice Chairman James Juliano said, “We would like to get our point out. We would like to encourage people to write letters.” There has been relative silence from the town’s Democratic corner so far in the face of lawsuits and public accusations, specifically a February 7 Legislative Council meeting that opened the floor to residents wishing to speak their minds about the Fairfield Hills development plans. Mr Juliano interpreted that silence this way: “Sometimes you don’t want to wake the sleeping giant, but as Democrats we should address this.”

He also suggested that others might be keeping their thoughts to themselves because they feel intimidated. James McKenna, a DTC member, said, “We should write letters, but once you write it, it’s something to use against you, so basically the feeling is why bother.”

He believes that to write a rebuttal letter is “feeding” the problem. With ambivalence he said, “What are you going to do? And four letters come back to attack you now.”

Mr Rosenthal last week suggested, “The gloves might come off.” But he has not yet engaged in a counterattack to the “issues campaign” in progress. “I may do something shortly,” he said.

An Altered Political Atmosphere

Bigger than the letter writing, website commentary, or lawsuit is another political element that worries Mr McKenna.

“Something has happened, something has changed drastically in the political atmosphere within Newtown in the last six–nine months,” he said. Referring to the attacks on Fairfield Hills, he said, “Suddenly a group is saying [Fairfield Hills] was surreptitious — It’s not the same town, not the same [political] party.” He repeated again his perception that something has changed. Specifically, he said, “Republicans have taken a mean-spirited approach and are hell-bent on creating controversy whether it’s real or not.”

The Democrats consider another political decision they must make regarding information about Fairfield Hills. In addition to what Mr DeAngelis is calling a campaign on issues is another element that Mr Smith is certain is lacing the effort: misconception. He stressed, “We are concerned about what is happening here.”

Mr McKenna was clear on his opinion of Mr DeAngelis’s intentions. “I think he is trying to corner the Republican nomination against [Mr Rosenthal] and that’s OK, but the way he is going about it is, he is creating fantasy of a bunch of lies and he is misleading people that don’t know any better.”

What Mr Smith said he does not want to do is respond reflexively to the criticisms in print and on the website, for example. “I don’t want emotional combat,” he said. “If you get slapped, the impulse is to slap back, but I want to first look at all the factors and the information.”

Emotions are pitted against fact, Mr Smith believes. “There is a lot of emotion and a lot of distortion of fact.” Referring specifically to the February 7 council’s public hearing, he said, “I began to get concerned and thought, ‘What’s happening here?’” He has a few thoughts on the answer to that question.

“Political ambitions are behind the scene,” he said. The February 7 council meeting saw an abundance of education proponents speak out against the town hall plans and appeal to the council to stop work at Fairfield Hills and put together long-term planning for the town. WeCAN (We Care About Newtown) representative Po Murray admitted to Mr Rosenthal in a recent meeting in his office that she had worked with Mr DeAngelis to get residents out to the council meeting. She stressed that she is not aligned with the business owner, however.

Mr Smith offers an interpretation, saying, “There is an effort to get education almost opposed to Fairfield Hills…it is sad to see people being used for what is clearly political.”

Making another assertion about February 7, he said, “It was a situation emotionally ignited by a group with a hidden agenda.”

Mr Rosenthal also notes a distortion of facts. “There certainly have been a lot of misstatements, and some are outright false,” he said. He also believes that efforts to criticize him are preparations for the fall elections.

The season is too early for Mr Rosenthal to announce whether or not he will be running for reelection, he said. So far, Mr DeAngelis’s efforts have not changed Mr Rosenthal’s approach to next November. “I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about Mr DeAngelis or what he is going to do,” he said. “I think about the town’s best interests and not necessarily Mr DeAngelis’s opinions; that’s certainly not going to sway my decision.”

Part of Mr Rosenthal’s and the Democratic committee’s approach to the public will involve providing residents with accurate information.

Mr Rosenthal intends to answer a series of 81 questions he received from Mr DeAngelis and others who seek a better understanding of Fairfield Hills. “As soon as we’re complete the attorneys will look at it and we’ll make it public unless it’s part of the court case.”

Mr McKenna also is in favor of equipping the public with information. He said, “In my opinion we ought to get facts out there and say what is really happening.”

Mr Smith said, “I feel it is our duty and obligation to work on strategy and to proceed to give the pubic the proper information so they can make decisions.”

Mr DeAngelis Answers

Is he misleading residents and perpetuating misinformation to further a hidden agenda?

“That’s ludicrous, absolutely ludicrous,” he said. “Misinformation? Absolutely not.” In response to the accusations, he said, “When they say Matt DeAngelis is wrong, I would like to know about what. If I misinformed people, let me know and I’ll fix it.”

He confirmed that through email, for example, he worked with WeCAN and others to reach supporters before the February 7 council meeting. He noted that he, Ms Murray, and Gary Davis, another WeCAN member, all thanked those who came when they spoke at the meeting that evening. Mr DeAngelis also asked what was wrong with the groups coming together for a common interest.

“There are organizations here that had a common goal,” he said.

The groups also worked together on another effort. Mr DeAngelis has also been looking for some answers to questions that he, Po Murray, and, Mr Davis collectively submitted to the town officials.

Upset over the insinuation that he has a hidden agenda, Mr DeAngelis also expressed confusion over Mr Smith’s opinion that he had used people for clearly political purposes on his part. Mr DeAngelis said, “When you talk about hidden agendas, there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes, and we want to stop it. That’s why it’s funny the Democratic Town Committee accused me of having a hidden agenda when it is them, they have one — to perpetuate their own power.”

With words of confidence, Mr DeAngelis said, “I know I am doing the right thing; casting aspersions is not going to fix this town. The goal here is open government — that’s my hidden agenda.”

He continued, “What is my hidden agenda? To get them to take action and right the wrongs.” He has, since November, argued that much of what is happening at Fairfield Hills is wrong.

Around Thanksgiving Mr DeAngelis began a website, Insidenewtown.com, offering critical commentary about town officials. Last week, he conceded the site has political and campaign elements. Emerging at the same time was the civil lawsuit he filed against the town and various officials. The suit focuses on decisions and expenses surrounding Fairfield Hills.

Will Mr DeAngelis’s efforts continue through November’s municipal elections?

“Of course,” Mr DeAngelis said.