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I still don't understand what in the hell this is all about.

Part of the problem is that The Sun Chronicle's reporting has been very difficult to follow. Heck - last time, The Sun Chronicle and/or Selectman Firth called Free Republic a left-wing website. The other problem is that the original February 23, 2005 thread has been pulled, so we don't know everything it says.

As I understand it, FReeper Little Bill posted a thread on February 23, 2005, seeking advice on behalf of Freeper Guinnessboy from FReepers who knew how to run local political campaigns. One FReeper (either PAR35 [if you believe The Sun Chronicle, which got a lot of the story wrong in the past], or Phantom Lord, if you believe the other paper) responded "Winning tactic - Kill your opponent." Ms. Firth and some other selectmen took that comment made two years ago as a threat. She heard a rumor that the FReeper making the comment was a Wrentham police officer. This somehow became an issue at a Selectmens' meeting. The police chief asked the county DA to look into whether any laws were broken and to clear the police force's name. After a two-week investigation, the DA concluded no actionable threat was made and, in any event, no Wrentham policeman made those comments. Now, the police chief wants Ms. Firth to recuse herself from future police-related matters. The police chief is retiring and the police contract is up for renegotiation.

It sounds like Ms. Firth tried to drag Free Republic into a local political debate - and lost.

Click on the link for the Country Gazette article - I think it is a bit better written.