Posted on 10/20/2008 8:49:04 AM PDT by chambley1
COLEBROOK - A 2005 settlement agreement that state Rep. George Wilber, D-63, agreed to after sexual assault allegations does not constitute an "admission of guilt," he said Friday.
Documents left with The Register Citizen Thursday suggest Wilber was accused of sexually abusing a girl from the time she was 11 years old. The woman is now in her 40s. Among the documents is a letter from the alleged victim's doctor to noted sex abuse attorney Susan K. Smith, which states that her patient claimed to have been the victim of sexual abuse from ages 11 through 18. Smith did not return a phone call seeking comment.
"I took the high road," said Wilber, who is running for a fourth term in the state legislature. "I made a settlement."
Wilber vociferously denied any wrongdoing, calling the accusations "ridiculous."
"These accusations are false," he said. "I coached Little League."
When asked about the charges that led to the settlement, Wilber said he "didn't know if she called it sexual harassment or sexual abuse."
Wilber was a state representative when the agreement was signed Dec. 30, 2005, and confirmed that, at the time, he had to refinance property he owned to cover the $100,000 settlement.
The settlement stipulates that the alleged victim released Wilbur from any further claims or obligations and obliges her to pay $1,000 "for each violation of this confidentiality agreement."
Wilbur has never been subject of a criminal investigation, police said.
Current Connecticut law states that no person may be prosecuted for sexual abuse or assault of a minor after the victim's 48th birthday or after five years of the date the victim notifies authorities. Prior to 1992, victims only had two years after their 18th birthday to report abuse.
Wilber, who served as Colebrook first selectman for 18 years, voted in 2002 in favor of extending the statute of limitations for civil cases involving sex crimes. "I voted for the bill that allowed her to sue," Wilber said.
Wilber's opposition in the current campaign for the 63rd District, Republican John Rigby, said he had no knowledge of the agreement or of the charges that led to the settlement. The 63rd District covers Barkhamsted, Canaan, Colebrook, Hartland, Norfolk, North Canaan and Winchester.
Connecticut Democratic Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo also said she had "no knowledge" of the issue, saying it would be difficult to comment.
"It was three years ago," she said about the settlement agreement.
Wilber is married and has three children. He runs a family dairy farm and is a former commissioner of agriculture for the state.
To the democrats this would only wrong if it was done by a Catholic priest.
Huh????
Wilber vociferously denied any wrongdoing, calling the accusations "ridiculous."
Well, then... I accuse him of running over puppies with a lawn mower. Please make the check out to pgyanke...
I’d like to know what “the accusations are false” have to do with “I coached little league.”
While I know settling can sometimes be cheaper than fighting a lawsuit, I’d think $100,000 would buy a lot of lawyer.
So he may have been just sexually harassing an 11 year old?
You'd think so, wouldn't you!
This settlement was all about him keeping power.
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