Posted on 02/24/2007 11:12:45 PM PST by conservative in nyc
A district attorney's investigation has found there was no evidence a local police officer posted unflattering and threatening remarks about a selectman on an Internet blog, and now the police union is demanding the resignation of Selectwoman Jennifer Firth for pointing the finger in their direction.
Saying the police department's reputation was tarnished, the police union demanded Wednesday that Firth resign for alleging at a Feb. 6 selectmen's meeting that a town police officer threatened online to kill a selectman two years ago.
The Norfolk County District Attorney's Office found no evidence after a two-week investigation that the freerepublic.com blog posting Firth cited constituted a threat against Gregory Pazurchek, who was seeking re-election but lost to George Labonte in April 2005.
Also, "there is no basis, in fact, that the author of the said cited entry is (or was) a Wrentham Police Officer," First Assistant District Attorney Dennis C. Mahoney wrote in his report Tuesday.
The Wrentham Police Association now wants Firth off the board for making what it called a "false and scurrilous allegation."
The union is exploring its options if Firth declines to leave, said Detective Sgt. William McGrath, the union president.
If a town police officer made such a charge on local cable TV, McGrath said, "we'd be fired. It's that simple."
"Selectman Firth's willingness to make false criminal accusations in public that tarnish the reputations of the Wrentham Police Department and the police officers who serve the Town of Wrentham make her unfit to hold public office," the union said in a statement. "Furthermore, Ms. Firth's stated belief that political activity by police officers or any town employees should result in the employee being withheld from promotion only strengthens our resolve."
"I never said that," Firth said of the latter charge.
Firth maintained two weeks ago and again on Wednesday that she didn't want the matter discussed in open session.
Public discussion was requested by Selectman Richard Dion, who resigned later in the meeting, Firth said.
"It was requested to be put in open session by Chief Collamati as well," Firth said of Police Chief Joseph Collamati Jr. "I didn't want it put in open session."
Firth, who two weeks ago questioned the credibility of blogs and noted it is difficult to confirm the author of postings, attributed the call for her resignation to politics.
"It is a funny coincidence it just happens to be on the three-year cycle the contract is up and the budget is about to be discussed," Firth said. "I think it is an attempt to discredit me and try to remove me from the negotiating process."
Collamati had requested the independent investigation by the district attorney's office after Firth raised the allegation during the selectmen's meeting.
Wednesday, Collamati called for Firth to recuse herself from votes on police matters.
"Quite frankly, going forward, I have some concerns about Jennifer having input on matters involving the police department," Collamati said. "I'm very concerned about her being biased toward the police department."
The postings on freerepublic.com were from Feb. 23 to April 9, 2005, according to a transcript Collamati provided to The Sun Chronicle.
In the first transcript, replete with grammatical errors and misspelled words, a poster named "Little Bill" said "Guinnessboy, a mad active FReeper, is running a Campaign for his future Father in Law for Chairman of the Board of Selectman in a Mass Town, against a disgusting rat. He needs advice from those FReepers that have run for local office, winners and loosers, winning tactics and misteaks made."
The same day, a poster named "PAR35," replied, "Winning tactic ... Kill your opponent."
Two later postings stated, "The election is on April 4th. The candidate's name is George A. Labonte, running for town selectman in Wrentham. He is running as an independent, just so you know the incumbant is Greg Pazurchek who is backed by the Wrentham Citizens Alliance (code name for democrat bleeding hearts)."
Labonte has a relative who is a police officer.
The transcript identifies "Guinessboy" as Ronald Groves.
Firth told a state police investigator this month that "two years ago, she might have heard that Ronald Groves was a police officer then, but she doesn't know for sure," according to the district attorney's report.
When the trooper asked Firth why she said a police officer made the threats, "she said that was the rumor."
"Ms. Firth said somebody told her that, but she couldn't remember who it was. Ms. Firth stated she thinks she heard the rumor on the street," the report states.
The selectwoman said she is actually pleased the police department was cleared.
"That is very good news," Firth said of the DA's finding.
I don't know Phantom Lord personally; he and I have exchanged posts (and perhaps an occaisonal flame) over the years, but I'd be really shocked if he turned out to be a Massachusetts cop.
Oh well, I guess this means I can't dis the Boston Globe; I may have to rely on them if the story ever becomes an issue for me.
If I do have to sue, it will be interesting to see who gets left holding the bag.
Thanks for your help.
he he he he
Can an entity that is known only as a pseudonym on a blog (or non-blog if you prefer) even suffer libel in the legal sense? If so, that opens the door to suits between Freepers too. I'm not sure you want to be the one who first opens that door.
FReepers who threaten to sue other FReepers may not be FReepers much longer.
Jim would you please post some links to the remarks by the former Fresno Council member re Free Republic and the results of her remarks for her and the city of Fresno.
That would be a good history lesson for a lot of us and for those going after this latest liberal liar.
Thanks.
My apology for any misunderstanding from my posts.
My comments were directed at the newspaper in question, and the two reporters who falsely attributed a quote to me. I do not believe either of them to be Freepers. I have no quarrel with any posters, with you, or with Free Republic in this matter. Please read my post 15 in the context of my post 12.
I understand that this is your site, and I understand your rules.
THURSDAY MARCH 1, 2007 Last modified: Thursday, March 1, 2007 1:04 AM EST
Wrentham police accuse pair of trying to discredit them
BY MICHAEL GELBWASSER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
WRENTHAM - In a complaint filed Wednesday with the state Ethics Commission, Wrentham's police union accuses Selectmen Jennifer Firth and John Zizza of trying to discredit the police department.
The Wrentham Police Association also accuses Firth of trying to undermine the process of choosing Police Chief Joseph Collamati's successor through comments during the selectmen's Jan. 2 closed session and the Feb. 6 public session.
"The Wrentham Police Association firmly believes Selectwoman Firth is engaged in an effort to undermine the selection process for chief of police by way of removing the position from civil service and placing the position under the control of the board of selectmen," the complaint states.
Selectmen have been discussing whether the post's status should change.
"Ms. Firth's motive and bias is evidenced by her comments regarding police political activity being punished by denying promotion and her fabricated allegations that a police officer made criminal threats to kill a political candidate," the complaint continues.
The union also alleges that Chairwoman Mary Dunn said during the Jan. 2 closed session that Collamati "uses his uniform to do evil."
Selectmen discussed Collamati's retirement plans at that time, according to the complaint, which union President William McGrath provided to The Sun Chronicle on Wednesday.
Firth alleged on Feb. 6 that a Wrentham police officer threatened online to kill a selectman two years ago.
The union accuses Zizza of stating at that time that he "read the blog and confirmed the police officer is identified, adding credibility to the false allegations made by Selectwoman Firth's criminal allegations."
The Norfolk County District Attorney's office last week found no evidence that a police officer made the threat on the Web site freerepublic.com against Gregory Pazurchek, who was running for re-election but lost.
The union has called for Firth's resignation. She has declined.
The union alleges that Dunn said on Feb. 6 that she was unaware of the blog or its contents.
However, Firth recently told an investigator for the district attorney's office that Dunn gave her the blog on Feb. 4. Firth also told the investigator that Dunn gave Collamati a copy of the blog two years ago.
Firth has said she is under the belief the ethics commission only investigates those who have a financial interest in a matter, something she denies she has here.
Dunn and Zizza couldn't be reached, and Firth declined to comment Wednesday, saying the issue has become confidential for the board.
A closed meeting has been scheduled for tonight, and the issue is expected to be discussed, The Sun Chronicle has learned.
MICHAEL GELBWASSER can be reached at 508-236-0372 or at mgelbwasser@thesunchronicle.com.
Thanks. Sounds like there is at least one honorable reporter in the area.
Yes, but this opens up a whole new can of worms:
The confusion, she said, is that Labonte’s son in-law was taking part in the chat thread. Labonte also has a son who is a Wrentham police officer, but Groves isn’t a policeman and has never been connected with the Wrentham Police Department.
"I think there’s been a lot of confusion for two years," said Firth this week. "I think the confusion is around the fact that it was a relative (of Labonte) involved."
Firth said she is disappointed the chat thread has sparked so much rumor and has been allowed to fester over two years in the town’s undercurrents. "I find it unconscionable that it was ignored," she said.
Greg Pazurchek, meanwhile, said on Monday that, while the internet posting was disturbing, he never felt directly threatened. He is questioning why the thread has been brought up now, and why it has been allowed to get so out of hand, especially since, he said, Labonte could have stopped the entire conversation Feb. 6 simply by pointing out that his son-in-law, and not his police officer son, was involved.
"Why is he adding fuel to the fire instead of saying, ‘Wait a minute, this isn’t a police officer. Yeah, the guy (Groves) was trying to help me and some arbitrary person wrote this alleged threat’?" Pazurchek said, noting that, at the time the chat thread was active, "I knew it wasn’t a cop."
****Well Greg, if you knew it all along, why did you not step in to tame the allegations & rumor of your associate Firth?
***Well, Firth sits next to GL at every meeting, how did she not in small talk ask "what's up with this guinnessboy thing"?
*****she shot first and asked questions later, she did not communicate with anyone on this issue, she ran wild with her witch hunt...............
I did like the Bellingham reporting though, clean cut, precise, mostly factual, except for Greg's bias on how this could have been handled better........
Some person posts a mild observation, if you are a rat, about how to win an election, and some airhead, self absorbed, Female, rat machine Selectman, has a PMS attack because her fellow rat machine pol, gets beat, then she accuses an innocent cop of the crime, get real.
This excludes her agenda.
LB, not to mention now that all of a sudden this is "anonymous" that she doesnt know how she found out anything regarding the thread, and believes that it is being used against her for political gain.
gentle reminder, she dug up this oldie but goodie herself.
She's had to make a molehill to make a mountain out of it, because there was no molehill to begin with......
This ditz has been sitting on our posts for use in the next election, typical rat tactic, not that I can complain, I would have done the something myself. The difference is, as you know, I do a lot of research, no wiggle room.
No harm, no foul, it was my very first campaign so there were some mistakes to be made. But I know that either "they" or others know of the recent discussion involving this issue. Obviously because of the Freepers posting on it, but also because of searches being done on FR out of curiosity. Pretty much logical evidence of this is the contact from the Gazette, which is what I believe to be S.O.P. for a good reporter, unlike the Sun Chronicle which runs with the story of the people that lean their way, take their words as gospel, though they are horribly innacurate. The Chronicle story has evolved painfully because of the errant nonfacts proposed, their reporting was basically as sound as the Selectman's source of "hearing it on the street". It's the same thing with the KPHS story down here, the Chronicle leaned hard because the the reaction of the "poor me" students, parents and schoolboard, but once the "other side" of the story leaked out, the views changed to "equally responsible", that's the new mantra for saying yeah, you are right, we are wrong- "equally responsible" allows them to take no blame until the other side caves............
Wrentham town democracy in fight or flight mode?
Wrentham brouhaha widens
BY STEPHEN PETERSON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Wednesday, March 7, 2007 1:24 AM EST
WRENTHAM - The feud between the police union and the board of selectmen has widened, with selectmen abruptly canceling a public forum at the end of Tuesday night's board meeting, where police intended to confront selectmen about the ongoing Internet controversy.
"We're not having a public forum this evening," Chairwoman Mary Dunn said, declaring the meeting adjourned. The vote to adjourn the meeting was 2-1, with Selectman George Labonte dissenting and Dunn abstaining. Jennifer Firth and John Zizza, subjects of the so-called blog controversy, voted in favor.
"We're here as residents of Wrentham and taxpayers," said police Sgt. William McGrath, the head of the police union. "We're here to address a matter between Mrs. Firth and the police."
Firth countered: "I have a right to have an executive session."
Dunn said that while a public forum is listed on the agenda, there is a notation that "this agenda is subject to change."
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The boiling issue stems largely from comments Firth made at a February selectmen meeting concerning an Internet blog, where comments critical of selectmen were posted. Firth speculated a police officer posted the comments and Zizza backed her up, the union contends.
Accompanied by three police officers, McGrath said after the meeting he intended to read a statement addressing the issues.
"This open forum was created as an opportunity for residents and taxpayers to voice concerns about issues in town," McGrath said. "It is a continuation of their efforts to hope the issue has died."
Dunn said later, "I don't think it is productive to continue" discussion of the issue. "This is union business, and not the place to take priority over town business," she said.
Dunn added that it is appropriate to cancel the public forum, "if you think a volatile situation is going to take place."
McGrath discounted that the controversy is solely a union issue, saying it involves the integrity of selectmen.
He also noted it was Dunn who originally pushed for public forums during selectmen meetings.
Dunn confirmed that she did so during the late 1990s, when she wasn't on the board. She said Tuesday's meeting was the first she could recall in which the forum was canceled when someone wanted to speak.
"That is my prerogative," Dunn said. "I run this meeting."
McGrath called that a double standard, saying Firth was able to get the issue on the agenda of the February meeting.
Dunn said the union was invited to meet with her and Police Chief Joseph Collamati Jr., but declined. She said the union has been put on the April 3 selectmen's agenda, but she is requesting that the union indicate beforehand what it plans to discuss.
"I've given them every opportunity to come to the table," Dunn said.
McGrath said all police officers not working the night shift had planned to attend Tuesday's meeting, but because the board "attempted to label us bullies and intimidators, we pared down our presence."
Firth and Zizza are the subject of a complaint by the police union to the state Ethics Commission that they have discredited the department with their statements.
Firth said she has been told by the ethics commission the issue has been essentially dismissed, but McGrath insists that is not true.
The commission neither confirms nor denies investigations.
The Norfolk County District Attorney's office two weeks ago found no evidence that a police officer made threats on the Web site freerepublic.com. Dunn said she thought the issue was moot at that time.
The union has also demanded Firth's resignation.
ping
Thanks CIN, if you were to describe/classify the media type of FR, would you call it a forum? thanks in advance.
Free Republic describes this as a forum.
So, it's not just me? Good.
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