Posted: Thursday, January 28, 2010 11:05 am | Updated: 1:19 pm, Thu Jan 28, 2010
Avallone files complaint against Dickinson's dinner @ MyRecordJournal.com
The chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, Vincent Avallone, filed a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) with respect to the testimonial dinner that is being put together by the supporters of Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr.
The dinner is scheduled for Feb. 6 at the Villa Capri.
Avallone and others have reviewed Connecticut General Statute Sec. 9-609 and feel the dinner violates a state law that bars holding testimonials for elected officials while they are still in office.
Avallone was quoted in the paper as saying "If this isn't challenged, then friends and political supporters of the mayor must feel that he gets special consideration when it comes to compliance with the law."
The article indicated that Robert Prentice was made aware of the complaint and that the dinner would go on as scheduled.
Robert Prentice is one of the supporters that is working on the dinner is also the chairman of the Republican Town Committee.
In prior comments he was quoted saying in response to a question regarding the cancelling the event “We got 200-plus tickets sold. You know what? We’ll go through with it because what are they going to do to us, fine us?”
I am authoring the topic for this week’s FROM WALLINGFORD and I will be offering my thoughts on the subject on Sunday.
I also have an opinion poll on the same here on the blog as well.
Please feel free to offer your thoughts.
If the law clearly bars holding testimonials for elected officials while they are still in office, then the mayor, in the interest of upholding the law, should either have it cancelled or not attend.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your input.
ReplyDeleteI have repeated the same actually.
If the ruling on the statute shows that it does not apply to this event then the supporters should be able to have it.
If the ruling goes the other way, the event should be canceled. For all the difficulties in having to do that and some potentially lost monies that is the right thing to do.
That and it follows the letter of the law.
Agreed.
ReplyDelete