Oct. 29 -- The Ct. State Election Enforcement Commission is investigating Ridgefield Republicans' use of taxpayer funds to pay for a newsletter touting the accomplishments of GOP school board candidate Linda Bunyan and First Selectman candidate Abe Morelli. The newsletter, sent by school board chairman and candidate for reelection Bunyan, was sent to parents of Ridgefield schoolchildren as an update on school expansion plans.
According to State Law (Statute 9-333), "No incumbent holding office shall, during the three months proceeding an election in which (s)he is a candidate for re-election, or election to another office, use public funds to mail or print flyers or other promotional materials intended to bring about his election or re-election."
It appears that's exactly what Republican Board of Ed Chair Linda Bunyan did. And now the State Election Enforcement Commission is conducting a full investigation of her actions and will consider possible sanctions and penalties, including fines and an order to reimburse the town for the money she spent.
Under the context of an "update for parents" Bunyan issued a three page letter on the status of the various school building and renovation projects to all Ridgefield parents. Ms. Bunyan, who is running for re-election on November 2nd, used this letter as an opportunity to assert her board's many accomplishments, as well as the important ongoing "work-in-progress" being done in close cooperation with the incumbent First Selectman.
Although incumbent Ms. Bunyan intended the letter to appear as simply a public service of their dedicated, hard working Board of Ed. Chair, the State Election Enforcement Commission immediately recognized this letter for the heavy-handed political ploy that it was. Joan Andrews, a staff attorney for the Elections Enforcement Commission, immediately contacted the Ridgefield Board of Education offices to advise them not to issue the mailing. She was informed, however, that the mailing had already gone out and it was too late to stop it.
TOO LATE. Ms. Bunyan apparently demanded that the Ridgefield school staff rush to get the mailing out the door quickly and had given explicit instructions to her staff not to issue the letter as a bulk mail piece (as would be standard procedure), but to get it in the mail as soon as possible using First Class postage. There can be no disguising this as anything other than a deliberate effort to ensure that this political mailing reached voters prior to election day.
If this letter were being issued -- and paid for -- by Ms. Bunyan through her campaign committee, she would be within her rights to do so. This mailing, however, was done by Ridgefield Public Schools employees during the normal workday, under Ms. Bunyan's authority as Board of Ed. Chair. The cost of this mailing, both its preparation and its postage, is being borne by Ridgefield taxpayers.
Initial investigation suggests that Ms. Bunyan unfairly and unlawfully exploited her position as Board of Ed. Chair to promote her own supposed accomplishments and to convince voters of the need to keep her and the incumbent First Selectman in office for another term. It appears that taxpayer dollars are unfairly and unlawfully being used for the political advantage of Republican candidates. Furthermore, it appears that Ridgefield Public School employees were used to perform services for the political campaign of the Republican candidates.
As if this were not enough of a blatant election law violation and abuse of elected office, Ms. Bunyan apparently ordered Comcast Channel 22, also known as Tiger TV, to broadcast a full screen scroll of her letter during the five minutes immediately preceding the League of Women Voters' candidates debate Wednesday night. Channel 22 is the educational access channel here in Ridgefield. Apparently, Ms. Bunyan would like it to serve as the political access channel.
The State Election Enforcement Commission will need time to complete its investigation. Unfortunately, only a few days remain until the November 2nd election and Ms. Bunyan's political mailing is already in the homes of Ridgefield's parents. Hopefully justice delayed will not become justice denied.
In a related development, the State is also considering an investigation of candidate Abe Morelli's use of Town Attorney Alan Kerr to advise his campaign on the legality of a televised campaign commercial.
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