Take that into consideration when you read this letter to the editor from Robert Melillo in which he endorses Republican 1st ward Common Council member Shay Nagersheth.
This year on Nov. 3 in addition to selecting who is going to serve the great city of Danbury as mayor I also have the opportunity to decide who is going to represent me on the Common Council. As a resident of the First Ward I will have an easy decision as to who should be elected when I go to Danbury High School and cast my ballot.
The choice is between an individual who is already working hard as my current councilman or someone who has never held an elected office in Danbury. My choice is the obvious one, Shay Nagersheth.
Shay has been working diligently over the last few years both as a ward representative as well as a city-wide representative on the Common Council. He has dedicated himself to the needs of his constituents. He fought hard to improve a drainage issue on King Street, has advocated for child safety zones, worked to keep Danbury services available, all while striving to control taxes and keep Danbury an affordable place to live. He has not only proved himself on the council but also has worked diligently trying to balance out the needs of the city while protecting environmental concerns as chairman as the Environmental Impact Committee.
[...]
It is for this reason that I ask you to join with me in voting for Shay Nagarsheth as well as his running mate, Phil Colla as First Ward Councilmen.
Robert Melillo
DANBURY
Now, notwithstanding the fact that in the last two years, I can't think of one time in which Nagarsheth has led a ad-hoc committee and/or asked ONE question during a Common Council meeting (and I have videos of almost all of the Common Council meeting since April 2006), the real problem I have with this letter has nothing to do with the endorsement, but the lack of disclosure from the News-Times when it comes to the person who gave the endorsement.
You'll see what I mean when you look at the image below...
POINT 1: Robert Melillo is an active member of the Danbury Republican Town Committee (as well as a member of the Zoning Commission, but that's really not relevant to this post).POINT 2: As a member of the DRTC, Melillo would had voted in favor of Nagersheth during the committee's convention earlier this year.
Based on those two factors, the News-Times has a responsibility to alert their readers whenever a member of the Democratic or Republican Town Committee writes a letter in which they endorse a candidate.
...just sayin'
UPDATE: A reader email me and ask how Melillo was able to publish a letter to the editor endorsing a candidate when he's a candidate for the Zoning Commission. I'll try to find out if elected officials running for office can endorse another candidate on the same political ticket in a letter to the editor.
At the very least, I would expect that the News-Times would write a disclaimer or not allow these types of letters to be published. I'll find out the newspaper's policy in terms of letters like this and keep you posted.
UPDATE 2: Just remembered...
As well as:
- being a member of the Zoning Commission,
- a VERY active member of the Republican Town Committee,
- a top cheerleader for Mayor Boughton's policies, most notably, his comment during a common council meeting in 2007 in support of the parade ordinance (although he never attended ONE ad-hoc committee or public hearing on the subject),
- Melillo is also the treasurer of current City Clerk's campaign.
UPDATE 3: If a volunteer of Gary Goncalves campaign's letter to the editor had a disclosure statement attached to it, then clearly the News-Times has an obligation to disclose that fact the author of this letter is a member of the Republican Town Committee who voted in favor of this Common Council member's nomination as well as the treasurer of the current City Clerk's campaign.
UPDATE 4: Okay, here's the contact information for the Letters department at the News-Times:
Letters to the Editor (203) 731-3344 letters@newstimes.com
Please call or email the newspaper and inform them about this disclosure problem and request them to make a correction (be nice).
UPDATE 5: You guys are killing me!
Okay, follow me here.
According the documents which are easily available on the City of Danbury's website, Robert Melillo lives on 1 Lois Street.
(Google map):
View Larger Map
Lois Street is located in the 1st Ward by Golden Hill Road and Danbury High School.
This letter clearly states that the writer lives in the first ward and is signed Robert Melillo.
This year on Nov. 3 in addition to selecting who is going to serve the great city of Danbury as mayor I also have the opportunity to decide who is going to represent me on the Common Council. As a resident of the First Ward I will have an easy decision as to who should be elected when I go to Danbury High School and cast my ballot...
Case closed...
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