The Board Of Ethics

As A Political Tool

To the Editor:

I attended the Board of Ethics meeting last Monday which was considering the “complaint” of Earl Smith, former chairman of the Newtown Democratic Party, against Joe Borst, Republican candidate for first selectman. The charge is that as a part-time bus driver employed by the Board of Education, Joe, as member of the Legislative Council, should not have proposed a motion to restore $250,000 to the budget of the Board of Education to buy two new school buses. He did this at an open council meeting on April 4, 2007, six months before the complaint was first field. His motion failed by a 2 to 10 vote.

If Joe had a true conflict of interest as a part-time employee of the board, he could not participate in any way in the debate, or vote, on the Board of Education part of the budget, even though he might know more about the subject than Legislative Council members who have no contact with the Board of Ed.

If this Democratic complaint had any real merit no full- or part-time employee of the Board of Education or the town could serve on the Legislative Council without an inherent conflict. That would be a lot ineligible people. To follow this Democratic complaint to its logical conclusion, town employees should not be allowed to vote at the budget referendum either. Reductio ad absurdum.

This Democratic complaint is the most blatant political attack I have seen since John Kerry jumped off his swift boat. I don’t know whether to be more upset at the Democrats for making the attack or the Board of Ethics for allowing itself to be used as a political tool. In either event, every Democrat running for office, especially Herb Rosenthal, should denounce their party for attacking the honor of Joe Borst, one of the finest public servants you could ever want in office.

The voters should thank Joe for his record of public service and denounce the tactics of his opponent’s party by electing Joe first selectmen on November 6.

Sincerely

Robert H. Hall

5 Nettleton Avenue, Newtown                                 October 24, 2007