State Commission does not decide if use of Public Property - the Official Town & Borough Seal - was illegal

The State Election Enforcement Commission only decided the issue of whether or not "public money" was used to promote the Republican candidate election campaign effort. The Commission indicated that it does not have any jurisdiction over statutes regulating the use of Official Town Seals or copyrighted materials published on a Town owned and operated website.

[above comments are note from JCP-eBlog! publisher.]



Election Panel Dismisses Complaint Against Warden Candidate, Selectwoman
by Megan Bard - published by The Day - April 14, 2007

Griswold — The state Elections Enforcement Commission has dismissed a complaint against Melinda Brooks, a Republican candidate for borough warden in Jewett City, and First Selectwoman Anne P. Hatfield.

In its decision Wednesday, the commission found that neither Brooks nor Hatfield had violated state statutes regarding the use of public money.

The commission did not rule on whether Brooks' use of town and borough seals on her campaign Web site was inappropriate.

In the three-page decision, commission Chairman Stephen F. Cashman wrote that the commission does not have jurisdiction over copyright infringements because they “do not fall within the parameters of state election law.”

Brooks has since removed the materials from her site.

In a complaint filed Feb. 20, Ron Ward, the Jewett City Party candidate for borough warden, implied that Hatfield, acting as Brooks' campaign treasurer, had allowed Brooks to use the town and borough seals on Brooks' Web site.

Ward wrote that by doing so, Hatfield allowed Brooks to give the impression that municipal government had endorsed her candidacy, possibly at taxpayer expense.

Reached Friday afternoon, Brooks and Hatfield said they were pleased with the commission's decision. Both maintained they did nothing illegal or unethical.

Hatfield, who has since resigned as Brooks' campaign treasurer, has said she did not know Brooks had used the town or borough seals on the Web site. Brooks has also said that if she erred it was unintentional.

“I believed all along this would be dismissed. I was just eager to have it resolved,” Brooks said. “I believed from the beginning that this was Mr. Ward's attempt to get into the paper and try to smear our names.”

Hatfield commended the commission for settling the issue prior to the May 7 Borough of Jewett City election and said the candidates can now focus on “real issues” such as safety, economic development and taxes.

In addition to Brooks and Ward, Democratic Warden Cynthia Kata is running for re-election.

Ward also said Friday that he was not surprised by the commission's decision.