The Smell Test

by: Russell's 10

Mon Jun 21, 2010 at 01:05:30 AM EDT

I had an old bookmark on my browser for this story in the Darien News from June 9th.  Today, I re-read this:

Polling data on Herrmann's website indicates he has become the best known candidate and leads the other three in name recognition and likely voters' preference by double digits.

Then, one week later, Herrmann withdrew, citing "isolated problems with his campaign's signature collection process."  He did do before the Secretary of the State's office announced a final tally for his petition signatures.  I imagine there was some pressure on Herrmann.  I obviously have no idea whether anyone gave Herrmann a call and convinced him to drop, but this episode just doesn't pass the smell test.

The "isolated problems" to which Herrmann was referring involved forged petition signatures.  These came to light when Norwalk's Republican Town Committee Chairman filed a complaint with the Elections Enforcement Commission alleging that his wife's name was forged on a Herrmann petition.  Subsequently, other forgeries were identified.  These forgeries were discovered when the voters' addresses were slightly wrong, drawing the attention of registrars checking the petitions.  In the case of the complaint from Norwalk's RTC chairman, his wife's date of birth was also wrong.  OK, well if it was a forgery, it was a forgery, right? Herrmann hired (or at least used) a forger and now he's out of the race -- simple as that.  Maybe, but maybe not.

Herrmann's campaign manager, Dan Huber, raised the red flag of suspicion on June 15th, the day before Tom Herrmann ended his campaign.

Huber also said "It hasn't gone unnoticed by our campaign that Ms. Lyons is a supporter of Dan Debicella. We think it would be appropriate for her to recuse herself and let the secretary of the state deal with these matters."

I keep finding myself asking questions, and I can't reach satisfactory answers.

• Isn't it strange that a very strong advocate for Dan Debicella filed a complaint after Norwalk's registrar, herself a Debicella delegate, spotted the forgery and then called the RTC chairman?
• Why would a forger fail to copy an address (or numerous addresses) and a DOB correctly?  I mean, how hard is it to copy an address, and wouldn't you try to be sure you got that right?
• Why would Herrmann's campaign call for the Norwalk registrar to recuse herself just one day before announcing he was dropping out of the race?
• Why would a guy who believes he's in the lead for a race for Congress -- and who has already spent $500,000 or so of his own money -- withdraw before his petitions are either certified or rejected?  Why not wait until the final numbers came in?

This seems like a set-up.  And if so, it deserves to be a much bigger story than one of a single rogue petition gatherer braking the rules.  I suspect it's truly dirty politics and it looks to me like THAT is how Dan Debicella has decided to run his campaign.