[Updated] Burke, Tea Party Files Three Election Violation Complaints Thursday

Former Bethel First Selectman, and current Tea Party first selectman candidate, Bob Burke filed three complaints with the State Election Enforcement Commission (SEEC) Thursday.

According to a press release sent out by the Bethel Tea Party, "all three complaints reference violations of Connecticut General Statutes Section 9-610(d)(1), which states; 'No incumbent holding office shall during the three months preceding an election in which he or she is a candidate for reelection or election to another office use public funds to mail or print flyers or other promotional materials intended to bring about the election or reelection of said person.'"

In the press release, Burke said the complaints pertain to three separate documents where town funds were used to distribute newsletters to the general public. He claims each newsletter contains either comments praising current First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker's administration or comments critical of the Board of Finance for not approving or allowing the voters to vote on Knickerbocker's $8.5 million road recovery project.

"It's one thing to use own campaign funds to tout your public record or criticize your political opponents during the election season, it's an entirely different matter and a far more egregious act to use the taxpayer's money for campaigning purposes," the release said. "We (the Tea Party) request that Matt Knickerbocker reimburse the town of Bethel for the costs associated with printing and distributing those flyers and newsletter pages referenced in all three complaints that contain the referenced comments immediately."  

The party also requests that Selectmen Richard Straiton and Paul Szatkowski "also reimburse the town for their involvement in the Bethel taxpayer report that was mailed town-wide in late September."

In response, Knickerbocker said the newsletters and information sent out "were not swaying the voters in anyway, just informing them."

"Particularly with the roads, our office gets dozens of calls every week from residents asking for information," Knickerbocker said. "It's no different from a letter Bob Burke sent out in September 2009 [when he was first selectman] informing residents about the roads. These complaints are just politics as usual." 

He also said the SEEC will probably not reveiw the complaints for another several months after Election Day.