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The Political Vendetta

The political vendetta against Clinton Police Chief Vincent DeMaio is reprehensible, relentless, and Republican. It began in August 2016, when Republican Police Commissioner Kim Neri-Simoncini pilfered a Clinton Taxpayers Association sign. The sign campaigned against a proposed zoning amendment relaxing regulations that buffer residential properties from contractors’ storage yards.

Then-selectman Lynn Pinder posted a Facebook picture of Neri-Simoncini posing with the pilfered sign. After a several-month investigation, the state prosecutor issued an arrest warrant and Neri-Simoncini surrendered to police on Dec. 8, 2016.

One week later, Neri-Simoncini and Selectman Carol Walter attended the police commission meeting scolding the chief for fulfilling his duty, threatening political retaliation. The chief has weathered repeated public humiliation when he has been unjustifiably rebuked on any pretext, from budgets, to command structure, to the replacement of a K-9 unit.

When Phil Sengle won the Republican primary and general election for selectman in 2017, he refused to vacate his position on the police commission. The Republican Town Committee (RTC) might have named Neri-Simoncini or Bruce Farmer as her surrogate to fill the vacancy his resignation would have created. He resigned once there was an agreement that Rob Derry, a veteran state trooper and Republican, would fill that vacancy.

The RTC has dumped Derry from the 2019 ticket and endorsed Bruce Farmer and Lou Russo, both of whom are now beholden to the RTC’s search committee. Their endorsements were cosigned by Neri-Simoncini, the RTC’s secretary.

Minority representation rules would have forced at least one Republican candidate on the police commission if the Green Party had not endorsed Sengle and Derry for the commission.

The chief should never again be abused for serving justice without political favor.

Kirk Carr

Clinton