Penta: I’m Staying on Council; Burke Distorts Facts

Contrary to my opponent’s recent press release, I shall not resign my position as a city councilor. She alleges that I went into a city building to campaign. Here are the facts …

On Wednesday, September 16, a union representative by the name of Steve South appeared at the Public Works building under the pretense of talking about the employees’ contract. He later took the liberty to lie about my position as a candidate for mayor by saying that I was against unions and their jobs could be in jeopardy if I became mayor. He also indicated that this is the reason why the public works employees should support my opponent. I was later informed by an unidentified Local 25 member that Local 25 personnel became aware of what Mr. South had said to the
Medford employees and that it was unauthorized for him to do so. The caller further stated that the call was not to take any position but to let me know what took place and that it was not right.

On Thursday, I had conversation with highway personnel members who were at the Wednesday meeting and told me the same as to what Mr. South said before the membership on Wednesday.

On Friday morning, I arrived at 6:45 at the highway yard to address the employees as to the inaccurate statements that Mr. South had directed toward me. I was told by two employees that I had to leave the building because they were told that campaigning was not allowed. I explained to them that I was not there to campaign but to correct the comments made by Mr. South.

At approximately 7:15 or so DPW Commissioner Gere arrived for whom I waited outside the building because I was told he was on the way to the yard.

I explained to him the reason why I was there and what took place from Wednesday to Friday morning. He said he was not aware of any of this. He further stated that he understood my position in wanting to clarify Mr. South’s intentionally wrong statements. Mr. Gere stated that he wanted to make sure that I was not campaigning for he didn’t want me to get in trouble for doing so.

When later called by the city solicitor, I relayed the entire episode on my appearance on that day. He said he would contact Mr. South to get his statement on what he said on Wednesday. I believe Mr. South did not deny the comments. Why did the city solicitor NOT include in his opinion my reason for going to city yards on Friday?

I had every right to defend my position especially against an attack that was slanderous and not true.

My opponent needs to better understand campaign activity fairness.

My opponent seems to forget that her Budget Director position and being Personnel Director allowed her to access budgetary and confidential information that would give her an unfair advantage when campaigning.

Therefore, that is why I felt she needed to resign her position.

Regarding her comments about fairness and conflicts of interest … how soon my opponent, as Budget and Personnel Director, forgets how she and Clerk Finn ignored the conflict of interest law and did not complain about Martha Coakley’s political campaign signs being in city hall.

How soon my opponent, as Budget and Personnel Director, forgets that she did not complain to Clerk Finn or Solicitor Rumley about the conflict of interest law when Mayor McGlynn brought Senator Warren, then a candidate for Senator, to Medford City Hall to campaign in the building during working hours.

How soon my opponent, as Budget and Personnel Director and overseer of the city’s web page ignored the conflict of interest law when she was contacted about the improper personal use of the city’s web-page by the Mayor taking to task elected officials and not allowing for any web-page rebuttal. She never took any action to correct the conflict.

It is obvious that my opponent will stoop to any level to intentionally smear my campaign and disregard the true facts.

My opponent and her political mentors are just a group of desperate people who will do and say desperate things. It is a sad state of affairs when one has to try to make someone else look bad in order to make themselves look good.

My campaign is gaining more momentum every day because I am offering a positive, honest and direct approach on my positions in moving our city forward.

– Submitted by Robert Penta