Jarrod Wardwell
Connecticut Post, Bridgeport
(TNS)
Aug. 4—FAIRFIELD — A series of posts that wound up on the town of Fairfield’s Instagram account have become the focus of a state elections investigation into possible campaign violations.
The Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission opened an investigation earlier this month into a complaint Fairfield Republic Town Committee Chair Laura Devlin filed against Democratic First Selectman Bill Gerber and State Rep. Jennifer Leeper, also a Democrat, over the use of the town Instagram account. The account had shared Leeper’s posts about three events — the Sea Ceremony, Blessing of the Fleet and Pride flag raising — on its Instagram story, which disappears after 24 hours, on separate days in May and June.
Leeper’s posts promoted each of the three events, which the town helped host, with pictures of ceremonies, participants and guests, including herself, other elected officials and local community members.
The Sea Ceremony took place in late May and honors members of the U.S. military who have died in the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. Local clergy bless ships passing through Southport Harbor at the Blessing of the Fleet, which happened in early June. The Pride flag raising followed later that month, celebrating Pride month for the LGBTQ+ community.
Leeper is running for her third term in office and has used her Instagram account for campaign messaging.
Joshua Foley, an SEEC attorney, confirmed the open investigation to Hearst Connecticut Media Monday. He said he could not comment further on the investigation.
Devlin’s complaint, also filed earlier this month, alleges Fairfield’s reposts of Leeper’s Instagram content illegally supported her reelection campaign. She said the activity on the town Instagram account broke a pair of state election statutes, which restrict the use of public funds to promote a campaign as well as any contribution that can cover a campaign’s expenses.
“These stories not only give unfair advantage and endorsement, but are supported by taxpayers, as the work involved to share/post the Leeper material is performed by municipal employees,” Devlin wrote in the complaint.
Devlin said the town’s Instagram activity also violated the Freedom of Information Act because stories that expire are “untraceable for the most part.”
Gerber responded to the complaint with a letter titled “We post pictures about great events,” which he posted in the neighborhood Patch July 19. He said the town shared Leeper’s posts because the events were “wonderful” and his office didn’t have pictures that could compare to hers.
“I can say with complete confidence that it was never my or anyone in my office’s intention to offend or affront Ms. Devlin or any of her fellow Republican Town Committee members, Republican candidates for office, or anyone else, or to promote any candidate running for office,” Gerber said in the letter. “Our intention when we post pictures is always to highlight something good happening in Fairfield, the Town we all love.”
Town spokesperson Lisa Clair said Fairfield hasn’t been able to further respond to the investigation yet because the SEEC official assigned to the complaint is on vacation.
“There isn’t anything that we can provide until we’ve established communication with SEEC on this issue,” she said in an email.
Devlin said she’s pleased the SEEC is investigating her complaint, and Gerber’s recent letter frames the complaint as frivolous despite the wrongdoing she believes took place.
“What they did was a violation of the Town Charter and state campaign laws, and everyone should take those very seriously,” Devlin said.
Leeper said the complaint seems “tit-for-tat” because of the complaint Democratic Town Committee Chair Steve Sheinberg filed against her opponent, Alexis Harrison, earlier this year. Leeper said her posts were nonpartisan without any mention of her campaign, the upcoming election or voting, adding they included state Sen. Tony Hwang, a Republican. She said she attended the events in her capacity as state representative, and the posts expressed gratitude for and pride in the local community and veterans.
“I find it deeply discouraging that even here in Fairfield such hyperpartisanship means we can’t all celebrate events in our town that are designed to help bring our community together without such allegations as these,” Leeper said.
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