To the Editor:
When my wife and I moved from Stamford to Trumbull with young family 14 years ago, we knew no one in our new town. We were welcomed warmly by the people in our neighborhood, however, and one of those neighbors was Fred Garrity.
Every town has certain people it seems everyone knows. In Trumbull, Fred is one of those people. What has made Fred so well known is the amount of time and energy he spends helping improve the lives of others. He has raised money for charities, organized events, and served on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
What people may not see is how Fred has persevered through difficult times without letting anything stop him from helping others. Several years ago, Fred lost his wife unexpectedly. His kids were still young, and it was a very difficult time for them. Fred’s daughter Christina would come to our house in the morning and board the bus with my kids. I watched as he raised two great kids while never wavering in his service to the community. Now young adults, his success can be seen in their respectfulness and the sense of civic responsibility he instilled in them.
Now, Fred is looking to take his skills and energy to Hartford. Because of this, my friend has been attacked unfairly and untruthfully by Tim Herbst and other members of the Trumbull Republican Town Committee.
Mr. Herbst has suggested that Fred met with a developer inappropriately and that a recent decision by the Planning and Zoning Commission may have been affected and perhaps related to Fred’s campaign. It is important to recognize, however, the careful wording Mr. Herbst and his surrogates use when making these baseless accusations. They use words like “perhaps” or “it makes me wonder”. People use these words when they know there is no evidence to support their claims and are just hoping for some of the mud they throw to stick.
To the many people who know Fred, whether Democrats, Republicans, or unaffiliated, the ridiculousness of these accusations is obvious. Mr. Herbst can continue to search for what is “rotten in Denmark”, as he was quoted as saying, but his efforts will inevitably end with nothing more than vague suggestions and empty politics as usual. He doesn’t have to go to Europe to find the source of that smell, however. He may have better luck searching a little closer to home, say, in the First Selectman’s office, perhaps.
In the coming days, I am sure more mud will be slung from the First Selectman towards Fred Garrity. I’m also sure Mr. Herbst will continue to put his legal degree to work ensuring that the words he uses are just vague enough not to cross the line of legality. In the meantime, Fred Garrity will undoubtedly do what he has always done, which is to continue to serve the people of Trumbull, Fairfield County, and Connecticut, because that’s who my friend really is.