Democrats Charge Mayor With Condoning Police Chief's Misconduct

Middletown Democrats are hoping to get some traction with the controversy over former Acting Police Chief Patrick T. McMahon's alleged drinking while in uniform. They released a statement accusing the mayor of condoning McMahon’s actions.

But an examination of the mayor’s remarks regarding McMahon's alleged drinking suggest his position is more nuanced.

McMahon was demoted by Mayor Sebastian Giuliano on Monday after reports surfaced he was drinking while in uniform and then gave what the mayor said were conflicting statements about the incident. McMahon issued his own press conference Monday afternoon, firing back at the mayor.

The statement released this week by Daniel R. Pickett, campaign chairman for Democrat mayoral challenger, Common Councilman Daniel Drew, placed the mayor with McMahon during one of the alleged instances of drinking alcohol while in uniform and charged that “[Giuliano] took no action until other allegations [were] brought to him.”

The statement references media articles quoting the mayor acknowledging he was “with McMahon during the NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner at the Cantina on Oct. 6 and witnessed him drink a glass of wine with his badge and gun on him.”

Giuliano said Monday, “Having a glass of wine with a meal, within the context of a meal is, in my culture, you don't even think about that. He had a small glass of wine and that was it. I’ve witnessed previous police chiefs at formal events, in formal uniforms, with the same thing, with fire chiefs … this was a banquet.”

Further, he argued, “What is considered a uniform and what are the circumstances? You have a vague regulation that maybe needs tightening up.”

This week, the mayor agreed with a request by Middletown Democrats, who urged the investigation into McMahon’s alleged misconduct be conducted by Connecticut State Police — an impartial third party.

On Monday, Giuliano pointed to several police officers in attendance, including Derek Puorro, president of the police union Local 1361. “What these guys will tell you is we have the uniform of the day, they wear badges and carry a gun, is that a uniform? These officers will appear in so many different states of attire — what constitutes a uniform?”

The mayor said Monday that McMahon, after admitting to his misconduct to him the previous Tuesday, acknowledged, “there is a regulation against consuming alcohol in uniform and/or on duty. Under those circumstances, that wouldn't be the first time and he wouldn't be the first person that I saw do that,” Giuliano said.

But Pickett’s charges that the regulation “is a very clear and unambiguous order. … The first sentence of the order states: ‘A member or civilian employee of the department shall not drink intoxicating beverages or use intoxicants in any manner while on duty or in uniform.’”
 
The Democrat’s statement also says, “the mayor was quoted as saying that he would not have put McMahon on leave had McMahon been up front about other alleged instances of drinking while in uniform because Seb does not feel [the regulation] is clear.”

A review of the mayor's remarks, however, indicate that he went on to qualify his statement. “Of course, I would still be investigating it. I would want to know how this regulation has been applied by the department in the past, because even if the language of the regulation is vague and broad, what you look to is the practices of the department,” Giuliano said at the time.

Pickett’s statement continues, “Seb’s comments condone the consumption of wine in uniform while simultaneously condemning consumption of other alcohol. How can Seb say that drinking one type of alcohol while carrying a loaded, city-issued firearm is acceptable, but consuming another type of alcohol is not?” 

The mayor’s campaign chair, former state Republican chair Chris Healy, who was at the press conference, says, Giuliano’s demotion of McMahon was in fact supported by the Democratic majority leader and a Democratic Councilwoman.

"The Democrats are making the case each day to re-elect Mayor Giuliano," Healy said. "The action taken by the mayor has been supported by Democrat Council members Tom Serra and Hope Kasper, among others in the community.

Healy said Drew is “out of touch with how leaders take action when required by the circumstances. Mayor Giuliano took the appropriate action based on conflicting information he received by the chief.”

“Now an independent investigation will proceed — and to add anything more to this debate doesn't serve anyone," Healy said.

Show us some love! Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.