Drew's Campaign Chair: Candidate's Journalism Career Was no Exaggeration

To the Editor:

The Giuliano campaign this morning released a vicious, 11th-hour lie about Democratic Mayoral Candidate Dan Drew, . This behavior by the Giuliano campaign is consistent with the pattern of deception practiced by his campaign and his administration. 

Here is the truth:

• Dan Drew was named as a winner of a first-place award for a series of stories on the Washington sniper murders.
• Dan Drew was named as a winner of a first-place award for a series of stories about the armed siege of a middle school.
• Dan Drew won a second-place award for a story about a high school football star who died in an accidental shooting.
• Dan Drew won honorable mentions in an internal company-wide recognition called a mega-award for stories about the conditions inside the prison cell of Washington sniper John Muhammad and an investigative piece into misidentification of campaign funds by an elected official.

A statement from Ellen Mitchell, Drew’s former editor: “Dan worked for me for years and he won every award listed. His character is impeccable.” 

A statement from Keith Walker, a reporter who worked for years alongside Drew: “Dan has always been honest and trustworthy. When he tells me something, I know I can take it to the bank.”

The false attack was released under the name of Juan Montalvo, who referred to himself as a “litigation advisor” and said he was a concerned citizen who serves on boards and commission in Middletown. The deceptive moniker of “concerned citizen” hides the fact that Montalvo is a hired gun working with Giuliano’s campaign. Montalvo appears publicly with Giuliano in many venues, works on Giuliano’s campaign, and has called himself on television a “political consultant.”

The e-mails were deceptively written to appear as though they came from a concerned citizen, but our campaign discovered that they actually were sent by a close relative of Seb Giuliano. 

Furthermore, the dates on the e-mails are listed as “Oct. 21, 2011.” If this were anything but a last-minute, desperate smear, why did Giuliano wait until two days before the election to release them? The reason is that this attack is a typically desperate, pathetic, political attempt to smear Drew’s character only two days before the election. The goal was to keep Drew from having an opportunity to respond and represents the cynical, backroom politics that have come to define the Giuliano administration.

The irony of this attack is especially rich in the aftermath of this week’s winter storm when Giuliano claimed he was suspending his campaign. Like John McCain in 2008, Giuliano claimed to suspend his campaign in the midst of crisis, and then spent his time campaigning.

In fact, Giuliano announced Wednesday that he was and then proceeded to go to Wesleyan to shake hands and ask students for their votes. While at the , Giuliano’s campaign had political candidates and staff in the shelter wearing Giuliano re-election propaganda shirts. 

Which is it, Seb? You can’t claim to suspend your campaign and then come out as the most political animal in Middletown.

You have claimed to be running an honest, spirited campaign, but the truth is that you’ve done anything but. Your actions speak louder than words. Your opposition research teams digging into Drew’s past and your deceptions about what they claim to have uncovered are the real hallmarks of your character and the true signals of how you have, and will continue to, run your office.

Dan Pickett, Drew 2011 Campaign Chairman