Mayor Dave Wood fights back against a controversial mailing sent out to residents
Posted: Oct 15, 2011 1:58 AM EDT | Updated: Nov 6, 2014 12:05 PM EDT
MISHAWAKA, Ind. - With just over three weeks until the November elections, things are boiling over on the campaign trail in Mishawaka.
Mayor Dave Wood is fighting back against a letter sent out to residents all over the city. The mailings were sent out by his opponent, Craig Fry, accusing the Mayor of mishandling a very public sex scandal involving a former City Hall employee.
As soon as Mayor Wood caught wind of the mailing circulating through the community he called for a press conference at the Republican Headquarters to in his words "set the record straight".
Tonight, his opponent Craig Fry is not apologizing for it and he defends the letter says everything in the mailing is true.
As the November 8th elections near, the race for the next Mishawaka mayor continues to intensify.
"If he has made an administrative mistake and not done what he should have done in a certain situation, that's not negative campaigning, that's telling the constituency the truth," says Fry.
Today a campaign letter sent out by democratic hopeful dug up a sex scandal that shocked the city back in June.
Former city employee, 26-year-old Andrew West was arrested, charged, and later pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual misconduct with a minor after he admitted to having a sexual relationship with two 15-year-old girls.
Now, new mailings accuse the Mayor of not firing West soon enough. Today, the Mayor spoke out.
"He was placed on unpaid leave. We conducted a proper investigation that we would conduct with any single employee that we have. We have 530 employees and we believe in due process and finding facts before we make big decisions that affect people's lively hoods," says Wood.
Craig Fry said that is just not the case, which is why he felt he had to send out the letters.
"Everything I said was true. Dave Wood did hire Andrew West to be his community development person and he did not fire him until eight days after he was charged by the prosecutors," says Fry.
Mayor Wood says this is just dirty politics and says he is just going to stick to his campaign promises.
"We are going to talk about things like good jobs, strong families, clean neighborhoods, fiscal responsibility and honesty and integrity in government -- and that starts with honest and integrity in a campaign," says Wood.