Dracut State Rep. Colleen Garry is fighting hard to maintain her seat and holding nothing back.

Over on Dracut Forum Shawn had a Post about BOTH candidates but targeted the Democratic Party (while defending a trip to Maine for Cathy Richardson by saying ‘Richardson’s own travel to Maine can easily be explained by the extreme amount of campaiging going on up there with the retirement of Olympia Snow, and the efforts to keep the state Red.)

Here’s Colleen’s Response:

My response to Dracut forum column:

I, too, want to focus on the issues. I am very proud of my 18 years of accomplishment and my extensive voting record. We do not know where Ms. Richardson stands on much. She refused to debate her primary opponent. She points to her Facebook page which shows her slogan of “fiscal dis…cipline” and lots of lovely photos but no substance on issues. My first question to her at the Lowell Sun debate was: where do you stand on issues like death penalty, health care reform, CPA expansion and bottle bill? We finally got stands on three out of those four. She refused to say how she was going to vote on the Boathouse deck issue. She said she didn’t have to. I believe the voters have the right to know that before the election. Why won’t she tell us?

It was the Republican Party who injected themselves into this race…first saying I was trying to hide something….then when everyone was listed..calling people in this district “corrupt.” My response to correcting the error was actually completed in four hours not two. My camp is 1 1/4 hours away and I do have internet access there as well. So it was very easy to do….and I was not covering up anything!!! I did not need to cover them up. These men have done a lot for this town and are not corrupt! Corrupt means doing something (usually illegal) for their own personal or monetary gain. Not one of these men get paid for anything they do in this town!

In fact, Republican State Committeewoman Sheila Richardson (former Governor’s appointee) and mother of Cathy Richardson stated in the Lowell Sun on September 20, 2011 in regards to the situation: “the Board is handling the process correctly, albeit not in a popular manner. The process put in place was legal. If the Director’s contract is up for review, we have a board put in place to vote to renew it. I see nothing wrong with what the process accomplished. You may not get one person to apply for the job. Maybe you will get someone who is better.”

When pressed for an example of my being corrupt, Cathy pointed to the Housing Authority situation with Mary Karabatsos. I believe the Republican spokesman and Cathy should have spoken with Mrs. Sheila Richardson since she was involved, had the necessary experience with the Housing Authority and felt it was proper.

Should the Democratic Party or I stand by and allow me and my campaign to be called “corrupt?!” No, I will fight for my own reputation just as I fight vehemently for my district!!

The Republican Party and Ms. Richardson can not find issue with my record of accomplishment or my voting record so they stoop to these kinds of attacks!!

I believe that if my campaign accounts are being examined and used in this campaign….hers is fair game. The fact that she had a public employee as Treasurer for two years is a violation of the law. The fact that her municipal campaign finance reports did not transfer correctly to the state candidate account is a violation. On neither report did the $1079 bill to Lenzi’s from March of 2010 be reported as paid. She says it was paid but the balance of the last municipal account was $26.19 with a liability of $1079 to Lenzi’s from the March 2010 party. She couldn’t have paid it with the $26.19. Her beginning report for the state report showed a beginning balance of $0 and no liability. When exactly did it get paid? From where? Is there a coverup?

And the expenditure in Maine was not for gas….Ms. Richardson vacations in York, Maine with her family and for some reason the location of the Green Leaves restaurant was left off the account….for some $30 odd…for Chinese food in York, Maine. Do you think she was having Chinese food with Olympia Snow? I don’t think so. How many people can $30 feed to keep the state of Maine RED???

My opponent stated on WCAP on Saturday that the voters have the right to question our behavior. Do the voters have the right to know that the candidate touting fiscal discipline, telling the Dracut Public Schools they have enough money and they have to learn to live within their means is not doing so herself? Do the voters have the right to know that a candidate is not attending court when she is supposed to?
I agree everyone goes through tough economic times, especially in the last few years. But you go to court when you are supposed to and deal with the matter. Remember, we are talking about small businessmen involved who are trying to feed their families too.

I have addressed my roll call records and certain supporters of my opponent continue to raise them. I have never raised any objection to it being discussed. The fact is there were legitimate reasons for those absences and this term my record is 99% and my career roll call record is 97%. I am proud of that!

I hope the character assassinations are over and we can deal with the issues. I have never been in a campaign like this in my 18 years. I am disappointed that terms like “corrupt” are being thrown around so freely. The people of this district know me and I have every confidence that they will see through these continued attacks.

If anyone has any questions on any issues, please do hesitate to contact me at repcolleengarry@aol.com.