A Few Rogue Republicans

To The Editor

It is distressing to learn that campaign signs of Linda Gabaccia, Democratic candidate for Supervisor of Copake, have been stolen from the lawns of a number of Copake residents exercising their free speech tight to endorse their candidate of choice. Other Democratic signs were knocked down and run over.

It is not appropriate to blame the Copake Republican Party for this reprehensible behavior. Jeff Nayer, Linda’s opponent, would neither do this nor sanction it. Republicans I have admired for their public service and contribution to town government would not. Since Linda and Jeff are working together to run campaigns that are respectful of each other and the voters they seek to serve, we feel assured that Republican candidates in Copake have moved beyond the misleading last minute flyers handed out four years ago when it was too late for response expressing the truth. The danger now is that the behavior of a few rogue Republicans will tarnish the campaigns of honorable candidates.

I urge any who may know who is responsible for taking or destroying signs, possibly the same ones who did this four years ago, to inform the Republican candidates and honorable Republican leaders, so they can stop the behavior by informing the perpetra-tors that they are hurting, not helping the campaign.

Clark M. Simms