Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Peter Sullivan calls some of his fellow Aldermen: "ASSHOLES!"

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The Manchester Express, January 26 - February 1, 2009, Volume 4, No. 5

After the meeting, several alderman and other public officials noted a crack in one of the walls inside the aldermanic suite. When asked by the [Manchester] Express about the crack, Acting City Clerk Matt Normand said it did not exist before last Tuesday’s meeting and that he had asked a custodian to repair it on Wednesday.

When asked about the crack, [Peter] Sullivan denied that he had caused it.

“That crack was there before; it was not mine,” [Peter] Sullivan said. “And if you print that you will be taken to task for it.

“I don’t know if it’s [Mike] Lopez or Mark Roy or any of those assholes [who told the Express about the crack], [Peter] Sullivan continued. “They have their own agenda, they want Pat Long elected.”

Neither alderman mentioned by Sullivan told the Express about the crack.

When asked about it, Lopez said everyone heard a bang when Sullivan went into the back room. He said he hadn’t noticed the crack before Tuesday. (Sullivan said the bang was him slamming a door.)

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"Who do you think you are, Alderman Sullivan?"
By ANDREW J. MANUSE, Manchester Express Columnist, February 2 - 8, 2009, Volume 4 No. 6

I understand from more than one source that Ward 3 Alderman Peter Sullivan has been going around town saying that I misquoted him in my Jan. 26, 2009 article “Under ‘Attack’.”

In that story, I describe a very unfortunate situation at City Hall among an elected official and two of his constituents, and after-the-fact comments from those involved in the incident.

I can assure you that in the preparation for writing an article that exposed an elected official, like mine did, I took every precaution (short of a tape recording) to ensure that every statement was precise, accurate and truthful.

I can assure you that the Union Leader representation of the truth was far less than precise, accurate and truthful. In particular, I note in reference to the crack in the wall that Alderman Sullivan allegedly created in the aldermanic suite, Reporter Scott Brooks describes it as “...a hairline crack on the wall near one of the windows, which one clerical worker described as about a foot long.”

It is clear from the photograph of the crack on Page 9 of last week’s Manchester Express that the structural damage is much thicker than “hairline” and much longer and more intricate than “a foot long.”

The statements presented in my article show that Mr. Sullivan is certainly suspect as the cause of the crack. His reaction, which I asked him to “repeat so I could quote it exactly,” would seem to suggest even more suspicion for any thinking person. Last week, a good source added more evidence, saying he discovered fresh “spackle dust” under the crack the day after the aldermanic meeting.

Outside the cracked wall at City Hall, it is clear from examining this situation that in Peter Sullivan we have an alderman who clearly feels he is above the law. It seems he feels like he can use his seat of power to intimidate those who criticize him into silence.

He speaks against his colleagues on the board without regard for civility and has no respect for his constituents.

Business owners in his ward accuse him of holding up their official requests and ordering boycotts against them in retaliation for their criticism.

For last week’s article, I spent most of my week speaking to everyone I could who witnessed the event at City Hall, and I presented the facts as best as I could. I can assure you that no personal opinion or agenda affected my writing, as readers should be able to note by our equally thorough coverage of Joe Levasseur and Jonathan Melle.

It’s unfortunate that Sullivan doesn’t seem to understand the goals of journalism, and instead is stooping to question my veracity.

If this alderman keeps denying hard facts while continuing the same actions he is accused of, perhaps it is time for him to resign. He is responsible for taxpayers’ money, after all. Can his constituents trust him to make the right call?
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Andrew J. Manuse is editor of the Manchester Express.
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