Suffolk Legis. Kate Browning came under front page attack from her local weekly newspaper, South Shore Press, in its Wednesday edition, for abstaining on the vote to make the weekly one of the county’s official papers.
The paper, where convicted ex-Legis. Fred Towle is sale manager, headlined its story “Browning continues attack on The South Shore Press” and also ran a full page ad, which was a letter from a coalition of a half dozen local civic groups.
Despite the onslaught, Browning said she has gotten 10 positive calls and only one negative one. “A lot of people are saying good for you standing up to Fred Towle,” she said. “It seems more people dislike Fred than like him.” Browning also said she received a call from one civic leader listed in the ad saying his organization did not authorize the use of the name.
Browning, a Working Families Party member abstained with the majority of Democrats in a move that kept the paper from getting lucrative legal advertising. Republicans, claiming their have a right to name their own officials paper, retaliated by blocking $5.1-million in capital projects.
The paper’s attorney, Lee Snead, said the the press has “answered each and every question” raised by the county, and Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) indicated at Tuesday's meeting that the paper appeared to qualify for the official designation after a review. However, he also said that he had gotten several last minute e-mails which caused him concern.
One message came from Joseph Louchheim, publisher of the Southampton Press, and several other local papers, who questioned the legitimacy of the Press’s periodical permit. He said he has alerted U.S. Postal Service which is investigating.
Browning said the paper acted in a “very partsian” fashion during last fall’s election, but that this was not reason for witholding her vote. She said she abstained because she is considering a slander lawsuit for “personal attacks” that were printed by one writer who no longer works for the paper.
She said she met with Towle and Snead months ago and told them she would probably abstain from voting.“Why would I support a paper I’m considering suing?” she asked. “It does not make any sense.”
Rick Brand
Comments (7)
didn't she have a column in that same paper for the longest time (Kate's Korner or something like that), and why abstain why not just vote against it, seems she has been abstaining alot lately, i agree the paper should not get the legal ads if they do not meet the qualifications but, kate had a column in there every week and now she is crying foul? how did she vote on this last year when her column appeared? how did she vote in previous years, now all of sudden we are going to stand up for what's right, seems odd to me
He took out the articles last year and she hasn't been writing anything for some time. I'm like that she is not suporting his paper and why does he think he should have taxpayer money for the legals. How do other papers operate that don't have legals? Fred is a felon and he shouldn't be allowed to have the ads if he doesn't have what is required. She should have recused instead of abstain if she considered suing. The paper was the other ones personal paper during the campaign and Fred was doing her campaign ads EC marketing. His paper should not have been so partisan and should have been a real paper. He screwed up and wants the ads. He's the fool!!! It all backfired on him. She is doing a good job and give her time ane we will see more change
Fred Towle is under the impression that the taxpayers owe him somehing. He also thinks that rules don't apply to him. It is time he got an honest job. The South `Shore Press tried to sink Browning's campaign with false and ignorant statements and the owner/publisher should have kept them out of print. Now he is paying the price and justly so.
i agree, anything associated with fred always stinks and should be looked at with a curious eye, however, my point is that when the paper was a benefit to her, we didn't hear anything about them getting the legal ads, only after the paper took the partisian route did she turn up the heat, so again my question is not whether fred's paper should get the legal ads, they shouldn't there are better ways to spend the taxpayers $100k, my point with Kate is why now and not after she was first elected?
Im the writter this nit wit is talking about. All I did was ask in my column if there was any anti semitism afoot on the Paul Bernstein Issue. Let her sue until she drops dead. This idiot thinks as an elected official one can not ask a question
Hey kate, go F yourself.You and your imbecile ambulance chaser know where to find me.
Judging by the language of Mr. Tufariello, I would advise Kate Browning and anyone reading this forum to ignore the crude comments of Tufariello. People who do not express themselves in a civilized way in a public forum can not be taken seriously. I support Kate Browning, and wish her well.
Hi
As a 35 year resident in the Mastic Shirley area I have seen it all.
Not only Fred Towle, but Ed Hennesy have used this community for thier own gain. and have kept it at the low level it has been for the last 20 years. We have people who steal money from the schools,an $8 million pool scandal that should have had people marching in the streets!
Nothing for the 10,000 kids to do here except perhaps use the underfunded library and hang out all over creation.
As long as all the Crookhaven town Crooks Towel, Hennesy, and and the rest are involved here nothing will ever happen.
I will no longer pick up this paper and I wonder how felons get to work so freely.