Democrat under fire for launching Democratic Web site with GOP name

By PAUL DAVIS
Journal Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 28, 2004

NORTH KINGSTOWN -- The address sounds like a Republican-friendly site -- www.nkgop.com. It's anything but. Owned by Democrat council candidate Jonathan Bertman, it includes an attack on the Republican-heavy Town Council.

"The North Kingstown Republicans have controlled our Town Council for over a decade," says Bertman, a family doctor from Saunderstown. They've contributed to "out of control property taxes," drinking water problems, a lack of "meaningful development" at Quonset, Town Beach closings and "incompetent oversight of the school budget," he says.

Upset with GOP leaders, Bertman bought the domain name -- along with nkrepublican.com -- back in July. Last week, he briefly routed visitors to the apparent GOP Web site to the Democratic Town Committee's Web site.

But in a Friday e-mail, GOP lawyer Joseph P. White told Bertman to stop. "It's certainly false and misleading" and probably breaks state and federal laws, said White. "We can't ask him to stop using the domain name but we can ask him to change the purpose and make sure it's legal," White said. The Republican Town Committee has an almost identical Web site -- nkgop.org.

In an e-mail to White, Bertman agreed that "simply forwarding" visitors to the Democratic party site -- nkdems.com -- "may potentially be confusing." He stopped the practice. But yesterday, he devoted the Web site to campaign promises and criticism of the GOP party.

Republicans say it's more than that. "It's dirty politics and only serves to mislead the public," said Town Councilman Anthony F. Miccolis Jr., who is seeking another term.

"I'm flabbergasted," added Councilman Mark S. Zaccaria, head of the town's Republican party. "I had hoped that in a small-town election we could have a discussion of the issues. To divert Web traffic from a site we've had up for years ... "

Town Democratic Party Chairman John Henseler said yesterday his party had nothing to do with the site. "Our intent is not to deceive anyone," he said. Henseler said he was unaware of the Web site until 3:15 p.m. on Friday. He told Bertman not to link to the Democratic party's site. "I told him the link had best be gone by 3:30 and it was," Henseler said.

Bertman yesterday defended the Web site. "I certainly never did this to confuse voters or offend anyone. I'm basically exercising my right to discuss my opinion. The nkgop.com name was for sale and I bought it," he said. "If the Republicans weren't smart enough to buy it, that's not my problem."

Bertman is no stranger to the internet. Eight years ago he launched a medical Web site, afraidtoask.com to give people answers to sometimes embarrassing or sexual medical questions. Yesterday, the nkgop.com site included Bertman's resume, photos of his dog -- and tough talk about the GOP party.

"I am unable to watch this Republican Town Council push my taxes even higher (my property taxes just went up to nearly $12,000 from $6,000 despite asking the town to reconsider)," he said. "While I'm able to pay my tax bill -- I will not stand by while many" of the town's elderly residents on fixed incomes "are forced to leave their homes because of these ridiculous taxes."

In response, Republican Miccolis defended the council's efforts to keep taxes low. He said the council recently cut $1 million from the budget and kept the tax increase to less than 1 percent. The problem isn't with the council, he said, but with soaring property values.

Bertman's Web site also includes a link that allows visitors to contribute money to Friends of Bertman.

"He's probably stepped over the line," says White. "He's created a link to his home page and criticized the GOP, and then he asks for a donation. He's going to have some liability."