Dems' Web page draws criticism

By Charles St. Martin/Independent Staff Writer

NORTH KINGSTOWN - A Democratic candidate is catching heat from Republican rivals for using a Web page to not only bash the opposition, but to direct Internet users to his campaign.

Those typing in a Republican-sounding Web page address, nkgop.com, last week found pages supporting Democrats. The actual Web page of the local Republican Town Committee is nkgop.org.

Democratic Town Council candidate Jonathan Bertman bought the name nkgop.com in July, along with other domain names, including nkrepublican.com with the intention of using them as a forum to voice his frustration with Republican-led councils. But those who logged on last week were taken to a web site Bertman is developing for the Democratic Town Committee (nkdems.com).

The Web page drew a pointed response from NKGOP legal counsel Joseph White. He advised Bertman that he was possibly in violation of state and federal laws and threatened to seek legal actions to have him cease and desist. Bertman caught flak from his own party, too, and Democratic Town Committee Chairman John Henseler said he asked Bertman to change his Web site. "I'm obviously not pleased about it," he said.

Bertman said that after hearing from White and Henseler, he changed the page so it would not direct users to the nkdems.com site. He did keep the site active, and is using it as a place to let his feelings be known about the way things are being handled in town.

"I bought a bunch of them," he said about the Web site names. "It's a great way to exercise my opinion and my First Amendment rights."

On his page, he says his taxes have nearly doubled to $12,000 a year and this is why he is seeking office for the first time. He lays the blame for this and other recent town woes including drinking water contamination problems, bacteria contamination at the Town Beach, slow development at Quonset Point and others squarely on the shoulders of Republican-lead councils.

"And as you can see by this site, I'm not afraid to speak out against mediocrity and the lack of vision with which the grand old party has instilled into our town over the last 12+ years in control," he wrote.

White said there are numerous laws that may prevent Bertman's use of the site nkgop.com under federal anti cyber-squatting laws. He called the site a "sophomoric prank" and "false and misleading." He added that he believes Bertman is hurting his own campaign and those of the Democratic Town Committee with his Web page.

"He and the Democrats are trying to earn the faith and respect of the voters and by doing something as immature as this, he's letting down the taxpayers and really insulting our intelligence."

Republican candidate and sitting council member John Patterson said he was offended by the use of the Web page. He said there is no place in local politics for such actions and even though candidates on the national level routinely take pot shots at one another, local candidates should not engage in such behavior.

"We're not talking about national politics, we're talking about people we know, our neighbors and even though they are across the aisle, our friends," he said.Bertman said he intends to keep using the site to express his views. He denied White's comments that he was engaging in "dirty politics" and said the NKGOP was shortsighted to not buy the nkgop.com domain name.

"My goal is to provide my opinion and not to single out any individual," he said. "I don't know why they feel offended by my views. That they are trying to silence someone who opposes them, that smacks of dirty politics and bullying."

Henseler and Bertman said they didn't know how this incident would affect the campaign. Bertman said he had received many hits on the Web page due to media coverage of the site. Henseler said that if he perceives that the use of the nkgop.com site appears to be negatively affecting the entire slate of Democratic candidates, he would ask Bertman to pull the page.

Patterson predicted that this incident will carry over into the various candidate forums planned for this month. These start tonight at 7 at the high school, 150 Fairway Drive, in a forum for School Committee candidates hosted by the North Kingstown Taxpayers Organization. The NKTO also is hosting a forum on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the high school for council candidates.

Also planned for this month is a forum on Oct. 14 for council candidates and a forum for committee and legislative candidates on Oct. 19. The West Bay League of Women Voters, spearheads both of these and the School Department, North Kingstown Rotary, the Concerned Citizens of Davisville are co-sponsors. Both take place in the high school and run from 7 to 9 p.m.

Both the NKTO forums and the League's forums will be videotaped and rebroadcast on local access cable television.

Also Oct. 19, all candidates will visit the high school to be interviewed by high school students. Lastly, a forum for senior citizens is set for Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. at the Cold Spring Community Center on Beach Street.