To the Editor: My name is Dan Elliott, and I’m running for State Representative here in Warwick. I am a political newcomer who decided to step into the arena and run to represent my city at the …
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To the Editor:
My name is Dan Elliott, and I’m running for State Representative here in Warwick. I am a political newcomer who decided to step into the arena and run to represent my city at the State House. Those of you who vote in Rhode Island House District 20 have probably met me at your home or on your street by now. I have been walking our district for three months, speaking directly to the people one-on-one. My campaign has always been positive and issues oriented, and my demeanor is always warm and genuine. As a former hospitality manager and now a small business owner, I want to earn your business. As a candidate for State Representative, I want to earn your vote.
In the election of 2016 I was a first time, long shot, grassroots challenger for the same seat. I gave it my best shot, but I lost. It was a clean, hard fought race and no one ever personally attacked me. I did not give up, and I’m running again in the November 6, 2018 election. My opponent is the four term incumbent, Dave Bennett, another good-natured guy who has never attacked anyone’s character or integrity. In my campaign I have strongly objected to Mr. Bennett’s voting record in the House of Representatives. I have taken strong positions on legislative term limits, corporate welfare spending, jobs and the economy, and funding for Warwick schools. Dave and I disagree on a lot, but we are not disagreeable. We respect each other, and I’m proud of that.
As an independent, no one recruited me to run for office. I decided to offer myself as a candidate because I felt our current representative in the House was out of touch with the people of our district. I’ve never sought any endorsement, nor have I ever claimed to be endorsed by any elected official or political organization. All I have done to earn my support is knock on thousands of doors and spread my message of change to hundreds of people one-on-one. In all five neighborhoods of our district, people I never knew have become good friends. I am personally invested in this race, and the voters who have read about my campaign and support my candidacy have put their faith in me to get the job done. They are counting on me to represent them with honor and integrity, and I have promised to always put their interests first.
If we haven’t met yet, I hope to see you soon. When you meet me and get to know me personally, you will clearly see the recent attacks on my character for exactly what they are. I look forward to sharing my campaign with you, and I hope to earn your vote in the General Election on November 6.
Dan Elliott
Independent candidate for Rhode Island’s
20th House District Seat
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CrickeeRaven
"[Y]ou will clearly see the recent attacks on my character for exactly what they are..."
Maybe Mr. Elliott is referring to being called out for his misleading edits to a photo of Councilman Jeremy Rix to make it look like Councilman Rix supports him and not Dave Bennett.
Councilman Rix addressed this issue in a prior letter to the editor: http://warwickonline.com/stories/sorting-out-the-falsehoods-of-campaigns,137159?
This sort of juvenile behavior -- compounded by saying it was meant "as a joke" in response to Councilman Rix on Facebook while refusing to remove the misleading photo -- belies Mr. Elliott's claims of conducting himself with "honor and integrity."
This was not an attack on Mr. Elliott's character, it was a request to stop trying to fool Warwick voters.
That Mr. Elliott refused to honor this request is not proof of his fitness for state office -- indeed, it proves exactly the opposite.
Wednesday, October 10, 2018 Report this
ashleyb88
Hello, responding to the letter and the comment on this article. I have known Mr. Elliot from about 7 years now before he decided to run for office. In my opinion Mr. Elliot did not comment on Mr. Rix letter is because he won’t feed into what Mr. rix posted. Mr. Elliot character is not just the opposite of what you so clearly stated Cricketree , actually it’s shows more about him. That Mr. Elliot won’t comment on slander and edited pictures. Mr. Elliot character shows why he would be great for office, He shows what we actually need in in Warwick HONESTY and a voice for tax payers and the people. Vote Dan Elliot for 2018 showing independent and honest Candidates win.
Thursday, October 11, 2018 Report this
ashleyb88
Hello, responding to the letter and the comment on this article. I have known Mr. Elliot from about 7 years now before he decided to run for office. In my opinion Mr. Elliot did not comment on Mr. Rix letter is because he won’t feed into what Mr. rix posted. Mr. Elliot character is not just the opposite of what you so clearly stated Cricketree , actually it’s shows more about him. That Mr. Elliot won’t comment on slander and edited pictures. Mr. Elliot character shows why he would be great for office, He shows what we actually need in in Warwick HONESTY and a voice for tax payers and the people. Vote Dan Elliot for 2018 showing independent and honest Candidates win.
Thursday, October 11, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
ashleyb88, first, I suggest you read your comments and edit them before hitting "post comment." Some of your sentences simply don't make any sense, like this one: "Mr. Elliot character is not just the opposite of what you so clearly stated..."
This sentence says that his character is not the opposite of what I stated, meaning I was right to say that his behavior does not indicate "honor and integrity."
Second, you write, "Mr. Elliot won’t comment on slander and edited pictures."
He posted that edited picture on Facebook, and it is not "slander" to call him out on it, as Councilman Rix did. Going silent on his own behavior does, as you note, say more about Mr Elliott -- but it's not what you suggest. This behavior shows that he does not feel he should be accountable for his own actions.
Posting a fake photo is not evidence of "honesty," nor is it proof that he has the character to serve as state representative.
And your comment has done nothing to change the very obvious and logical conclusion that voters will draw from his Facebook antics: That he should not be elected to the State House.
Thursday, October 11, 2018 Report this
ashleyb88
Sorry, my apologies I posted that on my phone as I do work , I will say that the picture was satire and taken down! Your allowed to your own opinion, but you do not have to be rude about that. Actually Dan is what Warwick needs. How about this have you actually sat down and spoke to Mr. Elliot ? Or are you just sitting on Facebook reading everything if so its Obvious you like “ fake news”.
Thursday, October 11, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Again, ashley, maybe you should take a minute to review what you write before posting it. You may actually succeed in making your point.
"[Y]ou do not have to be rude about that... Or are you just sitting on Facebook reading everything if so its Obvious you like “ fake news”."
You're calling me rude, and then saying that I "like fake news" because I accurately explained what Dan Elliott did on Facebook?
And calling the fake photo "satire" only after Councilman Rix objected to it is a cop-out. Satire is far more complex than the hack-job Photoshop that Dan Elliott made, and is meant to make some kind of serious intellectual point about its target -- instead, it made a serious point about Dan Elliott's lack of judgement.
I do have to thank you, though, for so clearly showing what kind of person supports Dan Elliott.
Thursday, October 11, 2018 Report this
Cat2222
It is hard to believe that you do not campaign by tearing others down when you misrepresented someone else who is also campaigning. The photoshoped image was altering something in your favor. Regardless of it being a joke or poking in good fun, when someone asks you polity to take a fake photo down and you do not respond, you are engaging in dirty politics. What right do you or anyone in your campaign have to present something that is not true as fact? It left a very bad taste in my mouth Mr. Elliott.
If you are looking for HONESTY, ashleyb88, and believe Mr. Elliott is the best representative of that trait then we clearly have a very different view of what constitutes HONESTY. Altering a photo is not being honest.
Thursday, October 11, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Cat, I wonder if you feel as I do, that I've just had enough of candidates who pretend certain things didn't happen, try to pass them off as "jokes," and cry victimhood when they get called on their behavior.
ashley asks if I've ever met Dan Elliott -- that's not the point of a political campaign. He's running for statewide office and is responsible for the image he presents to voters, since that's what the majority of them will remember when they vote.
And so far, his image is not very positive. I don't need to meet a candidate who will manipulate a photo of someone who supports his opponent; that tells me all I need to know about him.
Thursday, October 11, 2018 Report this
Pmaloneyjr
Hi all. I have known both Jeremy and Dan for years. I saw the original post and didn't think much of it. The post was jovial and it was clear to me and others reading that Rix wasn't actually holding a sign for Dan. It may have been photoshopped but it was clearly a bad photoshop and left that way so people would know it was fake. In the comments, it was clear to me that those commenting knew the picture was fake and jokingly posted that the two saw eye to eye on many topics when this is not true. It was a farce. I talked to Dan and he is disappointed that it is now an issue because it was clearly not an issue that day for anyone. In my opinion, this issue is a distraction to make us look away from some real issues that need to be looked at. In Jeremy's response, he states he is a supporter of David Bennett and was at one time his campaign manager. I am sure he still 100% supports David and I'm not surprised that he wrote a letter to the editor. I know David and Dan and both have always been honest with me. All three of us have shared a laugh or 2. It would be nice if the Beacon would host a DEBATE. They used to do this and it was a great chance for voters to learn about the candidates. Now, voters get to choose their candidate based on facebook posts and ads that contain no substance. It is sad that people know so little when asked to make decisions that are so important. I call on the Beacon to commit to hosting debates for each race within Warwick.
Let's not confuse the issue. On primary day, Jeremy did not have an opponent. Dan did not have an opponent and David did not have an opponent. I give them all credit for standing out all day on a day they didn't have to be out, especially in the pouring rain. I commend them for trying to get their message out. Let's move past this and focus on the issues. They all want to work in their way to make Warwick a better place. I may not agree with their policies but lets focus on the policies instead of trying to tear them all down. Have a great day and vote for your candidate on November 6th.
Thursday, October 11, 2018 Report this
Cat2222
Pmaloneyjr,
I recall reading that Rix stated he called the campaign headquarters and ask that the photo be taken down. He was told by the campaign manager that it wasn't their job to fix it and if he didn't like it he would have to do something about it. It may not have been here on the Beacon but I do remember thinking that it was a juvenile and petty response. For the record, I do not understand the "relationship" between them as you do, therefore, I would not know that it was a joke. I also did not look at the photo and automatically see that "it was clearly a bad photoshop and left that way so people would know it was fake". Sounds like it was an inside joke and many of us were not a part of it.
What the "outsiders" saw was Rix having to post a letter in multiple newspapers to alert the public that he was not in fact endorsing Elliott. Perhaps because it was the only avenue left for him to get the word out since the Elliott campaign did not take care of it. The joke backfired and now Elliott is trying to be the victim when nothing could be further than the truth.
The "recent attacks on my character" would never have happened if a picture wasn't altered and if the campaign had been transparent immediately and stated it was a joke. Take responsibility for your own mistake, own it and apologize to Rix because you put him in a position of having to defend himself. That's on the Elliott campaign.
Everything I dislike about politics is rolled up in this one Letter and comments. I am tired of the excuses and whining about something you started. Play fair, be honest and do all things with integrity.
Friday, October 12, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
I'm with you, Cat. I don't buy Pmaloneyjr's argument that people immediately understood the manipulated photo to be a joke.
If you have to explain it as much as Elliott and his defenders, then it's not much of a joke.
Friday, October 12, 2018 Report this
Cat2222
I had the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Rix and his campaign volunteers as they went door to door with a letter and a great magnet with lots of good information on it. Here is why they had to go door to door Mr. Elliott. They are trying to ensure every voter understands that Mr. Rix is supporting your competitor. Why are they having to do this? Because of your photo-shopped sign that you refused to take down. Your "joke" backfired. Your response was non-existent. And then you decided to post this letter in the Beacon crying about how you have been victimized
So my response to this letter is to tell everyone that I meet and speak to about local politics that your campaign decided to post a picture that is a lie and wouldn't remove the picture when asked by Mr. Rix. It wasn't a joke. It was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the opponent. You made a very poor decision and made it even worse by even typing this letter. Shame on you and your campaign manager.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 Report this