BIDDEFORD — The Biddeford mayoral race is taking on all the drama of a high-stakes political race. On Thursday, incumbent Mayor Joanne Twomey criticized her opponent State Rep. Alan Casavant of “dirty politics” while Casavant charged the other side with “rumor mongering and whisperings.”
At a press conference called by the mayor on Thursday, she said an email sent by her opponent discussing a vote to bar her from future veterans’ parades due to her alleged unfriendly relation with military interests was “purposeful misinformation” that was spread “for no other reason than political gain.”
Her opponent said the relation between the mayor and the veteran’s group had nothing to do with him, and he had nothing to do with the vote.
On a different note, Casavant charged that the mayor hasn’t adapted to today’s communications style, and that she is “riding one horse” by focusing all her attention on bringing a racino to Biddeford and not dealing with any of the other issues important to the city’s residents. He challenged her to two debates prior to the election.
At Thursday’s press conference, Twomey read the letter issued by a member of Biddeford VFW Post 489. It stated that post members voted to bar her from future VFW parades because she was responsible for Howe and Howe Technologies, Inc., which manufactures equipment for the military and other industries, moving to Waterboro after considering locations in Biddeford. The letter also stated that she didn’t visit the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to meet the crew of the submarine the USS San Juan, for which Biddeford was the host community.
“I really thought this was pretty dirty to use veterans for political gain,” said Twomey.
She had nothing to do with Howe and Howe’s decision to move to Waterboro instead of to Biddeford, said Twomey. Also, she said, she didn’t visit the naval shipyard because she had a conflict the day of the official meeting.
“I’ve never turned my back on veterans,” said Twomey, and added that she’s marched in veteran parades for 18 years.
VFW Post 489 Commander Raymond Doyon said he and other members of the group did vote on Tuesday to bar Twomey from participating in parades, but now he and First Officer Ralph Goulet Sr. think differently.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Twomey for all the pains and hurts we’ve done to you,” said Doyon.
In addition, he said, the vote wasn’t official because it was taken at an informal meeting without a quorum.
Gene Foster, a member of the Twin City Council of Veterans that organizes veterans’ parades, said the VFW didn’t have the authority to bar Twomey from participating in the parades.
Howe and Howe Business Manager Dave Triggiani declined to comment on the company’s reception in Biddeford other than to say, “We did look to locate in Biddeford from our previous location in Eliot and are ultimately happy with our location.”
Casavant said he still questions what really did happen with Howe and Howe.
In the email sent by his press office on Wednesday regarding the VFW vote, Casavant stated, “If Biddeford City Hall, under Twomey’s leadership, has not done all it could to attract every possible job possible to Biddeford, that will be a major issue in the Biddeford mayor’s race.”
On Thursday, Casavant moved onto a new issue. His press office sent an email criticizing Twomey for “failing to provide the city’s voters with substantive information on issues facing the city.”
He challenged Twomey to debates on Oct. 26 and Nov. 2.
Like Twomey, Casavant has done traditional campaigning like knocking on residents’ doors, but he has also engaged voters via social media, which he said makes his campaign more transparent. Casavant criticized what he said was Twomey’s lack of an online presence.
“Mayor Twomey,” said Casavant, “is using an ancient, top-down model, in which conversations only take place only with political insiders, out of sight. The average voter can’t see her thought process, and the voters want more than that.”
Twomey has stated she has been getting extremely positive responses in her door-to-door campaign.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
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