A wave of political advertisements pressing for a change of power in East Hampton Town that appeared on residents’ doors this week was apparently paid for by a New Jersey commercial helicopter company.
The advertisements, in the form of printed paper door hangers like those one might put on a hotel door to wave off maid service, blasted Democratic incumbents Supervisor Larry Cantwell, Councilman Peter Van Scoyoc and Councilwoman Sylvia Overby as being “asleep at the wheel” and criticizing them over the issues surrounding summer partying in Montauk, trumpeting “Failure Does Not Deserve Another Term.”
A separate hanger touts, in general terms, the Republican slate of Tom Knobel, Margaret Turner and Lisa Mulhern Larsen.
The hangers carry the disclaimer that they were paid for by the East Hampton Leadership Council. Democratic Party officials pointed out this week that the group’s registered address is the same as that of a member of the board of directors of Heliflite, a company that runs charter helicopter flights from the New York City area to, among many destinations, East Hampton Airport. The company is also one of several named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the town over new restrictions placed on the use of the airport by the current Town Board last spring.
“It seems that political action committee wants to help the Republican candidates take power in East Hampton … so they can turn it over to the New Jersey helicopter companies,” Mr. Cantwell said. Mr. Cantwell pointed out that the printed hangers were almost identical in appearance, including the same photos of the GOP candidates, to ones circulated recently by the town’s Republican committee.
The Republican committee on Monday evening released a statement saying that the party had no connection to the new literature and did not supply the photos to the group that circulated them. But, that statement says the party does applaud the message the hangers send.
At candidates forums this fall the Democrats have said they will defend against legal challenges to the rules they have already imposed—despite an anticipated $1 million in legal costs this year—and explore additional limitations intended to reduce the noise impacts of the airport following years of complaints by residents. The Republicans have largely espoused abandoning the expensive legal fight and choosing to accept federal grant money for the upkeep of the airport, even though that would bind the town’s hands on restrictions of flights.
on Oct 6, 2015