'Hate Mail' Sent to Newton to Damage Conservative Group?

Letter Tipped Close Election In Favor Of Higher Taxes

By Ed Oliver
May 20, 2002

Actual anonymous letter from the fictitious "Newton Taxpayers Minuteman Association".

A conservative anti-tax group, the Newton Taxpayers Association, is demanding that a recent vote to raise taxes in their city be declared null and void because an anonymous letter from the fictitious "Newton Taxpayers Minuteman Association" influenced the close election.

Just days before the controversial vote for a $11.5 million Prop. 2 1/2 override, an offensive "hate letter" arrived in the mailboxes of residents that was made to look like it came from the long established Newton Taxpayers Association, which was leading the charge against higher taxes.

"STOP THE OVERRIDE! SAY NO TO THE GAY LIBERAL JEWISH ELITE," screamed the letter. The letter also was negative to blacks and minorities, and spoke as though the anti-override signs which many residents had all around Newton came from the fictitious hate-group.

The Taxpayers Association says the letter unfairly smeared their side and caused people to take offense and vote the other way. They criticize Mayor David B. Cohen for using the letter to grandstand against "hate" at a press conference on election day. They say he failed to investigate possible election law violations by the letter's mysterious authors.

Mayor Cohen told the local paper that the reaction from override opponents is sour grapes, and he was advised that no crime was committed with respect to the letter.

Tom Mountain, spokesman for the Newton Taxpayers Association, told MassNews that Mayor Cohen and the other tax-hike proponents do not want to find out who mailed the letter. "I'm not saying that the leadership knew who sent it, but they do not want to find out. Logically, who benefits from its being sent? Their side does. We were defamed by it. Mayor Cohen is hoping it will go away, but we're not letting it go away."

Mountain explained, "This is the type of liberal city where if some kid paints a swastika on the bathroom wall, they will have the police, FBI, everyone investigating it. You better believe it. Because this incident happened to us, they're stonewalling it. They are trying to cover it up."

Len Mead, president of the Newton Taxpayers Association, told MassNews it's a crime if someone from one campaign sends out a false and defamatory letter purporting to be from the opposing side in order to influence an election. "We are looking to incarcerate the people who did this to the taxpayers of this city," said Mead, who added that there was a laundry list of campaign law violations, including use of the schools and other public resources to campaign for the override.

"If they think that they're going to be sending tax bills out with an increase, good luck. This election is null and void," said Mead.

The Newton Taxpayers Association has asked the FBI's Political Corruption Unit to investigate. It has also hired a prestigious private investigative firm, American Investigative Services, to look into the mailing.

Its Managing Director, Jay Groob, seemed upbeat about the search for the letter-writing culprits, telling MassNews "We are aggressively pursuing all leads, people are cooperating, and I think we'll have some information shortly."

In addition, Newton's Post Audit and Oversight Committee has docketed an investigation into the "hate letter" with the help of Newton Alderman, Paul Coletti, on behalf of the Taxpayers Association.

After the tax hike passed, Len Mead received a taunting postcard bearing the same postmark as the envelopes that contained the phony hate letters. The computer-generated handwriting said, "Dear Len, now that you've lost and shown your true colors in the ugly fight, relocation appears to be the obvious solution. I'm highly recommending Texas to you-it's just your kind of place. Thanks!"