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First Selectman Fred Camillo announced his intentions earlier this year to dox all of the people who make Freedom of Information (FOI) requests in the town of Greenwich, a move intended to “silence constituents from asking relevant questions” according to Greenwich resident Jennifer Andrews.
In fact, Camillo already published the first list of FOI requests earlier this summer, and just released the second installment in his August 30, 2024, Community Connections Newsletter.
Camillo said that most of the requests were routine title searches, but he added that, “you can also see some examples this month of partisan political requests and other ones that waste employee time and taxpayer money.”
At least now the people making FOI requests know how Camillo feels about their desire for transparency.
He went on to say that he wanted “the public to be able to see what people are asking for” in a tone that suggested he wanted other members of the community to be as annoyed as he is that some FOI requests, in Camillo’s personal opinion, are “partisan” and others “waste employee time and taxpayer money.”
While Camillo didn’t detail in his newsletter which requests he deemed to be “partisan” and/or a “waste”, he later told the Greenwich Time that some FOI requests “felt like harassment” and argued the FOI process had certainly “been weaponized.”
Camillo singled out one particular request as being “motivated by partisans” and that was a request from The Justice Society regarding the seasonal gas-powered leaf blower ban that Camillo supported and the RTM adopted on January 17, 2024.
Per the public FOI list:
The Justice Society to the Office of the First Selectman for all correspondence to and/or from First Selectman Fred Camillo and any members of Quiet Yards Greenwich and/or any individual acting as a representative of Quiet Yards Greenwich, all correspondence to and/or from First Selectman Camillo regarding the restrictions on summer use of gas-powered leaf blowers and all correspondence to and/or from First Selectman Camillo regarding the repeal of the Town of Greenwich’s noise ordinance in 2023.
Camillo told the Greenwich Time that “he believed the request had partisan origins” but didn’t expand any further.
From what we can tell, The Justice Society “focuses on fostering and providing access to justice under the law, educating and litigating for victims of government abuse.”
The website further says, “we are the outsiders who help David beat Goliath by exposing the secrets of how powerful bullies operate. When you know their playbook you will take better aim.”
“Justice for those who find themselves ambushed by bullies,” the website contiues.
Screenshot, The Justice Society
Well, it sure feels like landscapers and homeowners were “ambushed by bullies” regarding the gas-powered leaf blower ban, doesn’t it?
Bullies who are forcing them to use much more electricity precisely at the time it rose to record highs, thanks to multiple price increases and the new “public benefits” charge, which is really a tax designed, in part, to pass on costs of the green agenda to consumers.
Now you can add a healthy dose of classism to this ‘partisan’ issue because homeowners with larger properties can start using gas-powered leaf blowers after Labor Day, but their neighbors on smaller lots are still banned from using the devices for the rest of the month.
Not exactly fair, but let’s face it — this ban was never about being fair, it was always about slowly encroaching on your rights and forcing you, in a small way, to start adopting the green agenda, like it or not!
The irony is, of course, that lithium ion batteries are not exactly “green” even though activists pretend they are.
The Quiet Yards activists never mentioned the fact that lithium-ion battery components release toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)— dangerous forever chemicals—into the environment, did they?
Nor did they touch on the devastating environmental impacts of lithium mines or how 'modern-day slavery' powers the electric battery economy.
The Quiet Yards activists also forgot to mention anything about the fire hazards presented by lithium batteries.
Did you know there have been devastating garbage truck fires sparked by lithium ion batteries incorrectly disposed in the trash (e.g., CA, OH, NY, NC, IL, MI, KS), as well as intense fires, sometimes deadly, started by lithium batteries while charging?
Insurers recognize the increased fire hazard associated with lithium ion batteries, and are demanding landscapers, for instance, install additional, often cost prohibitive safety measures for charging and storing lithium batteries.
Landscapers are also getting crushed by the expense of electric equipment that isn’t quite ready for prime time yet.
That’s probably one of the key reasons why so many landscapers ignored the ban, and kept using gas-powered leaf blowers this summer anyway, usually using just one blower per property as per the previous noise ordinance.
There was even an RTM member who voted in favor of the ban but then was exposed for her ties to a property that repeatedly violated the gas-powered leaf blower ban.
Heck, we even saw photos (below) and videos of landscapers on the property of Ms. Quiet Yards herself, Elizabeth Dempsey, using gas-powered leaf blowers on July 11th, during the height of the gas-powered leaf blower ban.
Talk about rules for thee!
Many Greenwich residents have concluded the RTM was too aggressive when it adopted the ordinance, and now realize the RTM didn’t take all of the very real issues and knock-on effects into consideration before rushing to a vote on this ‘partisan’ issue.
They also recognize the RTM ordinance was applied in an unfair manner that discriminated against homeowners based on property size.
Let’s not forget the police time and resources wasted chasing down noise complaints.
Or the fact that this green agenda initiative to ban fossil fuels is absolutely crushing small businesses and the middle class.
Remember, as far as First Selectman Camillo is concerned, it is a partisan political issue to want to know more about how the gas-powered leaf blower ban made its way through the RTM so quickly, and why the town’s noise ordinance got repealed in 2023.
His reaction to the Justice Society’s FOI request kind of makes it feel like there might be something to hide, doesn’t it?
Or perhaps Fred is just concerned that someone is organizing the “Davids” to go after the “Goliath” on this matter?
And that the seasonal ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, which Fred supported, might get rolled back or adjusted because it was just way too extreme?
Call this politician out. He is a roadblock to freedom and steps on hardworking Americans God given rights. Get rid of this powder puff who caves to the democrats because without them he would be home cutting his lawn between 12 pm and 2 pm on Wednesday only, while calling the hotline on his neighbors using a gas lawnmower.
are there any patriots left in CT?