Election 2009: Alcombright Attacks 'Whisper Campaign'

11:16AM / Tuesday, September 08, 2009Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Mayoral candidate Dick Alcombright said he is setting facts straight regarding issues that have surfaced during the campaign:

I have recently learned, during my first seriously contested election, that there are certain techniques that are political legends. So-called "whisper campaigns" are one of those techniques. Wikipedia defines a 'whisper campaign' as follows:

A whisper campaign is a method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are spread about the target, while the source of the rumors seeks to avoid being detected while spreading them (for example, a political campaign might distribute anonymous fliers attacking the other candidate). (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whisper_campaign)

I am aware that there are whisper campaigns about my candidacy taking place in North Adams. I talk to people and they talk to me. Many of the "whispers" are flat-out laughable.

For example: "Dick Alcombright intends to eliminate the Fire Department and go to a volunteer force." In case I haven't talked to you personally about this, I believe the geography and terrain of North Adams, in addition to its aging housing stock, college, museum, hospital, high-rise housing and nursing home, just make that rumor silly.

Another one I heard was that I would completely eliminate the teachers' health insurance. How could this possibly be true when I am the only mayoral candidate advocating for a review of the health insurance costs for all city employees and retirees? I would never consider eliminating health insurance coverage and, in fact, for an employer of the city's size, it would be prohibited by law.

Of more concern to me are two "whispers" that I am hearing more and more frequently as time goes by. First, apparently I am too nice of a guy to be mayor. It is rumored that I am not tough enough to do the difficult things and make the difficult decisions required of a mayor. The other "whisper" is that if I am elected, I will raise taxes.

Please remember that I am a homeowner and taxpayer in this city and have been for over 30 years. If you have heard these whispers and have concerns, I urge you to contact me directly. I would like to address these whispers publically and will be issuing press releases on each of these rumors shortly.

I do not believe that the majority of the voters of North Adams are likely to fall for the whisper campaign that seems to be so active. I think North Adams voters can see right through this. I really do. I think the voters in North Adams want a respectful, thoughtful and professional government and if I'm wrong, you will let me know on Nov. 3. But, please, do it based on conversations with me and not on whispers or rumors.

If you have questions about my candidacy please call and ask me directly. That's why I'm doing this. I want to hear from you and I want you to hear from me. I won't be whispering to you. I will respond to you directly.

My responses are on my Web site if you would care to see them now. Thank you.

Together We Will Succeed

E-mail Alcombright at info@AlcombrightForMayor.com or call him at 413-663-5057. Also visit AlcombrightForMayor.com.

Submitted by the Committee to Elect Richard Alcombright

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Your Comments

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Alcombright seems to be running a campaign in this so-called news site, iBerkshires.com. He is crying that there is a "whispering campaign" against him. There is no "whispering" campaign, the campaign against him is right out in the open. Alcombright lies period, and that's the way it is. He claims that no new taxes would be added to the property rolls, yet he will expand public service retirement packages? The two just don't go together as it takes funds to expand city services, it takes large funds to expand the retirement packages of the fire, teachers and police unions retirement package, that's a fact. As a sitting member on the McCann council he voted to increase the pay of the superintendent to the highest levels in the county, this he will do for the local school supers [sic] as well as mayor. He is lying about bringing in new businesses, if he could then he should have done so already as a city councilman instead of just sitting on his duff and rubberstamping all that came before him. The thing that many people don't realize is that he is only running to enhance his chances of a large retirement package, why else would anyone leave a job as VP at a bank to lower paying job like Mayor of this city? I'd say more but I doubt that iBerkshires.com will even print this, they didn't print other letters pertaining to this very same subject as it was against their candidate, Alcombright. News organizations should report, not sway the news and political situations. Philip Carbin Editor: Well, Mr. Carbin, you've made a lot of accusations against Mr. Alcombright and against iBerkshires. Stating that someone is lying with no proof to back it up is pretty bold, though I'll give you credit for putting your name on this. If you hadn't, I wouldn't have posted it as I find anonymous allegations cowardly. As to this gem — "I'd say more but I doubt that iBerkshires.com will even print this, they didn't print other letters pertaining to this very same subject as it was against their candidate, Alcombright." — that IS a lie. Our policy, however, is not to post any nasty, name-calling, inappropriate comments about anyone, but we have not had any of those in reference to any candidate — at least until we received yours. Second, Mr. Alcombright is not "our candidate" nor did we do a story about this so-called "whisper campaign." He submitted a press statement and we published it — just like we would do for any candidate. BTW: Your comment was posted in full and was only edited for numerous spelling errors.
from: Philip Carbin	on: 09-13-2009 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

There have been four letters sent to iberkshre.com that had not been posted, all supporting John Barrett. There were at least three letters, oh wait you called them news stories from Mr. Alcombright all posted. So what does that tell us? Er? As for my signing the letter I always sign letters or notes, however I see you hide behind the â€œEditorâ€ which means that you can be one of many different people and ashamed or afraid to post your name. As for misspelling tell it to my spell checker on this computer, note: letters are all written in MS word.. me thinks you speak with forked tongue. (Purposely worded ) Philip Carbin, take note not â€œeditorâ€ and not ashamed of my thoughts as some others seem to be. Editor: As I told you repeatedly yesterday, iBerkshires did not receive any of these phantom letters and that if you had a problem posting them, where to send them. My name is Tammy Daniels and that information is posted right on the Web site. I use "editor" on comments to distinguish myself from my other role as reporter - and pretty much everything else here. And NO, I didn't call Mr. Alcombright's press releases "news stories," you did.
from: Phil C	on: 09-14-2009 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Q&A with State Representative Challenger Andrew Fitch

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
10:01AM / Sunday, August 23, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — On Sept. 1, voters in the First Berkshire District will decide whether they want to send a new representative to Beacon Hill in Boston.

Andrew Fitch, currently a city councilor in the district's largest municipality — and the commonwealth's smallest city — is challenging former North Adams Mayor John Barrett III, who won the First Berkshire seat in a 2017 special election, in the Democratic Party primary.

There is no Republican on the primary ballot for the First Berkshire seat so the primary will effectively be the election for the seat.

The two candidates met for their only debate on Aug. 13 at Williams College. iBerkshires.com reached out to both candidates to follow up on some of the points raised in the debate and get their thoughts on some other issues facing the district.

Below are excerpts from a conversation with challenger Andrew Fitch:

Question: From the very beginning, you talked about the campaign as a listening experience, and this week you're continuing that with the bike tour …

Andrew Fitch: Knocking on doors that have never been knocked on before. … I was riding through, I believe it was Hinsdale coming into Windsor, and they started to yell at me, 'No!' And then the guy was like, 'Wait a second. That's Andrew Fitch.' They actually knew who I was, and they were actually wanting to chat with me.

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