Ethics Complaint Against Selectwoman Kupchick Dismissed

The following news release is from the Fairfield Republican Town Committee:

FAIRFIELD, CT, October 7, 2025 — Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick has been fully cleared of ethics allegations filed against her by the late First Selectman Bill Gerber, following confirmation from the Ethics Commission Chair that the complaint was dismissed.

The allegations falsely claimed that Kupchick tried to personally benefit from Fairfield’s COVID-19 relief program (ARPA) by influencing a $5,000 grant to a family member for a furnace installation. Kupchick has consistently stated that she had no financial gain from the project, no involvement in the selection process, and emphasized that the applicant fully met the eligibility requirements of the town’s ARPA-funded relief program.

Information presented at public Board of Selectmen meetings confirmed that then-Interim Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer David Becker, with Mr. Gerber’s approval, halted the $5,000 payment even though the application was already approved by both the Human and Social Services Department and an independent review group through a blind review process that protects applicant identities. As a result, a low-income senior veteran was denied the assistance he rightfully qualified for, and his private financial information was exposed.

“This was never about ethics; it was about political retaliation,” said Fairfield RTC Chair Laura Devlin. “Confidential personal circumstances were revealed to justify a political and very public attack against Ms. Kupchick, and as a result, an elderly Fairfield resident who had followed the rules did not receive the help they were properly approved for. And in the process, Selectwoman Kupchick’s reputation was significantly harmed. Having been involved in those discussions at Board of Selectmen meetings, I call on Ms. Vitale to do the right thing and publicly announce the dismissal to set the record straight."

Kupchick raised concerns about hiring Mr. Becker from the beginning. Her previous warnings about Becker’s qualifications, which the administration dismissed at numerous Board of Selectmen meetings, and were defended by BOF Chair Lori Charlton, have been supported by subsequent developments resulting in Becker’s departure as COO.

“A qualified senior citizen’s civil rights were violated, and they were denied assistance for political reasons rather than policy reasons,” Kupchick said in a statement. “While this outcome negatively impacted a low-income resident who should have been helped, it is important that safeguards are put in place to ensure town decisions remain fair, transparent, and free of politics.”

This episode highlights broader concerns that have arisen under single-party control of town government on the BOS, BOF, and RTM. Over the past two years, the Democrat administration consolidated power into one unelected official, shifted focus from effective governance to political retaliation, and permitted public resources to be used for personal and partisan advantage. These actions reveal the risks inherent in a system lacking meaningful checks and balances.

The best way forward is clear: increased transparency, strengthened checks and balances, and a focus on residents’ interests over politics.