First Selectman Candidate Erickson Issues Statement On Kordick Case

GREENWICH, CT — Democratic First Selectman candidate Laura Erickson has issued a statement regarding the recent news that the town of Greenwich settled with former police Capt. Mark Kordick for $650,000.

The settlement stems from a lawsuit filed by Kordick in 2020 that claimed he was retaliated against for exercising his "constitutionally protected right to engage in off-duty political speech."

Kordick was fired from the Greenwich Police Department after admitting to paying for and installing fake political signs around town just prior to the 2019 election that connected then-President Donald J. Trump with Republican First Selectman Fred Camillo, who was running for a first term in office at the time.

The Greenwich town attorney said "the town had no viable option but to comply with the demand of its insurance carrier to end the case" with a settlement, and that the town would have prevailed if the case had proceeded to trial.

The Republican caucus on the Board of Estimate and Taxation also said the town had no choice but to settle. Democrats have railed against the decision, saying it was a waste of taxpayer dollars.

Erickson, a current memnber of the BET who is running against Republican First Selectman Fred Camillo in November, issued the following statement on the Kordick case:

"Political campaigns should be waged on the issues. The issue of how town money is expended is relevant to the local election.

The case filed by former police Captain Mark Kordick against the Town of Greenwich has reached a settlement which has been accepted by the Stamford Superior Court. The case is no longer pending and therefore it’s appropriate for me to comment on this matter.

I am running against Fred Camillo for First Selectperson, and this incident very clearly demonstrates why we need new leadership. The Town has just spent $1,500,000 of taxpayer funds on legal fees and in settlement of this case on top of prior settlements by Fred Camillo and another individual working on his campaign. The statement issued by the Town Attorney expressing confidence the Town would have prevailed if the case had proceeded to trial is merely an opinion. We’ll never know what a jury would have decided.

A lot of bad behavior went on in this case. There was an individual, exercising his rights under the First Amendment, who put up anonymous signs that were misleading in the weeks leading up to the 2019 election. Fred Camillo immediately rushed to judgement and blamed his political opponent Jill Oberlander for the signs -- she had no knowledge or involvement with the signs whatsoever.

Camillo campaign workers later used deceptive tactics to discover Kordick as the source of the signs. Fred Camillo’s vulgar text message exchange with yet another individual made his personal view clear what he wished. The texts are public documents.

Greenwich voters, it’s time for responsible leadership. I ask for your consideration on November 7th."