Resident Asked to Leave GOP Meeting

A resident was asked to leave a meeting of the Wyckoff Republican League last week after attendees said she misrepresented herself.

The resident, a Hubert/Sobin supporter, admits she evaded questions about her identity but said she did so to avoid an unwanted confrontation about political support.

Elaine Fichera had responded to a listing in an area newspaper that advertised Township Committee candidates Kevin Rooney and Chris DePhillips' presence at a league function at the Larkin House on Oct. 21. Although the advertisement did not put restrictions on attendance, league President Bob Kane said the meeting was open only to league members and their guests.

Fichera is not a league member and supports Rooney and DePhillips' opponents for committee, Brian Hubert and Diane Sobin. However, she said she came because she wanted to hear from all the candidates.

"My plan was to go and listen," she said.

Fichera did get to meet both GOP candidates but was asked to leave the meeting approximately 10 to 15 minutes after she arrived when attendees recognized her name from a letter she wrote to Patch supporting Hubert and Sobin. Within the letter, she references moving to Wyckoff from Wayne.

Rooney and DePhillips both confirm that they spoke with her at the league meeting. After brief chats, Rooney recognized her name and asked if she hailed from Wayne. Fichera denied it, saying she was from Syracuse, where she did once live.

"I didn't want to get into a political discussion," she said.

However, her denial made several of the attendees question her motives in attending the GOP event. She was soon advised to leave by Committeeman David Connolly, and she complied.

"It was pretty clear from the dynamic that she was sent there to be a plant. It was very uncomfortable," DePhillips said.

"When you don't tell the truth, I don't really associate with people like that... I call them out," Connolly said. "That's not the kind of person we want among us... someone not telling the truth."

Fichera said she was "stunned" that she was asked to leave but complied to "avoid further harassment."

Both sides say there wasn't a disruption. Fichera did not vocally back Hubert or Sobin or challenge the candidates on the issues. But, her unwillingness to acknowledge that she was "Elaine from Wayne," whose letter was published to Patch that afternoon, led the candidates to doubt her motives.

"It seemed to be a ploy," DePhillips said. "She came in with an ulterior motive," Rooney said. "She was sent in, obviously," Connolly said.

Sobin said she pointed out the meeting advertisement to Fichera but did not ask her to go on her behalf. "There was nothing sinister," she said. Sobin, a Republican who is running as an Independent, said she wanted to attend the meeting herself but couldn't make it due to work.

Rooney, DePhillips and Connolly said they wouldn't have had a problem with Fichera's presence if she had been honest about her identity, based off the letter to Patch.

"We're looking to meet people," DePhillips said. Both candidates said they have gone to homes displaying Hubert/Sobin signs in an attempt to engage those voters.

"We don't have a problem with anyone attending the meeting," DePhillips said.

"It would have been no problem if she was open about it (Hubert/Sobin support)," Connolly said.

Fichera said she "learned a great deal" about Rooney and DePhillips. "First, whatever they had to say at the Larkin House that night was not meant to be heard by all Wyckoff citizens. Second, if they are elected, this is what the people of Wyckoff can expect: citizens whose ideas and opinions do not reflect their political agendas are not welcome here. "