Rydingsward misusing city website? An ex-councilor says yes

A former city councilor, Kate Matthews, is fuming today.

Matthews said she's upset that Democratic Registrar Mary Rydingsward is using the city's website to promote her candidacy for a third term as one of the city's two registrars.

Matthews said it "an abuse of power" and a clear misuse of municipal property for Rydingsward to tout her own candidacy on the registrars' website without so much as mentioning that she's taking on the party's endorsed candidate, Kevin McCauley.

Here is the email that Matthews sent to the registrars about an hour ago:

Ms. Rydingsward and Mrs. Krawiecki:

Please see the attached screenshot that I took of the Registrar’s website today at 1:39 p.m. [Note: it matches the one I took a few minutes ago and posted above. -Steve]

You will note that it states “Rydingsward Qualifies for Registrar Race Democratic Primary August 12”.

This language on the Registrar’s website is promoting Mary Rydingsward as the petitioning candidate for the Registrar’s primary on August 12, and it is an improper use of the Registrar’s website.  Notably, no other candidates for the office of Democratic Registrar are listed on the website, including the name of the endorsed Democrat, Kevin McCauley.

This is an out-and-out misuse of public property by the Democratic Registrar. City assets like this website are paid for by the City, and controlled in part by the Registrars, and should not be used to support any one candidate, especially the Democratic Registrar, who apparently has the power and ability to misuse this asset.  I suspect that this violates local ethics rules pertaining to City employees and officials, and will investigate this further.

I demand that this posting be removed immediately.  A written apology should be made to the endorsed Democrat, Kevin McCauley.  Please refrain from using City assets for personal use in the future. 

Sincerely,

Katherine L. Matthews

I've asked Rydingsward and Krawiecki for comment, but have not heard anything yet.

Update at 4 p.m. --Well, somebody was paying attention:

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