Ongoing Review by Commissioner Christopher Hankins from March 24 Hearing
DOCKET #FIC 2024-0522
Thibault and Uranga / CT Examiner
V.
Police Chief Michael Spera / town of Old Saybrook
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‘He Invited My Boss To Tea’
REQUEST FILED MARCH 25
REQUEST TO RECONVENE HEARING PROMPTLY
Re; Tainted / False / Misleading Evidence Submitted by Michael Spera
DOCKET #FIC 2024-0522
Thibault and Uranga / CT Examiner V. Police Chief Michael Spera / town of Old Saybrook
Commissioner Christopher Hankins presiding
March 25, 2025
Dear FOI Commission Staff Member,
At yesterday’s hearing, Commissioner Hankins stated: “If I deem that Chief Spera’s testimony is necessary, then I will reconvene the hearing.”
[This was among several statements made on the subject by Commissioner Hankins]
In an exhibit presented by Attorney Patrick McHale on behalf of Spera, CT Examiner Editor in Chief Gregory Stroud – who is NOT a complainant in this case – wrote to Spera on Aug. 15, 2024: “I appreciate your offer to sit down and talk, and welcome the opportunity. In truth, I put a contributing editor, Andy Thibault, on this issue to minimize misunderstandings.”
The record shows Spera failed to produce – for the complainants – certain documents [especially Exhibit 25 – service calls] requested until McHale hand-delivered them at yesterday’s hearing. The law does not allow respondents to pick and choose their complainants, just as it does not allow them to choose hearing officers or judges. Perhaps Spera could learn this during mandatory FOI training.
Spera ignored the complaint filed Aug. 27 by Uranga and Thibault. Instead of producing these public records [exhibit 25] for the complainants following requests made last summer, Spera, according to a claim in submissions by McHale, emailed them to Stroud.
Stroud was unaware of this correspondence until last night. There is no evidence that Spera sought to confirm receipt by Stroud. Indeed, Spera had numerous opportunities to set the record straight as he received notice of the hearing and other correspondence.
Clearly, this was a deceptive tactic: an end-around to compliance with the law.
For these and other reasons cited at the hearing, we ask Commissioner Hankins to reconvene the hearing promptly.
Spera, adjudicated by Superior Court and the FOI Commission as an offender, must be held accountable.
Thank you for your consideration.
Andy Thibault, for the complainants
Copy to Atty. McHale, et al
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A little bit about 3-card monte -
The operator uses sleight of hand and misdirection to confuse the participants. They move the cards quickly and often use verbal tricks to distract attention from where the card is actually placed.
GOLDEN PARACHUTE FOR CHIEF
KEEPS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT JOB
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PENDING COMPLAINT Field Jan. 29 - No Hearing Date Set
… against Old Saybrook Police Commission Chair Chub Wilcox and Police Chief Michael Spera for failing to produce public records requested on Jan. 15, 2025, specifically GEO or GPS data from Spera’s devices in 2024.
As noted in the attached request, the issue of Spera’s whereabouts “working remotely” was among the major concerns delineated in the recently released independent professional study of extraordinarily high turnover of staff at the Old Saybrook Police Department ..
STAY TUNED AT CT EXAMINER
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