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Villamaino's campaign website taken down

Date: 8/27/2012

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

EAST LONGMEADOW —As speculation regarding Jack Villamaino's involvement in a voter registration fraud scheme and his viability as a candidate mounts, the candidate for State Representative and former East Longmeadow selectman's campaign website has been disabled.

Reminder Publications discovered that the website, www.jackvillamaino.com, had been taken down in the late morning of Aug. 27.

A call placed to Villamaino requesting comment regarding his intentions for his campaign was not answered and a message not immediately returned.

While he has not been officially named by any state or law enforcement agency as a suspect in the voter fraud scandal, he has been the subject of media reports.

Villamaino resigned from his position on the Board of Selectmen, for which he was chair, effective 4 p.m. on Aug. 22. He was not present to tender the resignation, instead opting to send an email to Town Clerk Thomas Florence and Town Administrator Nick Breault, which was read into the record at the Board of Selectmen meeting that evening by Selectman James Driscoll.

"Due to matters of a personal and familial nature, I am at this time unable to dedicate to the Board of Selectmen the time and effort which it deserves . It has been both my pleasure and my honor to serve the town of East Longmeadow," the letter read.

Villamaino's Republican opponent, also vying for a shot at unseating Democratic incumbent Brian Ashe from his position as state representative for the Second Hampden District, suggested last week that Villamaino should reconsider his candidacy.

"It is not my place to ask my primary opponent, Mr. Villamaino, to withdrawal from the race. However, I believe that he should seriously consider the viability of his candidacy in the race for state representative in the Second Hampden District. Our district is facing serious issues. We need to focus on these issues in this election, not voter fraud," she said.

Returning follow up call from Reminder Publications on Aug. 27, Angelides said she had not yet heard anything about the status of Villamaino's campaign.