Fred Phillis (Tribune file photo)
It won’t be long before someone working for the town of Gilbert asks Fred Phillis to reveal his DNA coding, his first crush and whether he really loves his mother.
Phillis, a Gilbert resident, is heading up a petition drive that seeks to force Gilbert Mayor Steve Berman into a recall election this year.
Tribune writer Beth Lucas has reported that Berman’s campaign filed a legal complaint against Phillis, claiming he bought a series of campaign signs to support the petition drive before he formally created the recall committee. Town officials decided anyone already on Gilbert’s payroll had a potential conflict-of-interest in checking out the complaint, which sort of makes sense since one of the main attacks against Berman is he wields too much power at Town Hall.
So Gilbert hired an outside lawyer to handle the investigation. That lawyer, David Pennartz, apparently didn’t accept Phillis’ initial explanation that he bought 10 signs for about $270, and donated them to the campaign once the committee was created.
So Pennartz has sent Phillis a sweeping list of questions that asking for detailed information about everyone Phillis might have talked to regarding the recall.
So far, Phillis is refusing to answer those questions and demanding to know Pennartz’s legal authority for asking them. Good for Phillis. This “inquiry” smacks of harassment and could easily discourage people from talking about political issues if they have to worry about investigators demanding later to know who they are and what they said.
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The only one being harrassed is Mayor Berman. If you don’t like him vote for someone else next time. He won the election fair and square now move on.
Now we know what Berman does with his time on the job!
All they are doing is scaring people away from supporting a recall. It’s called governmental intimidation and abuse of power.
How does knowing who printed a sign, who decided to use Chase bank and who he talked to about a recall benefit anyone?
The Town of Gilbert is filled with corrupt judges, council members & police.
What Fred is doing is a good thing! Someone needs to step up to the plate
and fight. Keep up the good work Fred! The one at the top needs to come
down first.
I am simply curious why Mayor Berman isn’t required to hire & pay his own lawyer? Why did the Town hire a lawyer for this silliness, when they are crying about their budget, and the necessity of cutting public saftey jobs?
I think Mayor Berman should fight his own battles, he is the one being recalled. Why do the taxpayers have to foot the bill for his battle?
He got himself into this mess, he should have to pay for his own defense.
Thank God I don’t live in Gilbert. This mayor sounds FRIGHTENING.
Thank God I don’t live in Gilbert. This mayor sounds truly frightening. How much is that lawyer costing the town? I can’t believe they are targeting this poor citizen for a couple hundred bucks worth of signs. It’s business “Sheriff Joke” style, and, I hate to say it, increasingly Arizona style.