The article  reports that  Sauvageau apologized publicly and in the media, but I think the record will show that he promised to write a personal letter of apology to Officer Pillsbury.  It has been reported that he never followed through on that significant act of apology.

I would argue that the public and media apologies were politically inspired, and that not making a direct and abject apology to Officer Pillsbury was a passive-aggressive display of classic Sauvageau arrogance. When "the chips were down" he lacked the humility and moral fiber  that a real apology demanded.

He made the apology that saved his butt, but he reneged on the apology that could have salvaged his soul.

Anyone who writes off this lawsuit as "frivolous" has lost his/her place in "The Book of Life".

Cyrus Moulton wrote:

On September 6, 2008, Officer Pillsbury stopped Paul Andrade for a traffic violation.  The suit claims that, based upon the disorderly, resistive, combative and aggressive conduct of Andrade, he was ultimately arrested and sprayed with pepper spray.

Three days later, Andrade appeared before the Board of Selectmen to complain about the incident.  At this time, the lawsuit alleges that "[a]lthough no mention of race or ethnicity previously had been made as a factor in Andrade's arrest, Sauvageau, on his own, remarked to Andrade 'that he couldn't help but notice' that Andrade was a black man, and that being a black man was his 'first mistake.'"

Sauvageau also called Officer Pillsbury a 'disgrace,' 'a gutless coward,' and said that his hiring was a result of nepotism.  These comments and accusations were reported in several local papers.

Cyrus Moulton wrote:

In June 2009, Cara Pillsbury attended a Board of Selectmen meeting in which Wareham resident Bill Whitehouse, who runs a local website generally critical of the selectmen,   warehamobserver.com, asked a series of questions critical of Sauvageau. 

The suit claims that "Pillsbury had no connection to that individual's [Whitehouse's] actions that night" other than leaving the meeting room at the same time.  As Pillsbury left the room, the suit alleges that Eckstrom speaking into her microphone, "asked whether that 'woman' was the one with the husband who was cheating on her and that the woman should 'check' her own house."  The suit claims the statement was "unprovoked and unwarranted...false and made with malice."

6/30/09

WW: Defamation suit filed against Selectmen Sauvageau and Eckstrom

VOTE4CHANGE
TAKEBACKWAREHAM
April 6, 2010
P-SPAN

Last edited by P-SPAN (2010-04-03 13:42:42)

Folks, these Selectmen are lacking class and professional demeanor. Let's get professional leadership that work for US and not themselves....