A Democrat seeking his party’s nomination for mayor is accusing a fellow Democrat of lifting his campaign motto.

Mark Searles’ campaign sent out an e-mail Thursday night calling out Dan Foley, the retired Derby school teacher seeking the Democratic nod for mayor.

“The Mark Searles for Derby campaign has duly taken notice that this rhetorical flourish and slogan has been directly lifted from campaign materials published by the Mark Searles campaign,” the e-mail read. “We feel this is not a case of overlapping sentiment. In fact, our official e-mail address is .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and has been in effect for operation campaign use since Nov. 24, 2010. As well, the Searles campaign has used “Derby First” idioms on both print and television media since November 2010.”

The Searles team demanded an apology.

“To infringe in this manner raises many concerns for the Searles team. We will be seeking full retraction and apology from our opponent. Anything less will be unsatisfactory,” the e-mail read.

Foley said Friday he wasn’t aware of Searles using “Derby First” — and that he doesn’t plan to stop using it.

“We decided on it a month ago,” Foley said. “We didn’t steal it.”

Foley, who unsuccessfully tried to unseat Republican incumbent Mayor Anthony Staffieri in 2009, said he was surprised to come under attack from Searles.

“I think it’s sour grapes,” he said.

The motto flap underscores increasing tension between the two Democrats. The debate is also being played out on the Derby Democrats’ Facebook page.

Searles said Foley won’t debate him — and that Foley doesn’t have a chance of defeating Staffieri.

Foley said he has much more lead this time around to organize his campaign.

Foley said Searles isn’t a real Democrat, having only recently switched his party affiliation as a Republican.

“He was a Republican for a long time. Why doesn’t he try to run for mayor as a Republican?” Foley said.

Searles said he registered as a Republican after serving in the military during the invasion of Panama. He said he switched his party because today’s Democratic Party mirrors his ideals.

The Derby Democratic Town Committee will have a nominating convention later this year to decide which Democrat to endorse.

Foley said both candidates agreed that whoever wins that nomination will be the party’s candidate to take on Staffieri. Both men agreed they would not force a primary.

However, Searles “appears to be wavering on that a bit,” Foley said.

Searles said the Democratic Town Committee is full of people related to Foley. Searles said he wants the vote at the nominating convention done by paper ballot as opposed to a show of hands.

Searles said he’ll have more support if town committee members vote anonymously.

Either way — there will not be a Democratic primary, Searles said.

“I gave my word. There will not be a primary,” Searles said.

Finally, Derby Democrat Dan Sexton is the Searles team campaign manager. He served as Foley’s campaign manager in 2009.

Foley said Sexton doesn’t support him because Foley opted to bring in Mike McFarland, a “more seasoned” Derby resident who worked with former Derby mayor, the late Richard Grande.

Searles, however, said Sexton defected because he was inspired by a speech Searles gave to town Democrats.

A message seeking comment was left with Democratic Town Committee chairperson Sheila Parizo.

19 replies on “Searles Says ‘Derby First’ Was His Motto”

  1. And so the mud-slinging begins. It’s bad enough when two different parties are doing it to each other, but within the SAME party? I am sooooooooo glad I’m Independent!! Right now I’d be ashamed to be a Democrat if I were one!

  3. They are both men who want to make Derby a better city, let’s keep an open mind and be fair. Let’s hear what they both have to say. One short story won’t elect a candidate nor will it eliminate one.

  4. I’ve seen the Derby First quote used by Searles and rreceiveda flyer some time ago with his DerbyFirst e-mail on it. Maybe Foley just made a mistake, but Searles should reserve the right to call him out on it if it was a mistake.. I think both candidates should calm down a bit for the sake of the Derby Dem Party. I’m from shelton where it is always peaceful on the political front…

  5. PRIMARY….That’s the only way to go.. Let the people of DERBY vote who they want for MAYOR..DON’T let 45 people decide. Let the voters decide. Dan says ‘I WILL NOT PRIMARY IF I LOSE THE CAUCUS’ That’s big of you DAN, Your on the town committee, your daughter and son in law, Your two campaign managers ,your treasure, plus new members who were just put on the committee are for you, no wonder why you promise not to PRIMARY…Its in the BAG..Let the voters decide..

  6. Hopeful in Derby:

    Is someone forgetting that the Democrats are bashing other Democrats. Mark, this was distasteful of you. The right thing for you to have done was to call Dan Foley personally and resolve the situation between the two of you. Dan is a level headed guy and would never steal a logo or slogan from any candidate. Was it easier to plaster this on the Internet so the Democrats look more incompetent and incapable of getting along. I bet the pubs are all cheering for Staffieri right now. Truly Mark, this was a bad move on your part. You just gave Staffieri a few more votes!!!!!!

  7. The only email address the Foley campaign was aware of for Mark Searles is Mark1134@yahoo.com. When the Valley Independent Sentinel ran the story on November 18 that Mark Searles was running for Mayor of Derby, several readers posted comments. On November 20, Mark Searles took issue with some of those comments and provided his phone number and email address for those readers to contact him directly if they had questions. The email address he provided on November 20, was Mark1134@yahoo.com.

    That article can be found here: http://valley.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/mark_searles_announces_bid_for_derby_mayor/

    To claim he has used this slogan in both print and media since November 2010 is simply misleading and inaccurate. The Foley campaign stands by the slogan, in addition to the logo, and wishes Mark Searles good luck going forward.

  9. Dear Derby Hopeful. The fact that I am questioning the “Old Guard” and the way this city does things is not distasteful. You are missing the point. Let me explain by example so that you and everybody can understand. If I opened a business in downtown Derby and named it Connie’s and I served food, do you think the owners of the original Connies would be a little concerned?

  10. Dear Rob Hyder. If I opened a Bar and Grill right next to Connies, and called it Connies, wouldn’t that concern the owner of the original?

  11. It’s what I said before: Mark Searles is going to divide the people that *CANNOT* afford to be divided if they want to get Stafferi out of office. Period.

    I don’t think either of these two can beat Stafferi. He’s entrenched because of his business dealings, Foley is weak (I was personally offended that he stopped caring about my opinions when it was learned I was not a Democrat), and Searles is only out for Searles. Now, both of these two are fighting with each other, while City Hall circles like vultures, waiting to pick at the carcasses. And Sexton went from working with Foley to working with Searles? What the hell is this, the WWE?

    I actually considered switching (back; I went from Democrat to Libertarian) my party affiliation, since that’s the only way people pay attention to you in Derby. I’m glad I didn’t. At least this way, when everyone’s done with their pissing contest, I at least stay dry.

  15. Sharpeye, I wouldn’t read too much into that. People were saying he was behind Mark Foley, too. Apparently, no one was more sick of hearing it than Foley himself, because when I asked him about it, he just about spat it out: “we have nothing to do with Mark Garofalo!”. Let’s look for actual smoke before we start calling the fire department.

    Let’s just say Garofalo made an impression.

  16. Dear Derby Guy and Sharp Eye

    Main street Derby can be likened to a war zone. Crumbled old buildings, piles of rubble line the streets. A cheap unattractive fence lines the street in direct view of the City Hall. City Hall a building which they took over after the old Derby Savings Bank split town after Mayor, upon Mayor, upon Mayor stood in silence as business after business left town. Only to put their hand out and promise “something will be done” when election time neared. “Who are these people?” I asked. I mean, I know who they are, but what can be the reason behind all of this? I cannot believe every Mayor who has been in office since the 1980’s has turned a blind eye to this injustice. “There has to be more to the story”. But there isn’t. The simplest and most direct truthful answer I can give is that none of the past or current Mayor has ever held a job in which they were held accountable to meet payroll, accountable to the customer, accountable to their stock holders, accountable to the people who work for them and accountable to the product they produce. Not one of them. We have elected career “Old Guard” Republican and Democrat officials who stack the odds in their favor through nepotism and favoritism. Guys who have coffee together, men who got to Ziti dinners and shake hands, Old Pals who think It’s time to elect one of their pals so that they can buy up some old buildings in town while the going is cheap. “The truth hurts, and it has hurt this city.”

  17. Main street Derby can be likened to a war zone. Crumbled old buildings, piles of rubble line the streets. A cheap unattractive fence lines the street in direct view of the City Hall. City Hall a building which they took over after the old Derby Savings Bank split town after Mayor, upon Mayor, upon Mayor stood in silence as business after business left town. Only to put their hand out and promise “something will be done” when election time neared. “Who are these people?” I asked. I mean, I know who they are, but what can be the reason behind all of this? I cannot believe every Mayor who has been in office since the 1980’s has turned a blind eye to this injustice. “There has to be more to the story”. But there isn’t. The simplest and most direct truthful answer I can give is that none of the past or current Mayor has ever held a job in which they were held accountable to meet payroll, accountable to the customer, accountable to their stock holders, accountable to the people who work for them and accountable to the product they produce. Not one of them. We have elected career “Old Guard” Republican and Democrat officials who stack the odds in their favor through nepotism and favoritism. Guys who have coffee together, men who got to Ziti dinners and shake hands, Old Pals who think It’s time to elect one of their pals so that they can buy up some old buildings in town while the going is cheap. “The truth hurts, and it has hurt this city.”

  18. Dear Sharpeyes: Your question: Have you ever had to meet a payroll? Answer: Yes, as an operations manager wth 15 years of experience, I have to meet payroll, my employer and employees count on me to meet that expectation weekly!
    Question#2
    What is your employment/business/academic, and budget experience background, if any, that you feel, qualifies you to be the next Mayor of Derby? 15+ years experience in comprehensive supply chain management, including 7 or more years experience in the management of warehousing within a logistics environment.Responsible for managing the daily operations of the warehouse and the personnel assigned in the warehouse. Shipping and Receiving. Enforce all company policies, warehouse and security procedures in the warehouse, and safety and occupational regulations.
    Manage the daily operations of the warehouse, shipping and receiving, storage, mastic production, quality control, and problem resolution. Oversee warehouse staff, which includes work allocation, training and development, and problem resolution; evaluate performance and make recommendations for personnel actions; motivate employees to achieve peak productivity and performance.

    I am currently enrolled at SCSU to finish my Degree in Business Mgt.

    Question#3
    You appear to be relatively unknown in Derby. I believe, your should spell out your expertise, that might help convince voters, why they should vote for you, Mark Searles. Voters are not, really interested in a slogan.

    Answer: Unknown to whom? was I unknown to you while I spent my 21st Birthday in a foxhole overseas dodging bullets? Well I’m sorry. Unknown to my wife and 3 kids. Unknown because I don’t hang out at the local coffee shop only to become tainted with Antiquated ideas?

    This is not about a slogan. Yes the story grew into that, it’s about the fact that my Democratic ideas are what “true” Democrats believe in. The idea that everyone is included not people who stack the deck with thier cousins, uncles, and special interests only to become the people we are trying to remove from office.

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