Pomfret’s Democratic Chair Said Stop Complaining. Then His SEEC Complaint Was Dismissed

After urging Republicans to stop criticizing from the sidelines, Raymond Wishart, joined with two other Democratic leaders, had a state election complaint dismissed by the SEEC for insufficient evidence.

Pomfret Democratic Chair Filed the Complaint. SEEC Dismissed It.  Raymond Wishart, chair of the Pomfret Democratic Town Committee and chair of Pomfret’s Planning & Zoning Commission, recently told Republicans in a Woodstock Villager letter to “put down the keyboard and step up.” Yet Wishart was also one of three complainants behind SEEC File No. 2025-062B—an election-enforcement complaint against Aaron P. Bowman, Anne D. Dauphinais, and Christopher D. Reddy that the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission dismissed after finding insufficient evidence to establish the alleged violation.

Wishart’s letter argues that criticism is easy, that “Facebook posts are easy,” and that public service requires residents to “put [their] name behind” difficult decisions. Fair enough. But that same standard should apply to party leaders who make serious allegations through a state-enforcement process.

Complainant Raymond Wishart is not just a private resident raising concerns. This complaint was launched in September 2025, right before a consequential election cycle involving several of the defendants named. I will let you draw your own conclusions as to the timing of all of this.

When party leaders use formal election-enforcement complaints against political opponents, the public is entitled to expect careful factual support, not just political rhetoric, suspicion, or an effort to gain an advantage outside the normal campaign process.

Personally, I find it disturbing and disgusting when the same local political figure is writing letters to the editor in a local newspaper to publicly criticize Republicans for allegedly failing to step up to fill a vacant seat on our Board of Ed that was advertised for a very brief period (one of the two seats was NEVER advertised). All while participating in partisan actions that directly target Republicans or political opponents through formal complaints. This SCREAMS hypocrite, at least to me...

There is a real contradiction in lecturing political opponents that criticism is easy while using a complaint process that puts opponents under state investigation. Mr. Wishart’s letter told Republicans to stop complaining and “step up.” But the SEEC’s dismissal shows that, at least in File No. 2025-062B, the allegations he joined in making did not meet the Commission’s evidence standard. I keep saying this, and I will say it again: DO BETTER!!!!!

One thing is for sure: Chris Reddy, Anne Dauphinais, and Aaron Bowman did not deserve this extra stress along with the MANY negative effects this false claim has caused them. These "leaders" filing complaints without evidence should think long and hard before they try something like this again. I hope the public can see through this for what it really is...

**The SEEC complaint was filed by Ben Shaiken, chairman of the Mansfield Democratic Town Committee, William Sayers, chairman of the Windham Democratic Town Committee, and Raymond Wishart, chairman of the Pomfret Democratic Town Committee