DALTON, Mass. — Dan Valenti, a local columnist and commentator, recently endorsed Tom Szczepaniak for state representative from the 2nd Berkshire District in "Planet Valenti," a column he writes for The Pittsfield Gazette.
In his column, Valenti writes:
If this election is about Szczepaniak's past, he wins. He withstood the anonymous attacks against his wayward youth with honesty and dignity. If anything, his checkered past signals character and integrity. You don't come back from the bottom unless those words mean more to you than bumper-sticker slogans. The indications point to the Mark campaign for sending the media the anonymous stink bombs on his opponent's legal past. Mark denies the charge. Nonetheless, they came from someone.
Mark resembles Col. Mustard in the library with the candlestick. Beyond attacking Szczepaniak, Mark has offered voters little except to fetch water for the large public employee unions. Suriner, a Middlefield selectwoman and retired Episcopal priest, is not ready to move out of the lower minors of backwater local politics. Suriner, who would be eaten up in Boston, may use her loss as meditation fodder for evening vespers. The Planet endorses Szczepaniak.
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The quotes used in this release have nothing positive to say about Tom's ideas for the district. Just a bunch of rhetoric about how having a criminal background is somehow an advantage. The Szczepaniak campaign must be desperate for endorsements.
"The indications point to the Mark campaign for sending the media the anonymous stink bombs on his opponent's legal past."
What indications? Simply that Tom and his daughter SAID that Mark did? That's no indication. There are lots of people who can't stand Tom Szczepaniak--me for one. And whoever sent that package was doing the public a service.
Sounds like the Mark campaign has a big dookie in their pants. The voters will deliver their judgement on Col. Mustard and it won't be a pretty picture.
This election IS about Szscepaniak's past. It is about all the candidates past. Your past is the basis of the present and qualifies you for the future.
If you are a child playing a game, then we can spout lies and make up silly names.
But in real life, where character and knowledge of the task ahead counts, we can look towards Dr. Mark who is an honest, educated, hardworking man. A man who has held positions of trust and has been rewarded with more and more responsibilities in the real world because of his proven work ethic and trustworthiness and competence to represent the working individual. Paul Mark can meet with anyone, be they educated professional or bluecollar worker and understand what the issues are each individual faces, because he has been there and he knows where that person is coming from and he knows what that person needs to succeed. Paul Mark has an exemplary past, an engaging present and a wonderful future.
When we look at Szscepaniak we see a man who is hiding from his past by trying to cover it up in the present to hoodwink the future.
He is a convicted criminal, a felon who committed violent acts. He was not a youth who received a slap on the wrist, he was a man who choose to do illegal, violent things. Now he tries to lie and cover up these crimes and place blame on others for his actions. This is his present. He is a coward who cannot face his own past and talk about it truthfully. He has no work record except a family business so there is no history of his being able to work well with others or understand the needs of working people. He is not well-educated, so he cannot understand the needs of professionals.
The position of Representative must be held by someone who can understand the process and deal with policy-making and be responsible to the public and have the knowledge and background to know what is being presented and how to make important decisions which impact you and I.
Paul Mark will understand how to examine and make Law.
Szscepaniak only understands how to break them.
A vote for Paul Mark is a positive vote for our future.
All I can say as a very close party to the Szczepaniak family is that it is a good thing that Tom did not win this race.
Best of luck to Mr. Mark, the voters chose wisely while the Szczepaniak fans were made fools of.
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DALTON, Mass. — Dan Valenti, a local columnist and commentator, recently endorsed Tom Szczepaniak for state representative from the 2nd Berkshire District in "Planet Valenti," a column he writes for The Pittsfield Gazette.
If this election is about Szczepaniak's past, he wins. He withstood the anonymous attacks against his wayward youth with honesty and dignity. If anything, his checkered past signals character and integrity. You don't come back from the bottom unless those words mean more to you than bumper-sticker slogans. The indications point to the Mark campaign for sending the media the anonymous stink bombs on his opponent's legal past. Mark denies the charge. Nonetheless, they came from someone. 
State Election