Dewey candidate Mike Dunmyer fires back at critics

It’s election time in Dewey Beach, and, with little more than a week to go before voters choose three town council members Saturday, Sept. 19, things are getting personal.

The group Citizens to Preserve Dewey and its political action committee support former Mayor Dell Tush. The group is questioning the judgment of candidate Mike Dunmyer because of an incident with Dewey police officers in 2002.

The Citizens to Preserve Dewey steering committee, which includes property owners Joan Claybrook, Joy Howell, Karen Jacoby, Amy Levy, and Marcia Schieck, sent out an email Sept. 7, citing a September 2002 Cape Gazette police brief describing an incident that ended with Dunmyer being charged with assaulting a police officer and other charges including resisting arrest.

The brief states that the incident began after Dunmyer was written a ticket for using an expired seasonal parking permit. The article says Dunmyer allegedly made terroristic remarks to the officer who wrote the ticket.

Dewey Beach Cpl. Erik Campbell filed several charges against Dunmyer after the officer accused Dunmyer of attacking him.

“This was not a young kid’s mishap; he was 36 years old and he did not contest the charges of criminal mischief, terroristic threatening, three counts offensive touching on a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest, and ultimately was sentenced on disorderly conduct,” the group writes. “Do we want a commissioner with such a record?”

Dunmyer paints a different story

In response to the attack, Dunmyer said he was disappointed but not surprised CPD and Tush have misrepresented the event.

“This is simply what they do in campaigns and in town meetings, and it’s why Dewey Beach is fed up with them,” he wrote in an Sept. 8 response.

Dunmyer said he argued over a parking ticket, but after speaking his mind, he went upstairs to his condo, thinking the incident was over.

He said all the charges were dismissed, and the record was expunged. He called into question the arresting officer’s character, noting the officer was later named in a successful lawsuit against the town and was demoted three ranks for various offenses.

“The CPD eblast also states that I attacked police officers,” he said. “This is simply not true.”

Attorney John Brady represents the Dewey Beach Police Department. He declined to comment because, he said, it involved a personnel issue. He confirmed Campbell worked on the town’s police force until 2008.

A search of online records shows that in 2003, Campbell was accused of racism by a black high school basketball coach after Campbell arrested the coach as his team looked on in 1999. The coach and the team were staying at the Sea Esta III motel just before Christmas because the team was participating in the Slam Dunk to the Beach basketball tournament.

A jury found Campbell not guilty of violating the coach’s rights, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third District reversed the verdict. The court said the arrest violated the coach’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable seizures and granted him damages.

In 2006, Campbell filed a lawsuit against Dewey Police Chief Sam Mackert and the town following his demotion of three ranks in 2004. The suit asserted he was treated unfairly and the demotion was excessive. The case was dismissed with prejudice in favor of the chief and the town in 2009.

Howell, CPD committee member, said the committee’s goal is to be factual. She said court records from Delaware Court of Common Pleas are publicly available.

“According to that court, there was no expungement of the record,” she said. “Voters can decide if the information put forward is relevant to choosing a commissioner. They can make the decision."

A court order signed by Superior Court Judge T. Henley Graves in January 2003 shows the record was officially expunged. According to the docket entry, the state had no objection to expunging the records.

Dunmyer said the charges were expunged;  just because a clerk didn’t physically remove the document doesn’t matter, he said; it is an error on the clerk's part.

“The important part is the judge’s decision,” he said.

Dunmyer said for voters who think Dewey needs more misplaced personal attacks, Tush is the right candidate.

“If, however, you want to change this culture, and think you might do better with someone who has built strong, successful organizations over and over while ascending to leadership positions on national boards of directors, then I am your candidate,” he wrote.

Tush response to issue

Tush said she appreciates CPD’s endorsement, but, she she can’t control what the organization does. She said she is not included on their email list and didn’t receive anything from them.

Tush said she’s focused on staying positive, highlighting her achievements and providing good leadership for the town.

“I’m looking at the facts as they come out, as I’m sure many voters are. The voters are the best judge of who should be commissioner,” she said. “All I know is that three sitting commissioners think I’m the best person for the job and that it is time for a change.

Election information

The election is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, at the life saving station, 1 Dagsworthy Ave.

Absentee voting runs through noon, Friday, Sept. 18.

Absentee voting takes place by mail or in town hall, 105 Rodney Ave. Voting hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 5, and Saturday, Sept. 12.