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ANDOVER The Democratic Town Committee is denouncing Republicans endorsement to reconfirm former town employee Jay Linddy as justice of the peace.

The Republican caucus nominated Linddy during a virtual meeting last month.

Linddy, a former transfer station employee and animal control officer, was fired as a town employee in 2017 for sexually harassing female workers and members of the public. Linddy also held elected positions on the Board of Selectmen and Board of Education.

If you dont like the idea of him being a justice of the peace, dont ask him to proceed over anything that requires a justice of the peace, Republican Town Chairwoman Carol Barton said Friday in defense of the endorsement. We dont feel that the Democrats should be commenting on who we put in for justices of the peace.

Each party is allowed to elect five justices of the peace every four years. This year, one person stepped down and the other four, including Linddy, asked to be reconfirmed, Barton said.

Linddy had been a justice of the peace in town for several years, however he was last elected before the scandal broke.

In a Facebook post, the Democratic Town Committee said it was at a loss to understand Republicans.

I know many of these people and I know they are decent people, but I cannot answer the question why decent people support indecent men, the partys statement reads.

On Thursday, the Republican Town Committee released a statement on its Facebook page, stating there were many slots open and Republicans did not have an excess of candidates so he was added.

We felt it is a personal decision if people wanted to use his services or not, it reads.

The statement also highlighted that Linddy would not be in a position in which he would make any town policy decisions or act on behalf of the town.

The statement goes on to say that anyone who feels the endorsement is inappropriate should consider that it has been more than three years since the incidents and accusations occurred.

It was reported in the papers. He was publicly shamed, and he was dismissed from his town duties. He paid dearly for his actions and its time to heal, move on, and give someone an opportunity to be part of the community again if they so choose, it reads.

The committee goes on to say that it was in poor taste that the Democrats have made an issue of the nomination when the party has always advanced a policy of rehabilitation, second chances, and early release for offenders.

I guess their Second Chance Policy does not apply here and the Andover Democrats feel in the court of public opinion that Jay should pay for what he did for the rest of his life, the statement says.

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Andover Republican Jay Linddy backed for justice of the peace - Journal Inquirer