The First Attack Ad of the Municipal Campaign Comes from Tony Van Bynen

Tony Van Bynen must have had a bad week.

After weeks of negative public feedback about his Davis Drive debacle, he's resorted to what he does best: attacking the person who has brought it to light: Councillor Di Muccio.

In Tony Van Bynen's "positive" Newmarket, when things get desperate, it's best he attack through third parties - regardless of how fringe they might be.

Last week, Councillor Di Muccio wrote a blog asking why a member of Tony Van Bynen's and ward 6 candidate Kelly Broome Plumley's campaign team was encouraging Davis Drive businesses to make a claim against York Region, with the use of tax payer dollars, for the inconvenience of lost revenue that construction may have had on their businesses. Councillor Di Muccio (presumably out of respect) didn't name the individual who made the claims in her blog. She wrote this blog because after speaking with management at York Region, she discovered there was no such compensation. In fact, Van Bynen opponent, Chris Campbell, confirmed Councillor Di Muccio's position with his own phone calls to York Region.

Something smells bad at the Old Boy Club Headquarters in Newmarket.

What is a desperate Mayor Van Bynen to do? Ask one of his acolytes to attack Councillor Di Muccio through his opponent's campaign team.

Here's an email I received from Councillor Di Muccio this morning. It was written by a member of Mayor candidate Chris Campbell's campaign team:

"...this Doug Brown guy is Chris Campbells election campaign social media guy.  I sat next to him the other day (editor's note: at Chris Campbell's campaign meeting) and he sent me a FB friend request.  ‎He seemed reasonable in past FB posts and had no reason to be concerned.  I can't believe what he posted on FB about your opinion on the fact or fiction of any reported financial assistance to businesses on Davis Drive.  

Chris Campbell posted on his blog exactly the same opinion as you (editor's note - referring to Councillor Di Muccio) , as confirmed by the Region and Viva Next contacts he spoke with confirming that no financial assistance available to Davis Drive businesses directly opposing Jim Alexander's comments yet Campbell's social media guy trashes you for having the same exact opinion?  This is totally berzerko world?  

I smell a trap being set and caution is advised with this guy.....Either Chris Campbell doesn't know that his social media guy is a Tony Van Bynen plant or Chris Campbell himself is a Tony Van Bynen plant. 

Something stinks here.. Newmarket politics is truly messed up."

Who is Doug Brown? Doug Brown is Newmarket Free Press (@newmktfreepress and @aralai), the same individual who posted the negative attack letter from Tony Van Bynen's ally, Jim Alexander. Most of Jim Alexander's negative letter is focused on attacking Councillor Di Muccio without actually defending his position of making claims against York Region in what we can only presume is a hush hush you-scratch-my-back-and-I'll-scratch-yours program.

How can Doug Brown attack Councillor Di Muccio when his own candidate, Chris Campbell, holds the same position as her?

There's only one easy answer: this is Tony Van Bynen's Newmarket.

And on voting day remember: it's yours too.

It's time to take it back.