The Attack Handshake: 'It was Almost Like a Kramer Moment on Seinfeld'

EASTON — Robert "Bert" Webbe alleges that First Selectman Thomas Herrmann attacked him through the guise of a handshake last summer, when Webbe was at Easton Town Hall registering as a candidate for treasurer in a special election. Police threw out the assault complaint Wednesday due to a lack of evidence.

In a telephone interview Friday, Herrmann expressed his belief that the police investigation and report should put the dispute to rest.

"Their findings should be of no surprise to anyone," he said. "It was a simple handshake. That’s it. I did shake his hand, but it's just a darn shame that someone would malign a goodwill gesture into an allegation of assault to advance a political agenda."

Webbe, a political rival who ran against Herrmann two years ago, said he is not surprised by the police findings because he believes the three witnesses did not back up his story out of fear of retaliation. One of them, Town Clerk Derek Buckley, had the complication over the fact that his wife, Easton Senior Center Dir. Val Buckley, is challenging Herrmann this election, according to Webbe.

"Mr Herrmann intimidates people and has throughout his political career," Webbe said Thursday.

Webbe claims the first selectman retaliated against the tree warden, went after an assistant librarian for unreturned books and pushed out former police chief, John Solomon — all for not following his agenda.

"He fires people," Webbe said. "He arrested two citizens speaking up at a public meeting."

One of those citizens happened to be Webbe himself.

Herrmann had Webbe and his friend John Bromer arrested for allegedly disrupting a Board of Selectman meeting last year.

Of Webbe, Herrmann said, "He ran for first selectman and lost. He ran for treasurer and lost. He was disruptive in meetings and was arrested for disorderly conduct."

The first selectman also takes exception to Webbe's charges that he retaliates against people and his using it to back up his police complaint.

"I would say that's a pretty sorry excuse for having an allegation unsubstantiated," Herrmann said of the police dismissal of the assault by handshake complaint.

'A Kramer Moment'

Though the alleged incident happened nearly a year ago, Webb said he did not file a police complaint right away because he didn't want it to look like he was using it to influence the election. However, he says he wrote a letter to Police Chief James Candee telling him what happened and letting him know an official complaint would be coming.

He filed the complaint on June 24 of this year.

When Webbe was registering to run for treasurer on Aug. 16, 2012, he said, "Tom Herrmann poked his head around the corner and said, 'What’s all the commotion?'"

Town Clerk Derek Buckley told the first selectman that Webbe was running for treasurer and Herrmann said, "The more the merrier," according to Webbe's version of events.

"I said, 'Thanks Tom,' and held my hand out to shake his hand. It was almost like a Kramer moment on 'Seinfeld' where there was this bizarre look in his eyes. I was pulled with such force and taken down to the ground. He pulled me out and down with all the force he could. I went down to my knees and had my hand and arm out to prevent my head from hitting the wall in the hallway.

"I then stood up six inches away from him and said, 'You are a real class act.' He turned heel and walked away. Everyone had their jaws dropped."

Herrmann said, "And he remembers all that from a over a year ago? He was a stand-up comic. I guess he tried to be a comedian and he's still trying. But no one's amused."