Who Created Julian Schmidt?

[Note added, November 11th, 2011: Comment from the real Julian Schmidt.]

[Note added, November 7th, 2011: Today, The Eye received a request from a Julian Schmidt in Germany, requesting that we remove his photo from our web site. We have done so. Separately, the Facebook page for Julian Schmidt, Wesleyan '14, was deleted at some point between November 4th and 7th, 2011, and the name and photo were also deleted from the TSV Mutlangen sports club in Stuttgart.]

“Julian Schmidt, Wesleyan Class of 2014” has been the author as well as the subject of comments in the online news media outlets. “Schmidt” describes himself as a Democrat who is intending to challenge Joe Serra in a primary for the nomination to the 33rd District State Legislative Seat. This would be big news in our City, except for one detail. “Julian Schmidt” does not exist.

The comments section during the municipal election season becomes an even deeper than usual cesspool of insults, attacks, and unsubstantiated rumors. Virtually all of these are signed with “anonymous” or an obviously fictive name. The Eye comments section has not been fertile ground for this cowardly spew, because its comment moderators will reject the worst of them. However, the moderators see a substantial number of comments on the borderline between negative and nasty, we often agonize (and sometimes disagree with each other) over whether a particular comment is part of a productive dialog or drags the community down.

If a comment is signed, Eye moderators give it the benefit of the doubt, even if it approaches that border. We shouldn't be surprised, I suppose, that at least one commenter, eager to find a way to make negative comments, has taken to signing posts with the names of obscure public figures. These have included Al Pratt (the "real" Al Pratt is a DC Comics superhero), Bill Duke, and a number of others (challenge to our readers: how many have we let slip by?). [If there is a real Al Pratt or Bill Duke in Middletown, The Eye will treat you to an O'Rourke's breakfast as an apology for not printing your comment.]

Many of these comments include the phrase, “As a Dem...”, and then go on to criticize the Democratic nominee for mayor, Dan Drew.

A week ago Monday, we received the following comment which fit into that pattern, but included some jaw-dropping news below his name.

Candidate Profile: Bill Wilson for Board of Assessment Appeals (R)

The below information is a part of the Eye's Elections 2011 series to provide information to voting citizens and does not represent any endorsement by the Middletown Eye or any of its authors.

Bill Wilson has been devoted to public service in the City of Middletown for most of his adult life. He became an assement appeals commissioner in 2009 and is seeking your vote to continue that role. Wilson became a Cable Advisory Board member in 1995 and continues in that position today. He was appointed to the Middletown Personnel Appeals Board in 1995 and served there through 1999. He was also elected to the Middletown Planing and Zoning Commission and served as a commissioner for four years, from 2001 to 2005.

As a self-employed web site designer, Wilson understands the needs of small business as property tax payers as is committed to making sure that tax appeals are handled professionally and fairly.

Wilson is an active member of the Middletown community. You may have seen him on cable television as the host of the Variety Hour, a call in show where he askes the public to share their views. He was born and raised in Middletown and attended Middletown public schools, graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School before going on to attend the University of Connecticut.

Wilson is involved with MANNA worldwide. He works with teens to assist them with the difficult issues surrounding drugs and alcohol abuse and has been a member of Fellowship Baptist Church for 30 years.

http://middletownctgop.com/