Nappier ad levels cronyism claims against Herbst in Trumbull

Denise Nappier is giving new meaning to the strong, silent type.

The least visible of the all the candidates for statewide office, the 16-year Democratic treasurer is set to hit the airwaves next week with new ad accusing her Republican challenger, Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst, of cronyism.

The 30-second spot says that Herbst awarded $1 million in legal retainers to his former law firm, Owens, Schine, & Nicola, P.C. of Trumbull to serve as town counsel.

It also calls into question a $618-a-day per diem that Herbst approved for his father, Michael Herbst, to stay on as Trumbull High School’s athletic director until his successor was hired. Herbst’s father was drawing a $102,000 pension at the time of the arrangement, which Herbst has defended.

Herbst scoffed at Nappier’s ad, saying that his opponent stood him up at the only scheduled debate of the race.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Herbst told Hearst Connecticut Media Friday. “If she met me in a debate we could discuss these issues and how absolutely ridiculous her ad is.”

Nappier cited illness for backing out of the debate with Herbst, who is in his third term as Trumbull’s chief elected official.

In his administration, Herbst said he has saved the town money on lawyers and eliminated pension and health care benefits for the position. Nappier, he said, has steered pension investments to political friends.

“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” Herbst said.

Herbst said that Nappier, the state’s longest-serving constitutional officer, continues to draw a pension from the city of Hartford, where she was treasurer, to go along with her state salary.

“When you have to go after somebody’s parent to try to win an election, that’s pretty sad and I think it speaks to the fact that her campaign is hemorrhaging,” Herbst said.

Neil Vigdor