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How do you get elected officials to pay attention to what you have to say? You make noise, you bring together a group of like minded people, make yourself visable, carry signs and make your voices heard. This is what a group of people did Saturday, January 28th.
Protesters began gathering at Town Hall on Main Street in Smithtown around 1:30 and by 2p.m. a crowd of more than 80 people stood ready to call out Supervisor Ed Wehrheim, council members Lisa Inzarillo, Thomas Lohmann, Thomas McCarthy and Lynne Nowick on their decision to hire Kevin Smith, a leader of LI Loud Majority, to a part time position in Smithtown’s Department of Public Safety as an audio-visual tech.
LI Loud Majority has been designated an extreme anti-government group by Southern Poverty Law Center an organization that tracks hate and anti-government groups. Protesters questioned why Smithtown would give a ;)
Smithtown residents calling on Town Supervisor to terminate Kevin Smith’s employment.person so closely aligned with this group, a position (part-time) funded by taxpayer dollars. They are angry that Smith, who they claim has made appearances at Smithtown School Board meetings and Library Board meetings, intimidating people is now an employee. Some expressed fear that Smith might be in a position to video or manipulate video to hurt them. Several people said they have been called out on LI Loud Majority podcasts and at least two people say they have been mentioned on the podcast in a derogatory manner and several expressed fear that they would be doxed by the organization. Smith, on his podcast earlier today, denied that he has ever doxed and stated emphatically that he is not homophobic. Statements from a speaker at the protest that he was at the January 6th insurrection was also denied on his podcast. Smith claims to have documents showing he was in Maryland at the time.
Smith is unabasdedly vocal in support of certain issues icluding his beliefs in what is appropriate for kids to see in the library, and what is taught in school, vaccine mandates and election results. He is a Zeldin, Trump fan, he supported candidates in the Smithtown Library Board election.
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Smithtown Democratic leader Patty Stoddard questioned Smith’s hiring. She recalled Supervisor Wehrheim’s concern for Smithtown’s economic future ”… with Smithtown in financial disarray, this Town Board has the audacity to keep finding the money to hire their connected cronies like Kevin Smith, of the Long Island Loud Mouths. Here’s a guy who doesn’t even live in Smithtown, who lobs insults about our school children, who insinuates that our teachers are pedophiles, who spews ugly garbage throughout our town, getting a plum job that comes with a pension. Was he hired because he raised money for Supervisor Wehrheim? Or is it because he has an apparent relationship with a top town official?
News 12 has attributed a statement to Supervisor Wherheim stating that Kevin Smith’s employment applcation is still under review.