01:00 AM EST on Thursday, February 1, 2007

By MARIA ARMENTAL

Journal Staff Writer

CHARLESTOWN — The writing is on the wall, or rather the envelope.

Pointing out the similarity between the handwritten return address and Councilman James M. Mageau’s most recent declaration of candidacy and voter registration forms, Council Vice President Harriet A. Allen and residents James and Marianne Cairns say the latest fliers to surface amid the political turmoil are nothing but political retaliation from Mageau.

“You can basically put one sheet over the other,” Allen said, producing copies of several documents with Mageau’s signatures.

“It’s a very distinctive penmanship,” Allen said.

Mageau declined comment saying, “I’m really not interested in discussing this with you.”

“They’ve been sending out fliers about me since November” and no one cared, he said.

“I didn’t do anything. I don’t care what they are claiming,” he said as he hung up.

The fliers, delivered in town last week, poked fun at Allen and the Cairns and had a return address of “IMH, Cranston, RI 02920,” referring to the Institute of Mental Health.

“‘Crazy’ Harriet Allen, also known as (aka) ‘Squints.’ The psychopath of Charlestown,” the front of the flier reads.

“Short and plump with pot belly. Family history of mental illness. Last seen carrying a large red shoulder bag,” it continues. “If found, please do not return.”

Some residents also received a second flier. That statement targeted former Councilman James M. Cairns, a member of the Wastewater Management Commission, and his wife, calling the husband a “feeble minded old sot who enjoys acting like a court jester,” and his wife as a “wrinkled up old red head who is trying to look 40 years old again.” “This simple minded old hag often squawks like a crow and doesn’t seem to understand that powder and paint can’t make you what you ain’t. She is shaped like sea gull droppings after it lands on the hood of a car and may smell as bad,” the flier further states. “If approached by either one, ignore them!”

“I hope you won’t ignore us,” said James F. Cairns at a recent town meeting, shortly after reading the flier out loud.

The Cairns believe they were targeted for their recent criticisms of the Mageau-led council. On Jan. 8, James Cairns suggested council members seek mental help if they suffer a prosecution complex and urged them to leave their special interests, revenge or payback motivations behind, and move forward.

His wife confronted Councilman John O. Craig Jr. at the last special council meeting on Jan. 1, and got into a verbal altercation with Mageau, who called her a “carpetbagger” and told her she soon wouldn’t be able to speak at town meetings.

“This is retaliation,” Allen said. “And when a public official does that against ordinary citizens, it might be legal, but there is something really wrong with this. That means nobody is safe.”

Allen doesn’t take much issue with the flier directed at her, acknowledging she herself produced a “satirical political cartoon” aimed at Mageau last November after Mageau announced he had the votes needed to become the next council president.

Her cartoon, which depicted Mageau as a cigar-smoking politician of the “New Improved Charlestown Town Tammany Hall,” referring to the political machine that controlled New York City politics from the late 18th century into the mid-20th century.

“I’z gots da votes and d’ems my stoolies,” the flier read. On the back, Allen listed “Mageau’s ‘rap’ sheet,” which she said she compiled after reviewing published reports and police documents.

“In my political satire, at least I tried to be funny and accurate,” Allen said.

“But this is very poor quality political satire,” Allen added, speaking of the latest fliers she attributes to Mageau. “It’s outright lies.”

Allen said as an elected official, such attacks are understandable and almost expected.

“It is totally a different thing when you are an elected official and you go after a private citizen like that,” she said.

marmenta@projo.com