JULY 22, 2023 **PRESS RELEASE FROM COUNCILWOMAN AND MAYORAL

CANDIDATE LISA RUGGIERO**

COUNCILWOMAN AND MAYORAL CANDIDATE SARAH COMPO PIERCE IS BEING

DECEPTIVE, DISHONEST, VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND SPREADING
DISINFORMATION

Councilwoman Sarah Compo Pierce started distributing political campaign signs

just two days ago that display her name with the title of Mayor after it. The sign
portrays my opponent as if she is Mayor now when she indeed isn’t. The signs are
very misleading and deceptive to the public and really shows the lack of
transparency because she is falsely advertising that she already is Mayor when the
election isn’t even until November. Councilwoman Compo Pierce’s use of these
signs is very disingenuous and shows no intention of being transparent in her
political messaging. She is intentionally misleading the public and has chosen a
campaign of clear deception by leading people to believe she already is Mayor.
This should be of great concern to voters of Watertown because, if she is willing to
go to these extremes to win by deceiving the public, what will she do as Mayor if
she is elected?

If anything, my opponent’s false campaign message displays her

untrustworthiness and her willingness to mislead the public. She knowingly and
willingly chose to display the signs with complete disregard for honesty. Do you
want a Mayor who is deceptive, dishonest and is intentionally misleading city
residents and the public in general?

Mayor Jeff Smith and I have had our political differences and yet we have agreed
on many topics too. However, my opponent’s signs portraying her as having the
title of Mayor are very disrespectful to Mayor Smith, previous Mayors and to the
position itself of Mayor of the City of Watertown. Councilwoman Compo Pierce
must believe she doesn’t have the requisite credentials to win honestly and fairly.
Instead, Ms. Compo Pierce has chosen to run a nasty, dishonest, and deceptive
campaign and is intentionally misleading the public with signs that read Compo
Pierce Mayor. The signs lack integrity and I believe the public deserves more
respect than this from a candidate running for the position of Mayor.