Democrats are denouncing an anonymous mailing designed to look like an official communication from the Democratic town committee that lampoons Polish people and Hispanics.

The mailing includes a photograph of John McNamara, the Democratic town chairman, and what looks like an invitation from McNamara to join the Democratic town committee and become a "real Democrat." The flier credits an "out-house plumber" with a fictional and vulgar Polish-sounding name for providing a picture of McNamara.

The mailing includes a membership application for the town committee that has been doctored to include ad hoc committees such as the Sanchez-town chairman committee, the illegal immigration committee and the Spanish voter registration committee. Sanchez apparently refers to newly elected Democratic Town Vice Chairman Robert Sanchez.

Several Democratic town committee members and elected officials have received the mailings, but McNamara said he doesn't know how many people have received them or who mailed them. He offered a clue about the "real Democrat" phrase.

About five weeks ago, McNamara said he wrote letters to the editor urging the common council to fill the vacant Ward 1 seat with a "real Democrat." Democratic Alderman James Sullivan, who held the seat, resigned in May.

"I think it's someone who's motivated by that," McNamara said. "It seems to me after talking to people that we really just have to say there's no place for that in our political activity."

Democratic state Rep. Timothy O'Brien said he received a mailing early this week. The envelope did not contain a return address. Instead, the field included a heart symbol with a flag inside and the words "A DTC message," O'Brien said. There was a cancellation mark, but no stamp.

"It's just plain dishonest to try to speak for somebody you're not and to make them look bad in the process," he said.

Louis Salvio, the council's Republican minority leader, said he didn't know who was responsible for the mailings.

"Frankly, I am absolutely appalled that anyone would do such a thing," Salvio said. "I don't know anybody that would do anything like that."

Contact Monica Polanco at mpolanco@courant.com.

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