A Massachusetts town will hold a hearing Monday to determine whether its administrator will be fired after a dispute between himself and the local police department over a Trump flag, according to local reports.
In January, West Boylston Police Chief Dennis Minnich was giving a tour of the department when town administrator James Ryan apparently spotted a Trump flag in the police gym, which is private, and ordered Minnich to remove it the next day, FOX 25 Boston reported.
Ryan said the flag was a civil rights violation and told Minnich to send it to his office, according to FOX 25.
“I never told the officers [they] couldn’t hang a President Trump flag up. I don’t think that’s legit,” Minnich told FOX 25 of Ryan’s order to remove the flag and turn it over to Ryan’s office. “I think it’s illegal. It’s unlawful for him to demand that I turn it over to him. It’s certainly not right.”
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The police chief claims Ryan then discreetly sent another employee to the police department after hours to see if the flag had been removed. That employee discovered that a new Trump flag had replaced the old one, FOX 25 reported.
Minnich took both flags down but has since filed a complaint against Ryan, who reportedly faces termination after the dispute.
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“He’s lied to me. He questioned my integrity,” Minnich told FOX 25. “Everybody has their opinion, but I don’t trust it. Right now, it’s, as far as I’m concerned, hostile. I don’t trust the man, not going to work for the guy. And when I go back to work, [I’m] either going to report to the Board of Selectmen, chairman, or there are going to be some issues, because I don’t trust the guy.”
Minnich did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Fox News Digital.
Ryan’s attorney, John Clifford, was not immediately available for comment, but Clifford confirmed to FOX 25 that the West Boylston Select Board decided to terminate Ryan. Fox News Digital reached out to the West Boylston Select Board.
“As absurd as these allegations are, the Select Board has decided to terminate Mr. Ryan based solely on Chief Minnich’s allegations,” Clifford told the outlet in a statement. “It is not a hearing, as the outcome is a foregone conclusion.”
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Clifford also said Minnich declined to be present at Monday’s hearing.
“Chief Minnich elected to turn this into a political circus, embarrassing himself and West Boylston in the process,” Clifford said. “Chief Minnich makes several references to his ‘professionalism’ as chief, yet apparently doesn’t understand or respect due process, including the right to confront one’s accuser.”
Minnich also apparently declined to meet privately with Ryan, according to Clifford.
“James [Ryan] has never taken a position for or against President Trump or any political candidate or party,” Clifford said. “That being said, the West Boylston police station is a public building, period. If Chief Minnich had engaged the Town Administrator in a rational or thoughtful dialogue, they could have resolved this issue in any one of a number of ways.”
Monday’s hearing covering Ryan’s possible termination is scheduled for 4 p.m.
