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Grimaldi Fired Over Traffic Stop Allegation

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New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon says last Tuesday he dismissed the county’s chief administrative officer David Grimaldi because he tried to use his political influence during a traffic stop two days before.

The Wilmington News Journal reports that an Elsmere police officer pulled Grimaldi over while he was driving with a suspended driver’s license.

The paper reports Grimaldi as telling the officer, “You know your mayor works for me.”

Gordon says Grimaldi was clearly trying to influence the outcome of the stop.

Grimaldi has responded to the allegations telling the News Journal that he anticipated Gordon trying to use the traffic stop as a reason for his dismissal.

Grimaldi said he was simply trying to get a ride and later produced a recording of Mayor Steve Burg calling him back and offering to “yank the ticket.”

Grimaldi has said he believes he was fired because he questioned the performance of the county’s risk manager who he believes is Gordon’s girlfriend.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.