Last modified: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 9:23 AM EDT John Zizza (Staff photo by Martin Gavin) Wrentham selectmen's feud hits public, Web BY MICHAEL GELBWASSER AND STEPHEN PETERSON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF WRENTHAM - A dustup in the town hall restroom earlier this month in which Selectmen Robert Cohen and John Zizza each accused the other of verbal abuse and physical intimidation has spilled over to the Internet. Cohen posted his account of the incident in a blog entry on his Web site Tuesday, accusing Zizza of political "dirty tricks." He also posted a police report of the incident. Zizza called Cohen's move "propaganda." The allegations stem from a June 3 expletive-laden exchange in a town hall restroom during a recess in a selectmen's meeting. Earlier during the meeting, Cohen had complained to the board that Zizza had looked into his campaign nomination forms, implying that they might have included forged signatures. The allegations of forgeries continued between the selectmen in the restroom, and apparently escalated, with Zizza telling police that Cohen verbally threatened him, then "stepped very abruptly towards him and almost touched him with his chest," according to the police report. Zizza told police, according to the report, that "he felt he was in fear of Cohen attempting to harm him during the entire conversation." Cohen also filed a complaint with police alleging that Zizza threatened him, and that he was "defending himself." Cohen told police Zizza "was generally hostile and intimidating," and that Zizza's "actions placed him in fear that Mr. Zizza may escalate the situation." Police have since filed complaint applications with the Wrentham District Court clerk magistrate, who will determine if charges will be filed against either or both selectmen, Detective Sgt. William McGrath said Tuesday. In the meantime, Cohen has turned to the Internet in a posting titled, "Dirty Tricks: Zizza Files False Assault Complaint." "Rumors have been circulating around town since early June," Cohen acknowledged on his Web site, www.bobjcohen. "So I want to set the record straight." Cohen said in an interview with The Sun Chronicle that he chose the blog route "for obvious reasons." "The newspaper's job is to sell newspapers. My job is to make sure people know the truth of what happened to me," Cohen said. Zizza said he hadn't seen Cohen's blog. "I don't even use computers," he said. Zizza said Cohen didn't file a police report until 11 days after the incident, and not until after police contacted him about Zizza's allegations. "I think the most salient thing is he had no side of this until he was called in," Zizza said. Zizza filed a report with police on June 5; Cohen filed a report on June 16, alleging he was the victim, not Zizza. Cohen said on his blog that "for the benefit of the town's reputation and the reputation of the board of selectmen," he privately asked Chairwoman Mary Dunn to tell Zizza that "I was willing to overlook his behavior providing he withdrew the complaint and promised never to file a false claim again." "He refused," Cohen wrote, saying he then contacted the news media. "This kind of Nixonian dirty trick relies on the victim's and the public's repugnance for messy situations and the victim's fear for his reputation," he wrote. "While this situation is extremely distasteful, I'm not about to let Mr. Zizza intimidate me." The restroom incident was only the latest between Cohen and Zizza. Cohen told police he "previously became fearful of Mr. Zizza" after a May 16, 2007 planning board meeting in which Cohen, who serves on that board, challenged proposals by Zizza. Cohen told police he saw Zizza in the parking lot afterward. He said he believed Zizza had been waiting for him and that Zizza had earlier warned him to be "very afraid" of "bad people" in Wrentham. Zizza disputed Cohen's allegation Tuesday. "Mr. Cohen might be surprised to know I left with somebody and drove off with them," Zizza said. Staff Writer David Linton contributed to this report.