From Mayor Bill Finch:
City responds to Foster’s misrepresentation of court action
Following is a response from John Bohannon, attorney for Mayor Bill Finch, Superintendent John Ramos and the Bridgeport Board of Education, to erroneous public comments issued by Mary-Jane Foster earlier today regarding the actions taken in state Superior Court in Waterbury. The below explanation is an attempt to clarify what actually happened in court today, notwithstanding representations by Ms. Foster.
Foster erroneously claimed that she “scored a big victory today when the defendants at Superior Court in Waterbury agreed that the Bridgeport Board of Education did not receive the training required by statute.”
In fact:
· Defendants “agreed” to no such thing. Defendants maintain that the record before the State Board of Education demonstrates that a majority of Bridgeport Board members voluntarily attended such training; that the training satisfied statutory requirements and that any further training would have been futile.
· Whether training and/or further training was, in fact, required by state statute under the prevailing circumstances is a contested issue.
She also improperly represented that “Judge Agati ordered that Ms. Foster’s Board of Education case be referred to the State Supreme Court …”
In fact:
· Ms. Foster has no case. While certain candidates affiliated with her slate have brought suit, she is not a named party to the litigation.
· Judge Agati entered no such order. Rather, he ordered the plaintiffs to amend their pleadings by August, 17, 2011, and further ordered the defendants to respond to the amended pleadings by Thursday, August 18, 2011. Judge Agati also indicated that the parties should submit any stipulated facts to the Court on August 19, 2011, to facilitate potential transfer of the case to the state Supreme Court for resolution.
· At present, none of the actions pending before Judge Agati have been referred to the state Supreme Court. Ms. Foster’s claim to the contrary is erroneous.
Foster further alleged “… Judge Agati ordered [the] case be referred to the State Supreme Court with the following stipulations agreed to by all parties.”
In fact:
· The parties have not reached, nor entered, any stipulations.
Finally, assuming appropriate stipulations can be reached, all parties desire that the case be referred directly to the State Supreme Court for resolution.
“Ms. Foster has a right to her own opinions, but not her own facts; she should not be misrepresenting the court’s actions to the public,” said Mayor Bill Finch.
“This case is not about partisan politics, it’s about providing the best education for our school children. I have two children who graduated from Bridgeport public schools and another two who will be in Bridgeport public school this fall–I’m not just the Mayor, I’m a concerned parent, too,” said Finch.
WOW!!! That’s weak. I would have thought John Bohannon, attorney for Mayor Bill Finch, Superintendent John Ramos and the Bridgeport Board of Education would either say nothing or say something really strong.
How much in addition to his $91k is Bohannon earning on this case? Paging Mark Anastasi!
These people just don’t get it. How much more money are they going to throw away on outside legal counsel? There’s a full staff of attorneys at 999 Broad Street, WHY ARE WE PAYING BOHANNON?
Bohannon, DTC member, Rooney paid him $800,000 from fire department budget. But couldn’t pay to have SCBA tanks tested … responsible for two firefighter deaths. Your basic let me live off the taxpayers sh_tbag attorney.
What’s the difference between a catfish and an attorney? One’s a bottom-feeding scumsucker and the other is a fish.
The professor of a contract law class asked one of his better students, “If you were to give someone an orange, how would you go about it?”
The student replied, “Here’s an orange.”
The professor was outraged. “No! No! Think like a lawyer!”
The student then replied, “Okay. I’d tell him ‘I hereby give and convey to you all and singular, my estate and interests, rights, claim, title, claim and advantages of and in, said orange, together with all its rind, juice, pulp, and seeds, and all rights and advantages with full power to bite, cut, freeze and otherwise eat, the same, or give the same away with and without the pulp, juice, rind and seeds, anything herein before or hereinafter or in any deed, or deeds, instruments of whatever nature or kind whatsoever to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding …'”
Sounds about right, Jimfox.
Retired Superior Court Judge Carmen Lopez, who is now a city activist, was in the courtroom Tuesday and said the lawyers in the case she spoke to did not confirm Foster’s claims.
Read more: www .ctpost.com/local/article/Judge-holds-closed-door-meeting-on-school-board-2064172.php
I’m in full agreement with the statement in the Post, “Lopez said the way Agati conducted the proceeding without putting anything on the record following the chambers discussion, did not present a positive appearance. “I understand the benefit of conversations in chambers between a judge and lawyers, but this case is of such a magnitude and a concern to residents that it should not have been done like this,” she said. “It diminishes the trust the residents of Connecticut have in the way the Judicial Branch works.”
That’s why I made my first posting, WOW!!! That’s weak. I would have thought John Bohannon, attorney for Mayor Bill Finch, Superintendent John Ramos and the Bridgeport Board of Education would either say nothing or say something really strong. Nothing happened yesterday in court.
If anyone knows about misrepresentation it is Bill Finch, our illustrious mayor. The only “talent” he appears to have is lying through his teeth. If I asked him the time of day I’d check my watch to make sure he was telling the truth.
These people are paid by the city? For what?!
*** TRUTH shall set you free! ***