From Republican Town Chair John Slater:
This comes one week after the Mayor pleaded with Rick Torres to give up and hand over the endorsement of the Bridgeport Republican Party. In other words, Bill Finch was content to run as a Republican when it served his purpose. It also comes one week after Mary-Jane Foster, who came in a distant third in the Democrat Primary put up the white flag and surrendered and withdrew from the race. Now prompted by a candidate she described as incompetent, she is once again running for Mayor.
The Bridgeport Republican Party is proud to stand behind our candidate, Rick Torres. Rick has been offered everything by the Democrats and has taken nothing. We are proud of his integrity and courage throughout this process. Even after losses, Rick has continued to fight for Bridgeport for the past 20 years. It is clear the only candidate in this race who can finally bring Bridgeport the change it so desperately needs is also the only successful business person in this race, and the only lifetime resident of the City of Bridgeport, Rick Torres.
The only candidate with integrity who is guided by principles!
He will do well with all 12 votes he gets.
FUNNY, that’s what MJF got at one of the schools I worked on election day.
Hector, thanks for the laugh!
You said it. I estimate Torres will walk away with 19% of the vote. That is if he makes it that far. He’s hardly the only successful business person. MJF has earned more than he has in each of her roles. Torres is a baker. He doesn’t even run the business. The wife does.
Sad, sad, sad; after Rick’s defeat there will be ZERO Republicans in any elected positions except for the BOE and City Sheriff. Thataboy, Rick.
That’s a shame you guys think that way. It’s that same thinking that has put this city in the hole it’s in and will keep it there until “real” changes are made. Not just recycling old political failures. I guess you guys love high taxes, failed policies, debt, failing schools, no jobs, violent crime, liars, cheats, criminals, cronyism and incompetence.
Torres would put a complete stop to everything that is in motion or going to be in motion. Why? He is a negative whiner. Everyone is against him. That’s his motto. If he can’t build any consensus or get people to want to do for him, he will waste his time, and our money, until the next election. Fortunately, he has not a chance of winning this. It’s infinitesimal. He has his small group of loyal sycophants in Black Rock but there are far more there who would never cast their vote his way. And the guy is nuts in a basket.
Torres’ call to Rush Limbaugh:
“CALLER: My mother-in-law. She’s a wonderful woman, and at the time I hated her like the devil. But now I’m as Christian as can be and as conservative as can be, and conservatism is truly the answer to all ills.
RUSH: Enrique, that’s wonderful to hear.
CALLER: That’s a fact. I tried calling you for ten years! Ten years I’ve been calling you, and I just got through today. I’d love to call you some future day and talk to you about black relations, because that’s my new pet. I am an elected official in the city of Bridgeport. I am a city councilman. I’m the only Republican out of 20, and I’m the first Republican in eight years to sit in that council. So, you know, frankly, as conservative as can be and looking.
If by putting an end to, you mean; crippling taxes, high unemployment, failing schools, lawlessness in city government, cronyism, pay-to-play, understaffed and underfunded police department, backroom deals, corruption, theft of taxpayer dollars, bloated government; then you must be right!
If he did any one of those things I would eat my hat. Fortunately, everyone knows he’s just a talker, not a doer. So my hat is safe on my head. As always.
Torres won 41% of the vote against Fabrizi. I don’t believe Ganim will find more than the 5800 votes he found in the primary. MJF could only gather 1200 votes, she is not relevant. With Finch’s backroom deal she may get a few votes more. If Torres only gets the same 41% and Ganim and MJF split their votes 30% each, the good guy wins.
John Slater, as the Republican Town Chair, you are expected to give a good ribbing to the Democrats. If Bill Finch ran on the Republican line, I can assure you he would be a Democrat. What you call serving, the public would totally disagree. His misfortune of not getting 125 signatures under the advisement of others was clearly gross negligence.
I respect you, Mr. Slater, for standing behind your candidate as he again runs for Mayor. Rick Torres is a fine respectable man. He is loved in Black Rock. Fortunately, Finch and Foster did well in Black Rock and most likely, most voters will not be willing to waste their vote. One thing is certain, Ganim will not register votes in Black Rock and neither will Torres. Foster will have an army of support there and let’s face it, John Slater, the Republican party died in Bridgeport the year my friend Mary Moran lost the election to Joe Ganim in 1989 when Joe was young, fresh, just married and untainted. Apparently, Ganim has been doing better with his resurrection than the Republican party. Keep up the good work!
Steve, that was about the time as Bridgeport’s slow 26-year death!
Stevenl, so Rick getting the city council to vote against the 30-year tax abatement, which was the only vote against Finch in his eight years, was talk or action?
Bridgeport voters, here is the real Rick Torres and read for yourself who his real hero is, the real leader of the Republican Party nationwide, Rush Limbaugh. Here is a person who belittles women, blacks, Hispanics and this is just a few with this Torres hero. Don’t take my word, just read what Rick told Rush Limbaugh on Rush Limbaugh’s own website.
www .rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2014/12/18/supposedly_conservative_callers_defend_obama_s_cuba_policy
Ron, I do not read anywhere Torres says Rush is his hero. Did this link not provide the whole conversation?
Jennifer, please read that transcript again then tell me what you would call it, if not hero then what would you call it (calling Limbaugh every day for ten years)?
Ron, much like you, Rick is pretty plain spoken, he would have said you are my hero if he saw the man as his hero.
Ron, I’ve been listening to Rush for many years. I’ve never heard him say a bad word about blacks, Hispanics or women, EVER. Maybe you should listen yourself and then make that decision.
Quentin,
Rush Limbaugh is a pathetic racist. He spews vitriol with every breath. He is a hypocritical, woman-hating, disrespectful moron. Those are his good traits!
It’s called dog whistle, code words.
Quentin Dreher, tell me, why do blacks dislike Rush Limbaugh so much? Let’s face it, Rush Limbaugh is really the head of the Republican Party.
“Rush Limbaugh Proves He Is A Racist”
youtu.be/tiLVTzljOjA
Rush Limbaugh is a professional clown, no different than Howard Stern or Sebastian, the jackass on the air in Hartford. All Limbaugh does is get people riled up. He’s nothing more than a professional asshole. Anyone who takes him seriously is either stupid or mentally challenged.
Steve, you are absolutely wrong! I have never, ever heard him say any of those things you are accusing him of. And if anyone is pathetic it is those who cannot intellectually argue or have basic adult conversation or disagreements and have to revert to calling people racist.
Quentin, do you want to know why the Republican party is not attract minorities? Just ask Fox, Rush Limbaugh, they will all answer they have no clue. Why? Because they just do not hear themselves.
Now Quentin, I do not expect you to understand. Most Republicans do not understand. That’s why they continue to lose elections.
Keep on keeping on. I especially like the Republicans’ attitude and disrespect for the Islamic community. The attempt to claim Christianity is under attack and using religion as their crutch is alienating most thoughtful caring people.
Notice what Rick Torres tells Rush Limbaugh, “I’d love to call you some future day and talk to you about black relations, because that’s my new pet. New pet, black relations, now pray tell what is that?
Ron Mackey–I’m sure Mr. Torres has his own definition of what he means with that outrageous statement, but for the rest of us the definition is just pure idiocy. He has his own brand of insanity going on, no other words can describe him.
People, I’ve been talking to Rick Torres for years about every crazy-ass insane idea he’s ever had on the world, and almost every single insane idea he has had I have the complete and absolute opposite idea, and have for years debated with him on the polar opposite viewpoint, and I feel I always win, yet he’s getting a little better now. His craziness is his charm. Rick’s donating his whole first year’s Mayor salary to start up over 50 small businesses with $2500, who the fuck does that?! He’s not a rich man, that’s a crazy thing to do!!! He gets a big black power tattoo inside his forearm: “for solidarity with my black brothers, we’re all brothers,” that’s beautiful crazy shit, and it’s just what Bridgeport needs. The huge distinction with Rick is he has empathy for others. Too many people have sympathy, the sickly sister of empathy. Sympathy is disconnected from others while empathy connects to others. Some people feign empathy very well, Rick has it and not enough people know that. It’s Rick’s empathy, his rather strange passionate nature and ideas and his integrity which would change Bridgeport; his crazy ideas in national politics will not come into play at all. He’s the original one here, you just gotta see it. You need this dude!
Rick Torres and Rush Limbaugh, what a team, Republican politicians get their talking points from him. I would ask blacks and Hispanics just take the time to listen to Rush Limbaugh on radio just one time and hear for yourself and remember this is the guy Rick Torres has been listening to for ten years and now he wants to be your mayor.
Sorry sir, but Mr. Torres’ brand of insanity is far from beautiful; crazy–yes, beautiful–not.
The key word is crazy.
The bottom line, the crux of the biscuit, is there is only one real, honest-to-goodness choice to make in November: vote for Enrique Torres. Bill Finch sold multiple-decade tax abatements to Gold Coast developers, accepting campaign “contributions” as payment in kind. Not exactly illegal but far from ethical. Mr. Finch also took credit for getting Steel Point up and running, neglecting to take note that land acquisition began under Joe Ganim’s administration. Mr. Finch was too busy honing his pronunciation of the word “corruption.”
Finch lost the primary to Joseph P. Ganim, a convicted felon who lied under oath and refused to admit he lied. This led three Superior Court judges to rule Ganim does not possess the ethical character and moral fitness to practice law, a ruling upheld by a unanimous vote by the Connecticut State Supreme Court. HE LIED AFTER SWEARING TO GOD HE WOULD TELL THE TRUTH. Bill Finch is a documented liar; Joe Ganim committed one of the greatest sins of civilized society: he committed perjury, in federal court no less. He has never admitted to it, either. This man is not a good choice to be mayor.
Both Finch and Ganim represent the self-appointed “in” crowd of the Democratic Town Committee. Ganim has the support of Don Mario Testa; Finch has the backing of John Stafstrom. Both of them sold their souls to the devils of greed and privilege and gluttony.
Now Mr. Finch has thrown his lot in with Mary-Jane Foster. Yesterday’s press conference made for some awkward moments. Most marriages of convenience are awkward. Ms. Foster sold her soul to a lesser demon for one narrow goal: to satisfy a narcissistic desire.
It goes without saying Messrs. Finch and Stafstrom had a few conditions to be met before the new alliance could be consummated before the assembled media hordes.
This is an old Lyndon Johnson campaign song. Mary-Jane Foster should adopt it:
Yes, I know I’ve been untrue
And I have hurt you through and through
But please have mercy on this heart of mine
Take me back and try me one more time
If my darling, you could see
Just what your leaving’s done to me
You know that love is still the tie that binds
Take me back and try me one more time
In my dreams I see your face
It seems there’s someone in my place
But does he know that you were once just mine
Take me back and try me one more time
If you just forgive me now
I’ll make it up to you somehow
I promise never again to be unkind
Take me back and try me one more time
Let’s look at the hero of the Republican Party, Ronald Reagan and do you remember the term Reaganomics he used in the Republican presidential primary in 1979 and George H Bush who was also running in that primary what he said about it, he called it “voodoo economics,” but Reagan named him as his vice president or in the presidential primary in 2007 and the nasty comments from Obama and the Clintons, but still Obama made Hilary Clinton the Secretary of State. Well that’s the nature of politics.
The Republican Party at the state and local levels is not the same as the national GOP. Torres has never advocated Reagan’s “trickle down” or “voodoo” economics. He is best described as a practical conservative, a moderate Republican with compassionate social policies.
Your attempt to paint him as a Reaganite is clumsy and inept.
Wrong, I spoke of Reagan to address the issue of if there were a deal being made with Finch and MJF. As for the Republican Party, it’s basically a white male party.
Rick Torres and his viewpoints doesn’t resonate with black and Hispanic voters in Bridgeport and it will not resonate. In order for any candidate to win in Bridgeport they must get the largest bloc of voters in Bridgeport, which together is the black and Hispanic voters, well, they need those voters. Rick Torres and the Republican Party will not get those voters to vote for them.
You say. He has been reaching out to black and Hispanic voters. (Torres is fluent in Spanish.) His message is resonating.
Your pessimism is touching.
We live in the northeast, home of the moderate Republican. Rick Torres is a moderate Republican whose political views have nothing in common with John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, or any of the stubborn Tea Party conservatives working Capitol Hill.
One thing Torres stands for is smaller government. The municipal government in Bridgeport could stand to lose some weight. We pay the highest taxes east of the Mississippi without getting a decent amount of bang for the buck. Police staffing levels are down by more than 100 officers, affecting public safety. At the same time, Mario Testa and Bill Finch have been able to put many friends and/or friends of friends on the municipal payroll. The school system is underfunded but there’s a small army of incompetents who owe their jobs to Uncle Mario and the DTC, people almost universally unqualified to work in a fast-food restaurant let alone a city administrative job. (The building and zoning department is a good example. In any other town or city the buildings department is the agency that actively encourages construction. Here in Bridgeport the reverse is the rule.) Torres wants to trim all the excess fat from the city payroll, hire dedicated career bureaucrats and make city government more responsive to the people.
A lack of quality education is one of the root causes of criminality in Bridgeport. Teenagers resort to settling differences with deadly violence because they didn’t learn any problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills in the dropout mills of the Bridgeport public school system. Rick Torres will improve education by expanding trade and secondary schools and improving the quality of life in the city’s poorest neighborhoods, encouraging parents to take a more active role in their children’s education.
Rick Torres will create jobs by restoring integrity to City Hall. (If Joe Ganim is elected, state and federal funds will slow to a trickle if they don’t dry up altogether. He’s a crook who has yet to admit specifically to the crimes he committed. “I broke the law,” he told a church congregation on New Year’s Day. He neglected to mention he also lied under oath, an act of perjury that cost him his license to practice law.) Mary-Jane Foster can claim integrity but she sold out to the corrupt political machine that has fucked up the city of Bridgeport.
Torres also wants to open the books to allow taxpayers to see exactly how their money is spent. We have a right to know if our tax dollars are being misspent. The Finch-Foster alliance may not want that. The Crook certainly doesn’t want that.
You sound like Donald Trump, Rick is going to do everything by himself, it’s going to be bigger, better and he will do all of this alone, he won’t need the City Council to vote for anything, Rick will just do it, just like Trump. Finch had very few blacks in key positions but Rick will have none.