Board of Education member Maria Pereira has engaged the city’s political establishment in guerrilla warfare for years, winning her share of elections and losing a few as well. That’s the nature of the beast in Bridgeport politics if you fight the good fight long enough.
Periera’s an urban warrior who’s had her own issues with police that she’s contesting in court.
Pereira’s latest boiling point centers on a Democratic Town Committee member who was part of a slate last March that took out the Pereira-led coalition in the Upper East Side. Abraham Duque, also known as Shawn Reigns on his Facebook page, is new to city politics. He was busted more than a week ago for a DUI, something Pereira asserts has led to special treatment with the sealing of his arrest document on the state judicial website. OIB has reached out to him for comment.
He was involved in a Thanksgiving food drive at Vazzy’s Restaurant in his district. He’s also a political ally of committee member Tony Barr engaged in a running battle with Pereira. Barr, as noted in this video below wants to give Pereira, up for reelection in 2019, the boot from the school board.
Pereira issued the following post on her Facebook page and tagged about 50 followers:
CT RESIDENTS, PLEASE SHARE WIDELY!
The gentleman to the right of convicted felon Mayor Joseph Ganim is Abraham Duque who is a member of the corrupt DTC, specifically in the 138th District. He has an odd obsession with professional wrestler Shawn Reigns and uses this name as an alias which is quite odd.
On November 10th he was arrested for the following reasons:
Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol
Reckless driving
Speeding
Driving without headlightsHe was actually released on a Promise to Appear and paid no bond. Now just 11 days after his arrest, he has been granted a program which requires his arrest record to be sealed.
This indicates that Chief Perez, who is as much a part of the corrupt democratic machine as many of our elected politicians, asked the prosecutor to expedite the matter with no objection.
Would an ordinary citizen get the same treatment? I think we all know the answer to that question.
Someone shared that Abraham Duque had been arrested. I do my very best to conduct research because I believe it is important to be factual.
On Tuesday, I checkec the CT Judicial website. Sure enough, it showed he was arrested on November 10th and was facing the four charges referenced above. Oddly enough, there was no identifying descriptions regarding whether each charge was a misdemeanor or felony. It also didn”t reference whether a misdemeanor class. I can honestly say I have never seen that before and it definitely raised a red flag.
Today, I had sometime on my hands so I went back to the judicial website. Low and behold his case was listed, however when you clicked on it there was now a message the case had been “sealed”.
I contacted the prosecutor’s office who referred me to State Attorney Smirga’s office. They said they had nothing to do with it and referred me back to the Clerk’s office at Golden Hill. The red flags are flapping in the wind as I am getting the run around. However, I am incredibly persistent.
The Clerk’s office answers and explain the situation and how outrageous that someone politically could be arrested on such serious charges, likely have one court appearance, receive a program which requires the defendants criminal case/charges to be promptly sealed ALL in eleven days from arrest.
Anyone know a non-political/ not connected average citizen that can get arrested for a,DUI,,reckless endagerment, erc. and have all four matters addressed and over in eleven days?
Someone connected to the DTC called in a favor from the prosecutor. My educated guess is it was Chief Perez. Afterall, the election was over and Mario Testa didn’t need Chief Perez to pick-up any ABs.
Maria to blame AJ, the Chief of Police, for the aftermath of the “Shawn Reigns” arrest by his officers is to praise him for his officer in making the arrest and not let him go. I seen the Department use videos to show their compassionate side by pulling over vehicles and give the turkey instead of a ticket. Yet I did not see cams on the officers. To all the parties who advocate for a better police department please speak up a little louder for the implementation of the cams. Post your own video on your Facebook account in support of the cams’ implementation. It seem it is the new way to get your message out. Or here on OIB . paging NAACP, JML. PS Roman Reigns Shawn Reigns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cluuZ9NwmuU
Robert, it is likely Duque was so intoxicated when arrested that he didn’t try the old “do you know who I am”? Afterall, he was driving with no headlights on and driving recklessly.
My guess is once he got his phonecall he called someone connected to the DTC and that triggered the ultimate involvement of Chief Perez.
Being arrested for a DUI is pretty serious, yet he got out on a PTA?
More importantly, in just 11 days he went to court, negotiated a program of some sort, had all four charges ajudicated and his arrest record sealed.
Someone highly connected in the DTC called in a favor. I am sure of it.
How do you know how drunk he was, by the police report or lack of? Hmm. Show me the cam footage please, paging NAACP, JML. You are right it is your guess and you have been known to be wrong, You did support Ganim in his come back election, did not not? 🙂 I am far for a expert in criminal judicial system for I get all my knowledge from Law & Order. 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsEiwk7s3G0
“… someone politically connected…”
I apologize for all the typos, missing words and incomplete sentences. I am typing from my phone and my eyesight is definitely suffering as I age. 🙂
These two are an embarrassment to The entire COB. Please do us a favor and crawl back under the rock. SMH!
Both are extremely ignorant, and classless!
Tony Barr’s inappropriate behavior is one thing, but Firefighter Velez’ unprofessional conduct is something entirely different.
Here she is,presumbably on city time, iun her firefighter gear representing the BFD and she allows herself to be pulled in and used by Barr and Duque for a political purpose which takes the focus off the charitable community effort the BFD is taking part in.
Firefighter Velez shouldn’t have laughed and smirked. She should have immediately and professionally either excused herself and stepped out of the video or firmly stated that her sole purpose was to help raise funds and awareness for those in need and was refusing to be involved in political machinations.
We have been very supportive of our neighborhood firefighters and even organized surprise National Firefighter Day events at Thomas Hooker and Edison School to honor their service and bravery.
Few will watch that video and talk about the great work the BFD was doing on behalf of our community. Instead, most will focus on Tony Barr’s continued questionable judgement and behavior.
Sorry! It should be Firefighter Vega not Velez.
Lennie and family, Happy Thanksgiving, 2018.
Thank you for developing and maintaining ONLY IN BRIDGEPORT and the facelift procedure this year. The format is easier to read and move through. Don’t know whether readers find the content any better. I offer my address to the Council on Monday in this thread since the article does focus on news about those of influence who are treated differently from the rest of us….and that is news that is likely not profitable to the CT Post. Last Monday at City Hall:
Council Members,
sincere wishes for the holiday this week that calls forth thanks giving from each of your family members. There are 20 of you who have been elected to represent all of us out here. Were any of you surprised by the numbers of City voters who came out two weeks ago to vote? Were they getting in touch with what seemed like a national sentiment, some have called a “blue wave” wherein especially women came to the polls and used their citizen power? How many young people were voting for change that would protect all of us from gun violence? And how many overall just returned to a basic exercise of their right to vote …. in line with the 500 NAACP buttons seen around Bridgeport that said, DEFEAT HATE – VOTE!!
Is CFO Flatto keeping track of all funds due the City? Last week the CT Post reported that scrap metal delivered to the Transfer Station was a budget item, though I did not check to see if purchasing department has an agreement that gets best terms for the City. At least, some funds are recovered there and have their own line item #41666 in the monthly budget report where $11,402 was recovered in September. What Ken did not know, or understand, or bother to explore was that City crews “harvested scrap metal” in blight and perhaps other City operations. Where did those funds go? Did any one in City employ ever ask? Some thought it was for parties for employees; a sunshine fund received mention. Where is the taxpayer Sunshine Fund, City Council? Does that sound like a silly question?
Where do items purchased by the City which cannot be returned, and fail to be used, where do they go? Where is Bridgeport’s Limbo? Who is in charge? What process is followed? What is the cost to store? To whom does the person in charge report? What am I talking about?? For one thing let’s try a light show purchased late in the term of Bill Finch to show up one or more RR underpasses downtown? Was the expense $350,000 or thereabouts? Was the bill paid? Where is the value to the taxpayer? What is open, accountable, transparent or honest about such a fiscal matter?
And while we are looking at the monthly financial report and previously asked questions that get no final and definitive answer, what is ongoing at the Print Shop. (Three years ago I pointed to the fact that in the previous five years, the Print Shop reported (0) revenues and were otherwise balanced with expenses according to the reports. However, a review of Print Shop purchases showed that over $800,000 of excess expenses in the 5 years were actually spent by the City BEYOND THE MONTHLY REPORT.
To my ear, Ken Flatto never provided a conclusive answer that accounted for sufficient revenues to offset the actual $800,000 of purchases.
What Ken did was cute and quirky? For the 2017-18 budget year he created a new line item #41538 in the revenue report, suggested that $10,000 would be received and reported $6957 of revenues in the first few months, but nothing for most FY remaining months. In 2018-19 he has shown ZERO each month so far, yet I know that revenues have been paid to that office. Is Ken competent? Does Ken care? Where is the taxpayer party, Mr. Flatto?
Through the years I have questioned why progressive Labor Relations issues are never advanced for discussion or implementation? And never part of Mayoral election campaigns. Curious? Not really when the City Council president worked with Labor Relations, and “union friendly” agreements were not unusual. When Contracts Committee members attend seminars, what progressive ideas do they return with? Why do Police Department contracts limit the full cost including pension overtime for “external overtime”? Who approved that? Are there similar contract limits that continue expensive payments and earn taxpayers less value than without such limitations? Who will speak for contract committee? Will you allow taxpayers to address such matters at your next meeting specifically? What does secrecy do for us taxpayers? Increase our monthly expenses? Lower our property re-sale values? Force the mil rate to increase? Time will tell.
November 22,, 2018
Finally, I wish Linda Lee, a resident of the East End whose van was towed on June 6 and despite words from the Chief of Police on more than one occasion who oversees the tow operators and their process is at the moment still out of luck in pressing her case, feeling she has to retain an attorney, and pay a fee to be represented, to be treated justly? Where is the turkey in all of this? Who is getting the gravy? I am sure that she would be thankful if one or two other taxpayers expressed support for her. Time will tell.