Get ready for the cannon fire. This mayoral race might require more ammo than all the arms and munitions buried on the grounds of the old Remington site.
Mayor Bill Finch’s Communication Director Brett Broesder is easygoing on the surface, but underneath rhetorical guns ablaze in a chivalrous defense of his boss against the expected candidacy of former Mayor Joe Ganim. Here’s a small taste for what’s on the heated horizon from Broesder, dubbed “the ministry of public enlightenment” by former City Councilman Tom White.
“It must be hard for Joe Ganim to watch an administration that is succeeding by creating jobs and making smart and sound investments in the future. Let’s be clear about who Joe Ganim really is: He’s a corrupt politician who ran a nearly $1 million criminal, pay-to-play scheme out of the Bridgeport mayor’s office.
“We’re all for second chances in life. But a corrupt politician shouldn’t be allowed to pick the pockets of taxpayers again. It’s common sense.”
More here.
There would be no run for Mayor for Joe Ganim or anyone else if Finch were half decent. He has shown no leadership, no real progress and no concern for the quality of life of the people of Bridgeport. He’s failed on education, job growth, taxes and the list goes on. He and his paid staff of vipers think somehow the dishonesty and vindictiveness with which they rule has gained them high moral ground. They live in the same sinkhole as Ganim.
Bill Finch’s Communication Director Brett Broesder is being paid by us to be the mayor’s spokesman and he issues crap like this. First off, we pay a spokesman because Finch can’t answer questions about what is going on. I am really not a fan of Joe Ganim but he does have the right to seek political office. Mr. Ganim’s name is in the forefront because we really have no other candidates of quality running.
Mr. Broeder, please tell me the number of jobs this administration has created. Please don’t count the temporary construction jobs brought in for the new schools.
Mr. Broeder, you people don’t want Joe Ganim running because he is a felon but truth be told he could beat Finch.
Here is the big one, you people are going after Ganim, a man who served his time yet you allow a big-time poker player who at various times has owed a lot of money. He borrowed $25k from a friend of the administration and lo and behold this same benefactor gets a do-nothing big-salaried job. There is more on this city official like blackmail. Who pays the bar tabs for the high and mighty at city hall?
Andy–does a Royal Flush beat a Full House?
Depends on who is holding the cards.
Brett Boaster better get his Flak Jacket on because his guy is a Nuclear Reactor. Bombs Away!!!
I think they live in a stink hole!
Funny. Bill Finch is a corrupt politician running a MULTI-million dollar criminal, pay-to-play scheme out of the Bridgeport mayor’s office. Ask Manny, Tiago, Eaton, Stafstrom, DiNardo, Leichtman, etc. etc.
Brett Broesder may come to realize his real bosses, the people who are actually paying his compensation and benefits, are the Bridgeport taxpayers. Is that a possibility?
We can figure what Adam Wood has told him, or what he experiences in his contacts with the Mayor and other administration officials, however he should be aware the citizenry may be waking up and as they do, they may find the guy who signs his checks has corrupted the governance process and failed to pay any price for that serious damage.
Brett, have you read the Charter (as background for a Communications specialist)? Do you see any places where this administration has failed to communicate with the people about MONEY? Look at capital budget hearings. Look to simplified and regular including FINAL JUNE monthly reports. Any Communication problems? How about those ANNUAL PURCHASING REPORTS AND TRIENNIAL PURCHASE AUDITS?
When you fail to communicate honestly and as the Charter dictates for so many years with the taxpayer, you create your own picking of more than pockets. Residential 2008 values go down, but taxes rise. Wealth decreases and demands on your income increase. How do you polish that? Time will tell.
I am undecided on this race but what nobody is talking about is how crime is down in Bridgeport. Finch should get credit for that. At the same time I hear older people in my family saying when they came to this country in the late ’80s Bridgeport was bad and how Ganim won and really cleaned up the city. Most likely they will vote for Ganim even though they voted for Finch twice. As for me I’m undecided, we will make news if we put a convicted felon like Ganim in office but if he is going to do a better job than finch and lower taxes I will vote for him. Hard decision.
donj, where are your parents from? Thanks.
Jamaica
donj, thanks. Have you ever lived there?
donj,
Crime statistics may be down currently and no one will object to that. And no one will be surprised if and when Finch takes credit for this.
However, sometimes crime statistics for a city or region are reflecting overall national trends (over which Finch has had no control). Or it may be the cohort of young men or women has decreased in size and therefore the total number of events drops while the % of actions may remain level or actually increase.
And then you have to ask yourself how Finch has allowed the public safety fire and police groups to get to such understaffing it is now used as a reason for why OVERTIME expense has exceeded that budgeted for the past four years. I know you are steadily learning, and I am just pointing out areas to search in order to come to a good conclusion about what is going on. Let us know what you learn. Time will tell.
I am not certain which is worse, Brett Broesder making a perfectly factual comment, all city hall workers working on Joe Ganim’s campaign during working hours while Moran was in office or GANIM’S supporters MAKING LIKE Mayor Finch is remotely like Ganim. It is laughable actually. Honest to G-d it is beyond laughable. I would however refrain from making comments against Ganim while working for the city as opposed to taking a leave of absence to working on a Finch campaign. It seems unnecessary to attack Ganim from the Mayor’s office especially since he has not formally announced his candidacy.
The same or similar sentiment was expressed to me many years ago by Mario Testa. As I have told this story before here on OIB, in 1995 I was determined to run for City Council in the 13ist district. For some strange reason I was told I had to meet with Democratic Party Chairman Mario Testa to discuss the matter. Mario Testa didn’t start right out with his main concern and indirectly pointed out my convictions. He then stated folks were concerned with my finger-chopping act and considered me a loose cannon–they were right about that–he would not mention anyone especially from my Town Committee where I held a seat. I made it clear to Mario Testa I did not go there to get his blessing or approval and I was going to run with or without the endorsement. I also told him the difference between me and many others is they haven’t gotten caught yet. I got the endorsement, ran three times and won. The 131st has never seen a city councilmen of my caliber (nine-finger meter) ’til this day. I with the support of Mayor Joseph P. Ganim turned around the most important district and most dilapidated district in a short six years–something the former councilwoman Mary L. Bruce could not or would not do. She was a 16-year incumbent who by the way had threatened me with telling everybody about my past if I dared to run against her. That’s all I needed to hear to make up my mind and challenge her. If Joe Ganim runs for mayor, happens to win and is convicted again, I will never run for office, resign my office if I hold any and/or quit my job with the City of Bridgeport immediately upon his (Joe Ganim) arrest. I dare any Bill Finch appointee, elected official supporter of Finch, city employee supporting Finch, any DTC supporter of Finch, to make this same commitment or pledge.
How long will Finch’s overpaid carpetbaggers continue to spew hatred, telling the same script over and over? Don’t they realize just about everyone is aware of that period in time? I don’t judge, I know if the curtain were pulled on the lives of all of us, there would be unfortunate situations, affecting us directly or indirectly. You will never see the pure white driven snow, or angels playing harps; if you do, please let me know because I would have to address that mortal as God. Joe made mistakes, he paid dearly. Dave Walker indicated in one of his posts that although Joe Ganim apologized, he does not believe it is true redemption. Dave, please tell me the secret you possess that makes it possible for you to see into the heart of another person? I’m serious, it would make my life easier. I paraphrase a post from Andy Fardy, “how many didn’t get caught, and how many are still breaking the law, but haven’t been caught, YET!” I served with five administrations, starting with Paoletta to John Fabrizi. Joe Ganim was a good, competent Mayor. He made a mistake, but please stop already with the mantra “He shouldn’t be allowed to run for public office.” Jim Fox is an individual who believes in research and history. I believe he posted the many purposes of the 14th Amendment.
If Joe Ganim announces he will run for the office of mayor, I will support his efforts. Why doesn’t everyone calm down and let the voters decide who the mayor will be? My life doesn’t change regardless of who will be mayor, but my experience and choice must be with the person I believe has the experience, knowledge and commitment to Bridgeport. Let’s get past what happened.
Don’t define Joe Ganim only because he wrongly broke the law; he knows that, and is sorry and lives with regrets. Most of the people who post on this blog, while admitting Joe’s actions were wrong, have peppered their opinions with some amount of kindness. So remember the curtain, and Dave Walker please share your unearthly gift with us.
Public Relations 101: Don’t build your opponent by addressing how inappropriate, unimportant, or criminal he/she is.
Yeesh!
Brett B. You get a D- for professional skills.
Bill F. You get an F for keeping Brett B. in his position. But oh yeah, Bill F. doesn’t have much say here because Brett’s a charter-school-lobby hack he had to hire to continue to support a lucrative donor base.
I know Joe Ganim better than a lot of people. He is a smart man but has one shortcoming well maybe two short omings. 1. He relies too heavily on his dad’s opinion and 2. His aides gave him a lot of bad advise and may have given the government information that got him in trouble, not all he pleaded to but some of it. These are the same advisers who offered me five years of free golf and five years for a free cart if I voted their way. I said no and told the Feds. A little while later out of the blue they awarded the golf course lease to the company both said was the worst of all the bidders.
If JOE IS GOING TO RUN HE NEEDS HONEST ADVISERS LIKE JML, TOM WHITE, PETER SPAIN AND A FEW OTHERS. If he does not rid himself of the hangers-on and put smart honest people in place, he will go back to jail.
Technology and the introduction to citywide community policing by Chief Thomas Sweeney are the two reasons why crime is down here–and everywhere else in the US.
Cell phones with video-photography capabilities, merchant and other business cameras everywhere, and willingness of ordinary citizens to use technology and to work with the police are the biggest part of the low-crime numbers.
Of course, the police–the men and women who are on patrol and chase and catch the bad guys, at great risk–should get a large measure of credit for their commitment and professionalism (most of the time) too.
But in addition to technology, community policing and greater police professionalism, crime is also down because of some deliberate under-reporting and statistics fudging. So while things are certainly better than they were several years ago, things aren’t quite as good as they might seem. So keep your doors locked and alarm on at night!
I still say he looks like Arnold Horshack from Welcome Back, Kotter.