Crunch Time For Campaigns

Ganim CT Post ad note
Ad note on Sunday Post.

Campaigns have unloaded their final get-out-the-vote push for Wednesday’s Democratic primary. While Mayor Bill Finch received the endorsement of the Connecticut Post’s editorial board, the Ganim campaign purchased this ad note affixed to the front page of Sunday’s paper for its Bridgeport readership.

This primary has broken records for spending, Finch’s campaign roughly $600,000, Ganim about $300,000 and Mary-Jane Foster approximately $200,000.

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94 comments

  1. Joseph P. Ganim accomplished a few things in office; keeping taxes down was not one of them, although he likes to take credit for something the state of Connecticut did. A few of the projects Bill Finch has taken credit for–Steel Point, the new high school to be constructed on the former GE property (land contaminated with industrial pollution)–were begun during Ganim’s tenure. Mr. Ganim can justifiably take credit for lowering crime, beautifying the city and a few other things.

    The fact of the matter is Joseph P. Ganim is a felon, convicted of racketeering, extortion, corruption, filing false tax returns and betraying the public trust. We believed in him and he was charging for bribes by the square foot. He did get up in front of the Shiloh Baptist Church congregation on New Year’s Day 2015 to admit he broke the law. It was an admission that came about a dozen years too late and appeared to be more than a trifle opportunistic with a mayoral race looming. Since that admission, Mr. Ganim has stuck to a milder “mistakes were made.”

    I for one have not seen or heard a sincere expression of remorse for his crimes. He was a crook, maybe still is. During his trial he took the witness stand and lied. Mr. Ganim was extremely fortunate he was not charged with perjury. He was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison, a harsh penalty, but he did lie on the witness stand. He also lost his license to practice law.

    In 2012 a three-judge panel denied Mr. Ganim’s request to restore his license, citing his lack of remorse. Two years later the Superior Court upheld the earlier decision: “The defendant’s failure to either explain, or acknowledge any responsibility for, his extensive criminal wrongdoing,” the court wrote in a 26-page ruling, “or to express remorse for that wrongdoing, was a highly relevant consideration in the particular reinstatement proceeding in the case.” In Ganim’s defense there was an appeal of his conviction wending through the federal court system. An expression of remorse would have had a negative effect in that proceeding. His appeal was turned down. Either way he should have waited on the appellate ruling before applying to be reinstated to the bar.

    The Hartford Courant, oldest and most widely circulated newspaper in the state, has taken an increasing interest in the civic and political affairs of Connecticut’s largest city. A few days ago the Courant published an editorial advising Bridgeport residents against giving Joe Ganim “a second bite at the mayoral apple.” I’m inclined to agree.

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      1. Get over yourself, Lisa. Joe Ganim is a crook. He had a chance to redeem himself and blew it. He and Bill Finch want the same job for different reasons. Finch needs it because he is incapable of holding down a private-sector job and politics is the last resort for guys like him who can’t play Biloxi. Ganim wants the job because paralegal work doesn’t pay as well as kickbacks, bribes and extortion.

        Neither of them is worthy of public office. Ganim is a crook who is unable and/or unwilling to admit to his crimes except in the most general terms. Finch is a well-documented pathological liar. Neither is fit to hold office.

        Get over it and get over yourself.

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        1. We’re entitled to our opinion! It’s our Constitutional right. But you keep posting the same shit. Over and over!!! You’re starting to sound like Finch.

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      2. Lisa Lisa Lisa, for once I have to agree with nearly every single word written by the Kid. I do not believe he left one stone unturned. Ganim is not winning and the reason he is not winning is for every single word Derek Brown wrote in his post. I am shocked you could actually believe otherwise, Lisa. It will definitely be a race between Enrique Torres and Mayor Bill Finch. I cannot wait to see the homes with six Ganim signs get rid of that sign pollution!!!

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        1. Okay Bridgeport Kid, I’ll get over myself. You’re right, I’m just little tired of reading the same-ol’ same-ol’. You appear to have a decent level of intelligence, tell us something we don’t know, there must be something positive you can say about the candidates running for mayor! We haven’t lived in a cave for the past 10 years, and it will be determined tomorrow. Stay civil!

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          1. I have really tried to find positive things to say about Joseph P. Ganim. Given he is an unrepentant felon it was impossible. So get over yourself, again.

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          2. Joe Ganim is a felon convicted of racketeering, extortion, tax fraud, corruption and violating the public trust. He had an opportunity for a second chance and he blew it. In 2012 a panel of three Superior Court judges found Ganim had not demonstrated sufficient remorse for his crimes and denied his request to reinstate his license to practice law. Two years later another Superior Court judge, The Honorable Barbara Bellis, upheld the panel’s ruling for the same reason.

            Yesterday morning an attorney working for Ganim’s campaign approached me to play a video of Ganim’s admissions of wrongdoing before the congregation at East End Tabernacle Baptist Church. “See, you were wrong,” this man said, “he did admit he broke the law.” I brought up the fact four judges had declined to reinstate Ganim’s law license because he had shown sufficient remorse. The response was “Judge Bellis is a Republican,” blah-blah-blah. The attorney also said Joe Ganim was appealing his conviction at the same time and an admission of guilt would have affected that. He lost the appeal anyway, so what difference does it make now? He lost the appeal of his conviction and was denied his law license for a second time. Nothing more to lose and everything to gain by making a frank and detailed expression of remorse for the crimes he committed against the people of the city of Bridgeport. At this point the only possible explanation is he is unwilling or incapable of admitting he did evil things.

            Say what you want about Judge Bellis. As a jurist she is tough but fair; politics do not factor into her opinions and rulings. No one squawked two years ago after Judge Bellis removed Paul Vallas as Superintendent of Schools. (No one but Bill Finch, who was trying to unlawfully assume control of the Board Of Education at the time–Vallas was his yes-man.) No one squawked a few days later when, as a member of a three-judge panel, Judge Bellis soundly rejected Joe Ganim’s request to have his law license reinstated, saying it would have set a bad precedent. No one complained after Judge Bellis closed down the notorious L & A Social Club on Stratford Avenue, a haven for drugs and prostitution and the scene of more than a few gunfights. No one complained when she found the Democratic Registrar of Voters acted illegally four years ago when she tried to exclude Mary-Jane Foster’s ticket from that year’s Democratic primary ballot. No one squawked when she upheld the earlier ruling denying Joe Ganim the right to practice law.

            Joseph P. Ganim solicited bribes charging by the square foot. He also took cases of expensive French wine, had his driveway resurfaced, ordered custom-tailored shirts, stayed in upscale four-star Manhattan hotels and ate in upscale steak houses like Morton’s and Joseph’s, all on the dime of developers who wanted to curry favor with Hizzoner. He was caught on a wire, brought to court, convicted and sent to prison for seven years.

            This year he reappeared. It was as if he were a debutante coming out. “Mistakes were made,” he told the congregation of East End Tabernacle Baptist Church on New Year’s Day, “I broke the law.” It is unrealistic to expect a vague recognition of an unspecified criminal act to convince the people of the city of Bridgeport to forgive a man who set the city back financially, psychologically and emotionally. In many ways the city of Bridgeport is still recovering from the greed and avarice of this unrepentant crook.

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        2. Steve, who knows who will be right tomorrow? We’ll know when the polls close and the numbers are tallied. I don’t know about you, but this is old and as you say, “boring/yawn.” I didn’t question his post, I just believe enough is enough. I’d rather hear your food reviews, at least they’re always different and sometimes appealing.

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          1. This is a political blog, Lisa. Not the Food Network. If you don’t like hearing Joe Ganim is a crook then don’t read my posts.

            Joe Ganim is a crook, not the folk hero you imagine him to be.

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          2. Bridgeport Kid, you will have to be put on “suicide watch” if Ganim wins. Calm down, it’s only an election. There will be another one immediately following the result of this one. Have a hot cup of tea, grab a good book, watch a good movie, and wait until tomorrow. Be a good boy!

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          3. He’s not going to win, Lisa. Latest poll numbers show Bill Finch with a comfortable lead. Steven Auerbach is pissing his pants.

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          4. Okay Lisa, here is one for you. Catering to my brother, the family spent the second night of Rosh Hashana meeting halfway in Westport. The Blue Lemon Restaurant was excellent. I had an amazing Onion Soup, mussels in garlic sauce and a really delicious rack of lamb with grilled asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes. The food was really quite superb and I highly recommend them. Tonight however, excellent leftovers from the real feast my 87-year-old mother prepared for Sunday evening. Happy? 🙂 The Blue Lemon Restaurant. By the way, everyone else had Dover Sole, which was mouthwatering. The prices a bit jaw-dropping! You have been warned. Excellent food!

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      3. Yes Bridgeport Kid, we all know what he did. So get over it! The good outweighs the bad. Once Ganim gets in he will prove himself again and again he is the best mayor Bpt has ever had.

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        1. Advanced Therapy, you are one sorry asshole. Good thing you are incognito. Ganim supporters: only deaf, dumb and blind individuals would give him a second shot after 11 years in office and seven years in prison. What a laughing stock the city of Bridgeport would become. Every outsider of this city is just scratching their head that Ganim could even be considered an option. On behalf of the Finch reelection team we would like to thank you for being a negative disgruntled city employee getting paid by the taxpayer but not doing a damn thing to help Joe Ganim but sit on your fat ass and bitch! Too bad you didn’t take your show on the road, how could you possibly talk to voters???

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        2. Get over it? You need to be vaccinated against the Kool-Aid Joe’s been serving. The man is simply not worthy of trust. The voters today are choosing the lesser of two evils. Finch is merely a pathological liar; Joe Ganim is a convicted criminal. I’ll take the liar.

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  2. The election is over on Wednesday.

    I am proud of the Finch administration and all their endorsements.

    The Ganim sticky on the front page of the Connecticut Post was brilliant. Anyone who doesn’t think so is a fool.

    However, the Ganim signs trashing public properties as well as six signs on private properties is a sign of serious desperation. Voters are repulsed these signs litter the neighborhood and he has no support here.

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    1. Steve, I will give you my sincere credit. You remained consistent, I believe you believe in your choice of candidate, and we’ll all know who the people’s choice is on Wednesday evening. I can’t believe despite that, we all go on until November. I guess my friend Andy is right.

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      1. Lisa, some people will financially be incapable to go on after Wednesday night. I think the days of Champagne flowing down just like rain will be over for Ganim. He will lose and the money has dried up.

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          1. Okay, but if you are right, I’m going to start calling you for predictions. So after this is over, I would like your number. LOL.

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  3. Has anyone noticed the former New Britain Rock Cats are trying to lure an Atlantic League team to take over now that the Cats have moved to Hartford? Big money on the Bluefish going bye-bye. Can’t blame them. Finch has put no money into the stadium. Not even a fresh coat of paint.

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    1. The November election is going to come down to Rick Torres versus Joe Ganim or Bill Finch. As the latter two are less-than-desirable characters (one is a shameless crook, the other a shameless liar) the choice will be a no-brainer.

      Mary-Jane Foster has been campaigning as if she is not really interested in winning. The only other explanation for her lackluster approach–she is out of her depth–doesn’t rub. Ms. Foster is far too intelligent to have not learned Bridgeport rules of political etiquette.

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          1. You know it’s okay to disagree with Lisa but she doesn’t deserve to be called names because she is always polite and on point even if you don’t agree.

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      1. It is unfortunate, but Phantom is correct. The biggest difference between BPT and its successful neighbors, they are run by Republicans. The sad truth is whoever wins the primary will be the next mayor. Foster would have been a good choice but she did not come out with both guns blazing. A real pity. This left people to choose between the better of Finch and Ganim.

        If all three also run in the election, the Dem vote may be diluted between them enough for Torres to place, but winning will be tough.

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    1. Hey donj, here’s my take as a former Caruso and MJF supporter: For better or worse, MJF cannot win.

      Ganim has already severely damaged the city in ways known to all and no honest developer or state/federal elected official will do business with Bpt with him as mayor. Further, some of the tactics he has used during this campaign, such as sending armed off-duty cops (goons) to a DTC member’s home to “persuade” him to change his vote indicate the new Joe Ganim may not be all that different from the old Joe Ganim. Therefore he should not win.

      That leaves Mayor Finch. Do I agree with everything he has done in the last eight years? Of course not. But he has gotten the city moving in the right direction and I honestly believe he is the best person running. He is also the only person who will beat Joe Ganim.

      donj, you always put a lot of serious thought into whom you vote for. I believe if you do so again, you will vote for Bill Finch.

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  4. Could the 10-minute video of Joe Ganim at a Central Avenue complex while absentee ballots are delivered put him back in jail? This does not look good, not good at all!!!

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    1. Joe Ganim is not that smart. He let false pride get in the way of a full and frank expression of remorse.

      I am inclined to believe, given the opportunity, Joe Ganim would revert to the behavior that landed him in prison.

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    1. Come Back Bridgeport,
      I’m not complaining about the candidates, I am talking about two old friends John from Black Rock and Walsh going at it and Bridgeport Kid spewing crap at Ms. Parziale and of course Auerbach fighting with anyone and everyone who has a different opinion than his, at least Maria Pereira seems to have toned it down finally.
      Debating is one thing but the insults and nastiness makes reading the comments harder to do each day.

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          1. Today the part of Steve will be played by me! Short version, Maria wrote an article with one of Finch’s kids photographed in a charter school uniform, Lennie refused to publish the article due to not dragging candidates’ children into the fray, suggesting Maria post comments instead. Maria was not happy and announced she is OUT of OIB. At least that is what I understood from the posts on OIB. Wish I could remember which headline it was posted under.

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          2. Jennifer, clarification. Maria Pereira demanded I write a story based on what you mentioned. I declined. I suggested she compose her own observation as a comment. She was not satisfied with my suggestion.

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          3. Maria is working her “little butt” off for Joe. She is his “number-one fan.” The best is yet to come with that!

            Kathy Bates, Misery, Joe was warned! By me no less! 🙂

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          1. Advanced Therapy, are you smelling defeat? Is it painful for you? I am certain you will support Finch tomorrow evening because you believe in Bridgeport’s future. Oh, who am I kidding, Ganim losers are selfish, self-centered and most live in Shelton and Easton. Advanced Therapy, how helpless do you feel that you cannot even contribute a vote? I understand and you will get over this. It is only an election. So Ganim will find a new career. It does happen to the best of us. It could happen to you. You hate the administration, you hate your job. You are like a cancer and bad for the morale of the people in City Hall. How you are still there is beyond me.

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  5. BOE SPY, ever notice when you throw facts out instead of hyperbole this blog grows silent? You’re absolutely correct about all the successful surrounding towns being run by Republicans. I work in Shelton and every day I’m reminded what Bridgeport could have been. New businesses, skilled labor jobs, professional jobs. I see Scinto Towers and remember they could have been on Steelpointe property, all of them. Beautiful buildings with marble and fountains in the lobbies. But Scinto wouldn’t play Ganim’s “pay to play” game so he took his vision to Shelton. So here we go again, let’s pull a regurgitated Democrat politician off the scrap heap to become our savior.

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  6. The truth everybody, the latest Joe Ganim commercial on Channel 12 is so depressing. It looks like the days he was the Mayor when there was no Steelpointe, no new housing on Stratford Ave. No new schools or parks, no downtown excitement, no packed Thursday nights downtown. Who in hell is his audience? Idiots? Honestly, as if the reputation of this city isn’t tainted just by the very audaciousness of Ganim’s candidacy. Now, he is trying to negate all the positive PR the Finch administration has attempted to help improve the image of Bridgeport. Ganim’s commercial actually looks like what Bridgeport will look like when developers leave and the city implodes.

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    1. Ganim went to prison because he is a crook. Lisa Parziale and the rest of his supporters here think he is some sort of folk hero, like Robin Hood or Salvatore Giuliano. Nothing could be further from the truth. The only difference between Joseph Ganim and John Dillinger is Dillinger used a machine gun to rob.

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  7. Quentin: Shelton is as corrupt as Bridgeport–maybe more-so–but it is a white suburb, hasn’t been red-lined, poses no serious competition for the affordable Bridgeport labor pool, and so has been allowed to prosper.

    And to his credit, the frequent subject of FBI corruption investigations, Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti, is a smart administrator and businessman (and has bought all of the right friends in high places–so he has avoided arrest and conviction for various corruption accusations by the FBI), and because of him, Shelton has prospered–DESPITE THE WELL-KNOWN FACT OF THAT TOWN’S CORRUPTION.

    IT’S A LOT EASIER FOR A TOWN TO PROSPER WHEN IT IS A WHITE SUBURB, EVEN IF IT IS CORRUPT. IT ISN’T ABOUT THE CORRUPTION, IT’S ABOUT THE COLOR OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE RED-LINING AND EXPLOITATION.

    WHEN THE PEOPLE OF BRIDGEPORT START VOTING IN THEIR INTEREST AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, WE’LL BE PROSPEROUS TOO, NO MATTER WHO IS MAYOR, BUT IT WILL HELP IF WE HAVE A TOUGH MAYOR WHO IS WORKING FOR US AND NOT OUR DOWN-COUNTY OVERSEERS (e.g. Bill Finch, Dan Malloy, et al.).

    JOE GANIM IS THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE WITH THAT KIND OF TOUGHNESS AND RESOLVE, AND HE’S NOW BEYOND MARK LAURETTI’S STAGE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, SO HE’LL BE AN HONEST BROKER FOR US ON ALL LEVELS.

    VOTE BRIDGEPORT! VOTE GANIM!

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    1. Surely you jest! You can’t possibly be gullible enough to think Ganim should be re-elected. His past performance should speak volumes. Why is he even a consideration?

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    2. Joe Ganim is barely a blip in the North End. There are a few houses with 10 signs and many on public property. They know there is no hope. We have learned our lesson. He is a nice person but never again to be a mayor. The betrayal of the public trust. Lied under oath. Barely apologizing. Could you imagine if he tried to find support in his church? They would have stoned him!

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  8. People keep saying Joe Ganim was convicted, convicted, convicted. WE KNOW.

    How about the idea FINCH is most likely doing the SAME EXACT THING??? Because he didn’t get caught yet he’s better? I mean come on. With the tax breaks he’s giving all these new developments and everything else, he has to be filling his pockets.

    IF HE’S NOT, then shame on me, but I truly believe Finch is as corrupt as much as Joe Ganim was made out to be if not more!

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  9. Bpt Punisher–if you really believe Finch is doing what Ganim did, you really need a reality check. Have you anything to substantiate your comment or are you just making it up as you go along?

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    1. Godiva, you will notice if you go back over the past few months, nearly every Ganim supporter, those who are not afraid to use their names as well as the cowards who insult while incognito, have all used the same blurb. They are both the same but Finch has not been caught yet. That is wrong on so many levels. It is acceptance of Ganim’s scandals, and they are very comfortable with them!

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  10. So we’ve come to tomorrow. Ganim the convicted felon, who’s hand-out manner of conducting the City’s business prompted untold millions of tax-base additions to leapfrog Bpt and settle in Shelton, etc., or Finch, not the convicted liar as is Ganim, but seriously troubled by the truth and fired from at least 6 private-sector jobs before salvaging his failed life by joining other failures at the public trough in the early ’90s (hired by then-mayor Ganim without much of a background check), has raised taxes five times in his seven-plus years as Mayor and has the balls to claim in a recent mailer he “held the line on taxes,” or Mary-Jane Foster, with 40 years of success in the private sector, 25 years as an active community volunteer, has never had any difficulty telling the truth, is extra-smart, highly energetic, knows how to get things done, is a V.P. at the University of Bpt (that Finch slandered a “criminal enterprise” a couple of years ago, co-founded the Bluefish, has 40 years of success in the private sector, is not a career machine politician, lives in Bpt even when she’s not running for mayor, is an att’y with a license to practice law, and is in fact honest. Any questions?

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    1. Come Back Bridgeport, it is just so painfully amazing to me! The reason why you will suffer a terrible defeat tomorrow is simply because you deserve it and I deserve a lobster dinner. You give Ganim a one-liner as a convicted felon and you go on and on about Finch. Ganim has always been your barrier. You have failed to address that! There are so many great projects in the works like never before and you are still talking about Bill getting fired from jobs? Really? Everywhere you look Bridgeport is bustling with energy and you are still giving Ganim a pass. Well we will see the votes Ganim has tomorrow. I expect a Finch landslide. But every vote Ganim has, you can imagine they should have been yours, the police endorsement, Ganim’s only endorsement seems impressive to your candidate. Mayor Finch has every endorsement a mayor could want. He is doing a tremendous job and the Foster campaign has never addressed Joe Ganim.and Joe Ganim treated Foster like a non-entity. I guess things will be the way they were meant to be.

      Good luck to everyone as the polls open in 5-1/2 hours.

      The best of luck to Mayor Bill Finch.

      Btw, Kuchma’s latest Downtown project announced in Tuesday’s Connecticut Post looks spectacular. I think Phil Kuchma has been one of the most important players in bringing life to Downtown Bridgeport. People love living downtown and it is all happening during the Finch administration. Got to give some credit to John Fabrizi for City Trust Apartments.

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  11. Let me add a p.s.–MJF is the only candidate with the public support of Bridgeport’s two state senators, who know something about Finch’s competence. And, she’s one of two candidates who blessedly do not have Steve Auerbach’s support.

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    1. Come Back Bridgeport–I am no fan of Marilyn Moore or Ed Gomes. Your greatest misfortune as well as Joe Ganim’s is they did not have my support. I will never say I told you so, but I did. Very sad but true. That’s what friends do! Tell the truth!

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  12. Jeff, you’re always playing the victim! It’s always someone else’s fault, it’s the city the state, the federal government. When are Bridgeport Democrats going to take responsibility for the current state of affairs? You guys have been at it for 30-plus years now. We have become a beggar city always waiting for the next handout. The last time I checked ,the city, state and federal governments are all run by Democrats.

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    1. Does Ganim living the life in a beautiful Easton community with very few minorities if any speak volumes about the man with two very distinct personas??? His supporters are deaf, dumb and blind.

      Jeff can you see me, Jeff can you hear me?

      See me, feel me, touch me, heal me … Jeff, Jeff.

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  13. I know Steve, it’s amazing, isn’t it? The so-called savior for Bridgeport lives in little suburban compound in Easton and when he realizes he needs a job all of a sudden Bridgeport is home again.

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