Calling Mayor Bill Finch’s Monday morning gun violence roundtable with U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal “political theater,” former Mayor Joe Ganim asserts Finch should stop “engaging in PR stunts and take specific steps to improve public safety in Trumbull Gardens and throughout the rest of Bridgeport.” Finch’s campaign manager responded that Ganim is politicizing a tragedy.
Ganim, in a news release, says he’s had regular meetings with residents of the housing project, including Monday afternoon, following the shooting three weeks ago that wounded eight and killed a man. He issued this statement:
“Trumbull Garden residents are asking me two things: Where is Mayor Finch’s plan to increase public safety? Why hasn’t Mayor Finch acted? The only thing Mayor Finch has done is to call for tougher gun laws and a gun buy-back program–steps which provide no immediate help for Trumbull Gardens. Yet, Mayor Finch has inexplicably failed to take immediate steps he could take to improve public safety. The question everyone should be asking Mayor Finch–why has he failed to act?”
Shortly after the shootings, Ganim recommended expansion of foot patrols, moving the Bridgeport Police Command Center to Trumbull Gardens, transferring city funds for additional youth summer programs and introducing community policing in the neighborhood.
Monday afternoon Ganim says he met with Trumbull Gardens shooting victims including a woman who was in her bathroom hit from the spray of bullets as well as a man shot in the leg.
Finch’s Campaign Manager Maryli Secrest issued this statement:
“Joe Ganim is a criminal. As mayor, Joe Ganim was convicted of sixteen felony charges and spent seven years in jail for systematically steering city contracts to friends in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. Ganim did not pay his taxes, encouraged his inner circle to exaggerate expenses billed to the city, and had them leave cash for him in hidden envelopes. It’s disappointing that some are trying to politicize a tragedy, but despite setbacks the mayor is proud of his record on crime and will continue to work with the community, police, and elected officials to ensure that everyone in Bridgeport can live in a safe community.”
Finch, Blumenthal and Police Chief Joe Gaudett conducted a community discussion today at the Burroughs Community Center about cracking down on illegal firearms.
“We can and must do more to stem the tide of illegal guns that end up on our streets and in the hands of criminals,” said Finch in a city news release.
Finch’s gun buyback program has helped take more than 1,000 guns off the streets, according to his city spokesman Brett Broesder.
“We need to address that issue of illegal guns in communities across the state and country,” said Gaudett. “Crime in Bridgeport continues to go down. But illegal gun use remains a problem. We continue working with the community and leaders at all levels of government to find ways to strengthen our gun laws and get illegal guns off our streets.”
I am not a supporter of Joe Ganim but I am pissed at the person who issued this statement. Finch’s Campaign Manager Maryli Secrest issued this statement:
“Joe Ganim is a criminal”
Now Lennie, you chastised me for calling her a bitch in previous posts. I can tell you she is an unprincipled BITCH. Every time she makes a statement, it’s that Joe Ganim is a criminal. Maybe Joe Ganim should start referring to Finch as a drunk barroom fighter. Or maybe as a man who could not hold a job. I think the comments by this women are nasty and she has no class.
Andy,
Didn’t someone suggest she may be merely ‘channeling’ the concepts of Mayor Finch’s City advisers? Could it be she is a nice person, like many City employees and Department heads, only trying to earn a living in her chosen ‘profession’ and wants to hold onto it? So the nastiness or classlessness may be merely a pass-through from a City employee who can’t stand up on his own and say this to the public? They are a sad crew at this moment and if they were in a submarine in this critical situation, will money save them? Or how would you write their story? Time will tell.
John,
She is not a city employee. She works for the campaign. She was hired to do just this and knew exactly what she was getting into.
Bob, please re-read. Where did I say she is a city employee? I see many city employees who are nice people who are forced on pain of loss of job or other penalty to do the dirty work of management. So when I said “like many City employees” I was comparing the state of mind one enters when you begin working for the Wood-Nunn team.
So those of you must know her to be so sure her character naturally suits her for the work in which she is engaged at this time? Sad, but time will tell.
Have you ever heard the term “data driven?” Used in private business activity for years, it guided decisions as to future moves that seemed possible and practical to gain profits or perhaps necessary to avoid expenses or unnecessary risks. With the expansion of the internet and the variety of communication tools available today for communication, data management has been present in the not-for-profit and governance worlds as well. Almost everyone can see how the healthcare systems are gathering data of many kinds, trying to assure it is correct and complete and protecting the client.
If public safety is truly assisted by gun buyback programs, where does Mayor Finch or Chief Gaudett track that activity? Take a look at the 2015-16 General Fund Budget book, page 125 where the Police Department posts its Service Indicators. Notice that no estimate was made for the four indicators that top the list. Wonder how that can be in the face of PR pronouncements preparatory for re-election? See any gun buyback data? None shown.
Do you ever look at these system indicators? Do you think they mean anything to anybody? Are they used to communicate to the public? Are they worthy of public trust? Was a gun buyback program contemplated in the department Goals for this year? Was it even mentioned in past years as a goal or a success? What do you think about “data driven” management at this moment? Time will tell.
John, just a few things. Maryli Secrest is Finch’s campaign manager and things that are said by the campaign are under her name. I am sure Nunn and Wood have 95% input into the crap they write about. This person is not a city employee.
John, there is never an excuse for “So the nastiness or classlessness may be merely a pass-through from a City employee who can’t stand up on his own and say this to the public?”
John, the gun buyback is the result of the shooting at TG and nothing more. It has been three weeks and nothing has been said by the police department to keep the residents informed. Do you think the PD feels after enough time goes by no one will care who or how many were shot? It’s sad how the black community has said nothing.
Mayberry or Bridgeport?
Mayor Joe Ganim hit this one out of the park again, when he said this was just another dog and pony show for Finch and Chief Gaudett.
As far as I was concerned I felt no safer today than I did the days following the shooting at Trumbull Gardens.
It was like I was watching something out of Mayberry RFD and the flucking Twilight Zone at the same time!
Mayor Pike (Bill Finch), with Chief Gaudett not playing the part of Sheriff Andy Taylor, but Barney Fife!
I was waiting for Barney (Chief Gaudett) to pull his single bullet out of his top shirt pocket to show everyone! At least that would have been interesting instead of acting like he had lockjaw though the whole flucking meeting!
Police Chief Gaudett’s first words out of his mouth was he was here to learn! Not to lead, folks!
Sen. Blumenthal looked like he just missed a photo op or his first cup of coffee, or his second jelly donut.
Jim Himes was a fat no-show, along with Chris Murphy too bad they couldn’t send someone from their respective offices.
What came out of this round table meeting was an administration with a lack of leadership or balls to keep this city safe for all its citizen!
Finch’s buyback program for grandpop’s old 12ga. shotgun was the best these Mayberrians can come up with. No one on the round table wanted to talk about summer jobs for our kids or maybe a day camp. How about a mobile police station for Trumbull Gardens like Joe Ganim wants or a moratorium on gun and ammo within the city limits?
The only ones missing on the Finch team were Opie Himes and Opie Murphy, flucking Aunt Bea (Secrest), Gomer (Woody), and Otis Campbell (Nunn).
The retired bad guys are the only ones on this roundtable who made any sense out of this meeting!
It’s going to be a long hot summer, folks!
Finch is being handled. Maryli Secrest is doing what she is paid to do: make Finch look as good as possible. It’s obvious the Finch campaign views Joe Ganim as the most serious threat to another term.
Andy, you’re right. I say “it’s going to backfire, BITCH!” That felt good. Len, don’t chastise me, I wish I could take that bitch on!
Bill Finch should not hide behind comments made by Secrest and others on his team, the voters can see through the charade. How many times do they have to be reminded of Joe Ganim’s past? I think it insults the ability of voters to decide who they want to vote for. Everyone knows Joe’s past. Stick to the issues.
*** Don’t they all engage in political P/R stunts sooner or later? And reminding voters Ganim is a past ex-criminal is a little bit late, no? What’s the candidate’s political platform for the betterment of the Park City and how do they intend to get there if elected Mayor? Mary-Jane’s been a bit too quiet lately, Joe’s reliving past Mayoral city achievements too much and Wild Bill keeps smiling and making big future promises on the backs of taxpayers and city employees; and what are the Republicans saying, if anything? *** Forgetaboutit ***
Well said, Mojo. I too am disappointed in the lack of policy information coming from the Foster campaign.
Mojo and flub–I think you have some catching up to do. MJF has been all over this and many other pressing, important issues. Here are some links to this very same blog for your easy reference:
a target=”_blank” href=”http://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/foster-calls-for-increased-video-presence-at-trumbull-gardens/”>onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/foster-calls-for-increased-video-presence-at-trumbull-gardens/
a target=”_blank” href=”http://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/foster-community-policing-bring-in-state-and-feds-youth-activites/”>onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/foster-community-policing-bring-in-state-and-feds-youth-activites/
Andy, you are right about what is happening with the investigation. Initially it was believed to involve people from Norwalk. And we have heard nothing about that.
It is obvious the undermanned Bridgeport Police Department cannot handle this investigation.
But of course Finch can’t say anything about that since he and Gaudett created that problem.
Bring in the State Police Major investigation squad. Maybe they can get something done.
A basic propaganda approach is being used here. Repeat a statement over and over and eventually it will resonate with people.
‘Bridgeport better every day’
‘Joe Ganim is a criminal’
But Tom, Joe Ganim IS a criminal.
Lisa you can, I will videotape it and maybe it will go viral.
Steve, do you think she’d agree to duel?
Lisa, I was thinking more like mud wrestling!
Okay, I’ll send her an email. But remember, you have to video it.
But Tom, Bridgeport is getting better every day.
I hope they continue to use this strategy. I think it will offend many.
I wish Finch would have responded with some solid plans to improve public safety at TG, instead he makes his campaign manager put out the same response over and over again, this tells me he has no plans to help these people.
Ms. Secrest, tell us something new. “Joe Ganim is a criminal. He did this he did that.” Why don’t you and Finch stick to the issues at hand?
Chief Gaudett stated “Crime in Bridgeport continues to go down …” You are as much of a liar as Finch. Go tell that lie to the people who are getting robbed, assaulted, cars stolen in our city every day. Why don’t you put the real numbers out? More people were shot in 2013 than 2014. Luckily enough fewer people died. So far we have more homicides than last year. “Bridgeport is getting better every day”. Lol.
This is Ganim’s problem. He does not like people being reminded of his criminal past but that is not going to stop Bill Finch from doing so. And obviously Bill Finch does not have a problem with constantly reminding the voters of this.
Bob Walsh, good, bad or otherwise, Ganim is being talked about. Finch and Ganim are pretty much just sparring with each other. The Mayor could just not even give Ganim any credence. Is anyone else running? Joe Ganim is definitely taking advantage of the grief residents are experiencing. They represent votes. Mayor Finch is running a city. He is addressing the issue, Ganim is running for Mayor and he can film vigils and instigate in Trumbull Gardens, but it would be wise to focus on the entire city. If you are looking to corner the minority market you are alienating a huge city of over 144,000 people.
I cannot wait to see the numbers of the candidates this week. I think the numbers will be very telling as to where this election is going.
Wow, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with Steve.
Same here!