Rev. Al Sharpton, host of ‘PoliticsNation’ on MSNBC, will rev up the crowd at Mount Aery Baptist Church, 73 Frank Street, Sunday night at 7 for a get-out-the-vote rally on behalf of Barack Obama and Democratic candidates, according to Senior Pastor Anthony Bennett.
A number of city pols including former State Senator Ernie Newton are urging the rev to skewer the Nov. 6 ballot question that if approved by voters will give Mayor Bill Finch the power to appoint school board members. A coalition of city pols and organizations including the teachers union Bridgeport Education Association, Connecticut’s Working Families Party and Connecticut Citizen Action Group are working against the ballot question, claiming it’s a power grab to control school jobs and contracts while stripping voters of the right to elect board members.
The forces supporting Finch’s position have launched an unprecedented spending effort to persuade electors to vote yes, citing progress made during the year schools were controlled by an appointed board prior to the Connecticut Supreme Court ordering a special election.
Students First, the school reform group launched by Michelle Rhee, is making a hefty independent expenditure in support of the ballot question, including hiring 65 field workers. Rhee’s husband Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson was in Bridgeport recently urging a yes vote. Johnson was a gifted NBA player during the era of Bridgeport hoopster John Bagley, an elected member of the school board, who has gone one-on-one with Johnson in his effort to defeat the question.
“More people are going to listen to Al Sharpton than Kevin Johnson,” says Newton.
We’ll see if Rev. Al, who bellows often about voter rights and voter suppression, accommodates.
Let’s see if Rev. Al walks the walk or just talks the talk. Thank you to Rev. Bennett for doing the right thing. He is a man of integrity who cannot be bought off by political dollars.
Rev. Al is quite gifted at talking the talk.
Finch has got to be careful with this.
If I am without power or had been for several days, if storm debris and tree limbs are scattered about my neighborhood, if my kids have not been back to school and no one can tell me when they will reopen, I do not want someone knocking on my door telling me the mayor wants me to vote yes on some silly charter question. And as I looked around and was reminded of my low opinion of city services, do I really want Mayor Finch doing to the schools what he has done to the city?
Too much politicking, door-knocking, robo-calls, polling during crisis moments can backfire on his honor and creating a voter backlash.
Just where is the mayor’s priorities?
And think of the angry voter who has been without power for nearly a week and has been to different voting places trying to find out where he votes being greeted at the polls saying Mayor Finch would like you to vote Yes …
Great show, PoliticsNation.
He is a sham and anybody who takes him seriously is not serious minded. Remember Tawana Brawley!
A racial hustler of the highest magnitude.
Racial hustler??? Oh please, do you even live in Bridgeport? Al Sharpton is a good person and stands up for what he believes in and has done many positive things in our community fighting for rights.
donj–Sharpton is a hustler. May I suggest you do some research on him with the Tawana Brawley case, which I’m guessing took place before you were born. This man convinced a young girl to press charges against an innocent man for a crime he did not commit. Thankfully, his scam was exposed, but he still exploited the girl, and as a supposed man of the cloth, falsely accused a man of a crime. Sharpton is on par with Judas.
Tell that to Steve Pagones, donnie-boy. Sharpton not only perpetrated and promoted the lie about Tawana Brawley, he blamed Pagones (then the district attorney in the Poughkeepsie, NY area) for raping her. In a civil suit Pagones won a defamation of character suit which Sharpton has paid zero dollars. This false incident cost Pagones his career. And where is the Rev? On MSNBC as an expert commentator.
Sharpton has no church of his own, and no one knows where he lives. He is a certifiable fraud and that’s not just my opinion. You could look it up.
www .eightiesclub.tripod.com/id315.htm
donj … better yet, go to this website from the NY Times:
www .nytimes.com/2003/03/02/nyregion/following-up.html?ref=stevenapagones
Also donj, in your spare time, google Atty. Steven Pagones of New York who was one of the men Sharpton unjustly accused of rape; he ultimately sued Sharpton and Brawley and won. In addition, Sharpton ran for senate and mayor in New York and substantially lost both times.
So Godiva2011 is an attorney; is female or thinks he is.
Speedy is getting closer. Perhaps you’d like to explain why it is City attorney Mark A. needs an FOI request letter for city council stipend records?
Whatever Joel, your opinions mean nothing to me, and it’s not likely too many people will disagree with me on that.
Godiva2011, let’s try this name, “Watergate.” I’m sure you remember that radio host, Republican, G. Gordon Liddy. Liddy was the Nixon Administration liaison and leader of the group of five men who broke into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Complex.
Liddy was convicted of conspiracy, burglary and illegal wiretapping. Liddy was sentenced to a 20-year prison term and was ordered to pay $40,000 in fines. President Jimmy Carter commuted Liddy’s sentence to eight years.
Here are a few of Liddy’s controversial statements: Now if the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms comes to disarm you and they are bearing arms, resist them with arms. Go for a head shot; they’re going to be wearing bulletproof vests.” … “They’ve got a big target on there, ATF. Don’t shoot at that, because they’ve got a vest on underneath that. Head shots, head shots” … “Kill the sons of bitches. If the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms insists upon a firefight, give them a firefight. Just remember, they’re wearing flak jackets and you’re better off shooting for the head.”
I’m no fan of Liddy nor should anyone be, but what’s your point? This has no bearing on the subject. And for the record, when Sharpton was sued by Steven Pagones for defamation of character, he lost the case and had to pay Pagones over $350,000.
Godiva, your details are a tad off. Sharpton was liable for $65K of the $345K defamation award to Pagonas; and it was paid, not by Sharpton, but by a group of Sharpton’s supporters one of whom was Johnnie Cochran. Here’s the Wikipedia link to the whole sad mess.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawana_Brawley_rape_allegations
The $345K was divided three ways between Sharpton/Mason/Maddox, all of whom defamed an innocent man, and five others. Ms. Brawley was also sued, and of course, being the model citizen and bald-faced liar she is, none of the judgement (I believe $150K) was ever paid to Pagones. I am only using what’s in my memory bank, since my father knew a couple of the men she falsely accused. By the way, the rape kit results were negative, but with Sharpton’s coaxing, she continued to lie. Sharpton and his cohorts had no qualms about ruining the lives of innocent men. I will read the Wikipedia link when time permits.
donj, you are a young, idealistic dope … Ron Mackey, what does Liddy have to do with Tawana Brawley?
Because a white guy Repub was an idiot, it excuses Sharpton?
This discussion embodies all that’s wrong with racial discussions … Sharpton is a piece of shit and so is Liddy.
At least Liddy paid for his crimes … Sharpton has avoided everything by having all his expenses paid for others so Pagones can’t exercise a legal judgement.
You’re right, Mr. Mackey comparing an apple to an orange and making a poor attempt at a diversionary tactic. If donj or any other young person is looking for an exemplary African American role model perhaps MLK, Bill Cosby, Colin Powell or Obama would be stellar examples, unlike Sharpton with his shady background.
Sharpton would have better served President Obama by heading to North Carolina. Obama has a chance there.
You twit, he’ll be here on Sunday. No one ever said Sharpton was staying ’til the election is over. Maybe he will be going to North Carolina.
Steven, based on Sharpton’s track record, the only person he serves best is himself.
Are you speaking for yourself?
You certainly couldn’t pay me enough to speak for you. Besides, it’s amusing to see how whenever you do render an opinion on this forum, you never fail to put your foot in your mouth. Relax, have a Hershey bar.
Ron,
Some of these same Sharpton bashers are Ganim lovers.
How does that make any sense?
He stole from us.
Was found guilty of criminal charges.
He and his gang of thieves stole more than $1 million dollars (sorry Lennie).
Sentenced to prison for 9 years.
Still refuses to take responsibility.
Still thinks he can work the system.
And he is a hero in the eyes of many.
You know the saying Black Robes White Justice.
Sounds like some of these people have it backwards.
White Robes Black Justice.
GR,
I am not a Ganim fan; neither the ex-Mayor nor Probate judge who lives in Easton.
The flaw in your argument is Joe Ganim and his cohorts paid a price; fines and jail. Not Al.
Sharpton is a deadbeat whose non-profit owes tons. Absolutely amazed he is regarded as a pundit.
*** For those who have never had the opportunity to hear “The Brother From Another Planet” speak in person, you will be in for quite a treat! Rev. Sharpton is a “VERY GOOD” public speaker and will have everyone on the edge of their seats while he’s speaking and on their feet applauding after he’s done, regardless of which way you maybe thinking of voting! *** GET THERE EARLY, YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED! ***
*** Many of the world’s most famous and successful people in general from different walks in life, were crooks at one time or another. ***
But not a crook who defamed, lied, and ruined lives as Sharpton has.
By the way Ralph, please name some of those famous and successful people you mention.
*** Bush Jr., Tricky Dick, Mayor Daley Sr., J.E. Hoover, etc. ***