So far, for the most part, political operatives on behalf of their respective candidates for the August 9 Democratic primaries have been playing nice. Publicly, at least. Good grief, it’s a rite of passage in city political campaigns to fire up the blowtorch. Ah, but then we received this little branding iron from Lou Innacell on behalf of State Senator Marilyn Moore against Tom McCarthy. Things may get testy in the final week.
On August 9th, Bridgeport voters will make a choice. Shall we choose the path of progress and government transparency or continue the tradition of political corruption that plagued our city for so long? One thing is clear–a vote for Tom McCarthy is a loss for Bridgeport.
My family and I have lived in Bridgeport for generations. My dad, Tony, was a Bridgeport alderman in the 134th district and also served in the State Legislature until 1984. I had the pleasure of serving our City starting in 1986 when I landed a job with the Bridgeport Parks Department.
But, after working 23 years, Mario Testa’s political machine forced me to retire on a pension of $375 with no medical benefits. Tom McCarthy is part of that political machine which has destroyed the lives of people like me. To know that the integrity of my father’s district is tainted by the incompetent Tom McCarthy, who is running for the State Senate, has me deeply worried for the future of Bridgeport.
Tom McCarthy has been at the center of every bad-government decision in Bridgeport’s recent history:
· When supporting Mayor Finch, he tried to take away our right to vote for the Board of Education–not once, but twice
· As a rubberstamp president of the City Council for nine years, he approved municipal budgets that raised property taxes every year that wasn’t an election year
· Just this year we learned Bridgeport has a $20 million dollar deficit. What was he doing for nine years? His actions demonstrate either gross negligence or total incompetence. Is this who you want representing us in Hartford?
· Tom violated our City charter for over a decade, when he served as City Council President, while remaining on the City payroll, as Deputy Director of Labor Relations earning a salary of $114k. This conflict of interest made it impossible for him to do either job effectively.Why trust a person who has done nothing except damage our city for 15 years with the responsibility of being our state senator? If he couldn’t make one city better, what makes anyone think he can represent three effectively?
The truth is: we’ve elected good government leaders showing that Bridgeport is trying to break the chains of corruption.
Marilyn Moore fights for our district every day. She not only secured $8.6 million in State funding for our district but she also remains a champion for the average person on issues like raising the minimum wage, funding education, capping the car tax, and paid family leave. She has no ties to Mario Testa and is not beholden to the political machine.
The residents of Bridgeport, Trumbull, and Monroe need to know our future is at stake. Do-nothing career politicians like Tom McCarthy have everything to gain, and we taxpayers have everything to lose. Marilyn Moore embodies all the principles of a good public servant, and deserves to be re-elected for State Senate.
Nailed it! #TwoMooreYears We’re tired of Bridgeport being the Debtor Every Day!
I believe the $8.6M in funding refers to the total amount of increased funding in the district. Total for all three towns in state funding this year: $226.7M
Nailed it? The only truth here is that Moore is not beholden to the machine. I’ve been busy with my nail gun having enough time to just read OIB posts. I couldn’t wait to get home to set the record straight on this bullshit story from Lou Innacell. On June 30, 2008, I was transferred from the Zoo to the Bridgeport Police Department. Lou Innacell was one of my new co-workers. This doesn’t mean he was a worker. The building was filthy despite having four people assigned to the building. When I started working at the PD, I would clean up any area even if I wasn’t assigned to it. The first comment I got from Lou was, “You’re making us look bad.” For a few years I took a lot of shit from Lou and the former supervisor.
“… My dad, Tony, was a Bridgeport alderman in the 134th district and also served in the State Legislature until 1984. I had the pleasure of serving our City starting in 1986 when I landed a job with the Bridgeport Parks Department.
“But, after working 23 years, Mario Testa’s political machine forced me to retire on a pension of $375 with no medical benefits. Tom McCarthy is part of that political machine which has destroyed the lives of people like me.”
Fact: Tony Innacell was good friends with Mario Testa. Lou didn’t “land a job,” Mario Testa got him the job at the request of his father. Lou Innacell had a history of nothing but trouble with co-workers and supervisors and had been fired before. Fabrizi gave him the job back in his last stint. Several years ago, Lou Innacell took command of the set of keys shared by all building maintenance personnel. PD employees were complaining of lack of cleaning services. Bobby Hammond was our main supervisor and I explained to him Innacell refused to share the keys and after trying to get Lou to comply with the procedure, Bobby went to the PD to get the keys and make copies. Lou Innacell verbally disrespected Hammond and then threw the keys at him in front of two ranking officers and charged at Hammond. Lou was escorted out of the building and suspended. The labor issue dragged on for awhile, Lou Innacell maintained his innocence and denied all allegations. Eventually, Bobby Hammond and Labor Relations officials were willing and ready to settle the matter and give Lou Innacell ANOTHER chance if he would only apologized to Bobby Hammond and the officers he called liars. Lou Innacell refused to apologize and was let go by the City of Bridgeport.
Hey Lennie, remember about six years ago maybe when Lou Innacell made an attempt to challenge McCarthy in a primary for city council? Well this is what really happened Lennie, Lou Innacell was under suspension, AGAIN. He had been begging McCarthy to save his ass and McCarthy wasn’t having it. One night I was in front of the PD and Lou’s Cadillac was parked in front when I saw Lou coming from a City Council meeting. We got to talk and he was pissed off and motherfucking McCarthy because McCarthy told him he had helped him enough. I then told Lou Innacell I knew how he can get Mccarthy’s full attention and cooperation. I told Lou in a very short time the election cycle was to start and suggested he go and pull out the petition to challenge McCarthy and then he could work out a deal. If you recall or research this Lennie, you’ll notice Lou Innacell never turned in the petition and McCarthy avoided a primary challenge. After the November election, Lou Innacell miraculously got his job back and was paid during all that time out. The S.O.B. never said thank you. Never bite the hand that feeds you.
What is your point? Tommy is still the scum of the political earth. Everyone has a right to support their candidates. You can talk trash about Lou all you want, and whatever trash he “never picked up,” but you just sound like a curmudgeon who is so ill-tempered you can’t get behind a candidate.
Frank, your brain is turning into wood. I have termites in need of another place to feed on, feel free to give me your address. I won’t waste my time trying to explain my point. I wonder how many other OIB reader’s brain is turning into wood to the point they’ve concluded I support McCarthy. I wasn’t born yesterday and for about nine years I’ve been blogging here and I’ve dealt with many Frank Underwoods hiding behind handles. You can hide under the thickest wood you can find or behind any candidate and I’ll still chop away to separate the bullshit from the facts and logic.
I stress that Marilyn Moore is honest, ethical, not for sale, and has never bowed to the corrupt powers that be. Tom McCarthy is the absolute opposite of Marilyn.
Not only does he bend over; he grabs his ankles while he’s doing it. I get a lot of laughs on that one. 🙂
I’m sure the leadership in Hartford will enjoy not working with you after that remark!
Nice points, Mr. Lou Innacell!!!
Grin,
The Bridgeport Demo Machine needs some replacement parts, brakes, a steering wheel, a new GPS, a new motherboard, a replacement windshield (enough with the tinted cracked glass!), spark plugs, and some air in the tires.
But they won’t be getting those expected part replacements/improvements this primary season from their two “Mr. Machine” toys, McCarthy and Bradley.
www .youtube.com/watch?v=FtLj9_rVFGw
(Thanks to Grin Ripper for introducing me to this you-are-witnessing-the-anatomy-of-Bridgeport’s-politics-in-an-ad video!)
My comments were in reference to Mario Testa, Joe Ganim, Mayor Finch, etc, not the leadership in Hartford.
I don’t have enough direct knowledge about leadership in the House and/or Senate.
Tom McCarthy’s political aspirations will be forever hindered by the choices he made being Finch’s “rubberstamp” for eight years. There is no getting away from it for him. Finch screwed our city, right up to the last day, and McCarthy was side by side with him, doing whatever he was told to do. And now he has to face the fact he screwed himself. Tom needs to get a job in the private sector and just go away.
Your comment was a direct attack on McCarthy, no matter how you may want to parse your remark. I’m with Moore!
Moore is the Ideal candidate!
Not only was her comment directed at McCarthy, it was offensive and has no place in this conversation. You would think she would conduct herself a little better at this point.
Harvey–You would think so. Unfortunately for Maria, she just can’t help herself no matter how smart or hardworking she is.
Paging Marilyn Moore?
Tom Kelly
Lighten up! Voters crack up when I use that line. I don’t say it to every voter, just when I have a real connection with them. You want to have a voter connect with you; just make them laugh.
My comment was definitely directed at McCarthy!
Lou Inacell,
Your father was a trusted and trustworthy public servant. Seems like those types are a vanishing breed in BRIDGEPORT politics these days.
And you Lou, like your father, are simply telling it like it is. That’s why MARIO and the machine have no use for you.
Hang in there, my friend.
Okay Joel, I’m not going to get involved with the intent of your post regarding Inacell because I know nothing about it. However, in one part of your account you stated “McCarthy wasn’t having it.” If McCarthy wasn’t having it, it was because there was no percentage in it for him. Read one of my posts from yesterday where I brought to light that McCarthy, while trying to solicit votes from 2400 North Senior Building, responded to the dissatisfaction of a few that the handicap signs in front of the building were an inconvenience to them because they drive and the signs were taking parking spaces. Our Representative Steve Stafstrom worked for almost a year to cut through the red tape between the State and local commissions to have these needed handicap signs put in place. McCarthy then instructed your boss, John Ricci, to have them removed. John Ricci then sent employees from Public Facilities to remove them. That was not a call for John Ricci or McCarthy to make. It was an abuse of power that hurt seniors. The Hartford Office of Disabilities is now involved and hopefully this wrong will be reversed. Oh, P.S. your boss John Ricci, when contacted by the State, told them “the police department made him do it.” While your account of the situation may have merit, please be careful never to paint McCarthy as anything but what he is, a greedy, ambitious, lazy council member looking to seek higher office so he can broaden his sphere of influence to his advantage. The irony of this story is while Steve Stafstrom was doing his job by listening to his constituency and following through until their request was satisfied, his uncle John, is ambitiously supporting McCarthy so he’ll have a pawn in Hartford.
Joel is just angry and needs a Fudgsicle to lift his spirits. I think this piece explicates the sheer incompetence of our government and every reason why we need people like Marilyn and Ed to continue representing our great city.
Hi Honey, I will go on record to say out of the entire (House and Senate) Bridgeport delegation, Representative Steve Stafstrom is the smartest and most dedicated so far. As for Lou, I couldn’t allow him to play the victim when he was the one who created his past and present problems. This is the same guy who many times said to me my blog posts and those of many OIB posters were a waste of time and Finch wasn’t going to be affected by any of our comments or political actions. These weren’t his exact words as he doesn’t speak or write like this. In fact I dare say someone wrote this commentary for him. Lennie pointed out: “So far, for the most part, political operatives on behalf of their respective candidates for the August 9 Democratic primaries have been playing nice.” McCarthy, Moore and their supporters should thank me for playing nice. You guys may have missed or forgotten a short posting in which I stated I’m no big fan of Moore but, I’m no fan of McCarthy and I donated $100 to Moore and 0 dollars to McCarthy.
Now before I depart, I agree Moore is not beholden to the machine. Moore and McCarthy are aligned with one group or another and there isn’t any difference when one looks at it from an alignment point of view. Moore is aligned with Representative Steve Stafstrom, who is bonded to his uncle Stafstrom, who is trying to rebuild his little old machine back. I’m keeping my little motor and tranny off and in neutral. Word of advice, don’t allow yourself, your supporters or employees to cause me to fire my ignition, there’d be no return trip.
You’re spot on Joel, you know how much I admire you. I understand where you are on your post, I admit it gave me an opening to jab McCarthy and Ricci I couldn’t resist. I don’t respect either of them, in my opinion they give their gender a bad name. Two pussycats trying to stay in the game. Today I noticed McCarthy has his signs in front of the Sacred Heart condos. I wonder from whom he was given permission.
Is McCarthy the last of the Finchettes?
If only more Bridgeport political hopefuls would run on an anti-machine/DTC platform. I’d have a hard time not voting for every one of them. To repeat the refrain from the last few decades: the entire Administration needs an overhaul.
That’s not going to happen unless you are Chris Caruso or Ed Gomes. Change can be made by running candidates for the Democratic Town Committee, that’s who endorsed candidates in each district and election. I’ve said this so many times on OIB but especially those in the 130th district because all they need to do is to win five seats out of nine positions on the DTC in their district, just five and by doing that they control the entire 130th district plus they can replace Danny Roach as the district leader but those in Black Rock won’t do it.
There are thousands of voters in the city of Bridgeport. As a Tom McCarthy supporter, I do appreciate letters from the opposition. I am on the Town Committee in the 134th. I never had the honor of meeting Mr. Innacell. I think it is courageous to come out against the “machine,” after 23 years working for the city. That’s a long time to be the beneficiary of a city paycheck. I am not so sure a testimony from you holds any clout, not that Moore does not deserve kudos.
The “machine,” Mario Testa, did not twist my arm to support Tom McCarthy. People in the North End know Tom McCarthy and respect him. He is a well-educated, eloquent and accomplished lawyer. He is a loyalist and has Bridgeport’s best interest at heart. I believe he will go to Hartford and bring back some serious money. He is a bridge builder and he is not full of himself. Of all individuals I have walked with and the many streets I walked alone, there were never any anti-Moore comments. Most people did not even know who their state Senator was. I do not think seven pieces of mail a week is the answer. I have nothing to personally gain in this election. I do not think Marilyn is unqualified. I do think she is most eloquent. I just believe Tom McCarthy is the right man for the job right now.
I will not reduce myself to badmouthing Moore. People I know, know my passion and love for the city of Bridgeport. They know whom I am supporting. May the best person win! We will all live to get excited over the next election. I will say the more Moore canvassers have gone through my neighborhood, the more McCarthy signs went up.
This is only an election, folks. This is not war.
Steve, tireless campaigner that you are, signs can be healthy indication of political canvassing and subsequent support or when three or four signs are on one property (as is happening in the 130th at the moment), it is a sign of “machine faithful” who do not care about Tommy’s conflicts of interest, neglect of taxpayer fiscal problems, and self-centered ambition. Tom has built bridges to unknown destinations perhaps, Steve? Tell us about it, please.
I would ask you to tell us about Bridgeport, the City you love and explain the increased budgets, vanishing City fund balances, deficit operating budget for June 30 closing, and deficit balance sheet, but then you have told us you don’t do “fiscal matters” at some time in the past. Steve, the love of your life, Mother Bridgeport is dying before your eyes. The emergency room staff currently assembled is not monitoring the machines recording the results. They are in a desperate process of FULL SPEED AHEAD and Tom McCarthy has been a loyal deckhand while most of us have been getting seasick. Barf bag, please? Time will tell.
Next destination? Shelton, like everyone else.
Steve, it’s a war when you try to take out good-government elected officials who try to revert to our reputation of systemic political corruption.
The Kool-Aid Kid is at it again!
Tom McCarthy may be the last of the Finchettes but he will always continue to be a puppet for the machine.
He will do as he is told by Mario or else he may lose his job (hee, hee, hee).
There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to get rid of Marilyn Moore. She has done a great job and DESERVES another term representing the city of Bridgeport.
Tom McCarthy has always had his self-interest at heart and the only bridge he learned to build was the one between his council position, his paid job and the back door to the mayor’s office.
Bob Walsh–I have to admit, if that last paragraph were an original quote-, BRAVO! Very good!
Accomplished lawyer? Please tell me what he ever accomplished as a lawyer.
You do not need to be a lawyer to do that job. His boss was not a lawyer.
It’s a pansy job. What you really need is a solid background in labor relations, negotiating and grievance handling. No ESQ required for that but a BA in Labor Management Relations maybe. An accomplished lawyer would have informed his council by taking no action on the Supervisors Association they were in fact approving.
A self-serving politician looking to help fellow highly compensated administrators and hurt taxpayers would say nothing and benefit from his silence.
Major league phony is what Tom McCarthy is!
Now Bob, No need to diminish his obvious qualifications. He is well educated and will do an excellent job for Bridgeport.
Steve, you called him an accomplished lawyer. Please back that up with some facts.
Cite some groundbreaking legal cases he headed up that passed challenges to the State Supreme Court.
Cite some civil cases in which Tom McCarthy established new thresholds in arguments or awards that benefited his clients.
Even try to cite some court appearances by Atty McCarthy when he wasn’t a conflicted spectator.
None, None, And None.
You called him an accomplished attorney, now back it up with facts.
His name is Steven Auerbach, not Steven Auerfacts.
Thank you, Joel. I stand corrected.
Joel, in addition to brains, you have a wit that’s only matched by Jim Fox.
Bob Walsh, McCarthy had to have groundbreaking cases? Like Ms. Moore? What were her qualifications again? The first time around? Save your comments for people you ask to support MOORE. Oh I forgot, you do not live in Bridgeport. Being a surrogate on this blog is about as useful as it was for Foster. Get off your ass and start walking. You have six days to go. A daily mailer is not going to familiarize constituents with their Senator. The housekeeper uses them to pick up crumbs off the table.
I think McCarthy has a real good shot at winning. If not, he will live to see another day. Moore will, also. There is always Hillary Clinton 2016!
To bottom-line it, “Tom McCarthy is the right man for the job right now.” “May the best person win!”
Steve, like so many other wannabees, is threatened by a strong African American woman. He could not articulate if his life depended on it what Marilyn has not done well in Hartford.
No specifics, just balderdash about what Tommy Mac will do. Tommy Mac will do what he is told to do. Period.
Do not buy the lie. Tom McCarthy will bring back more for Bridgeport. No reason to believe it.
Martin Looney, one of the key Democrats in the Senate has endorsed Marilyn and the excellent job she has done.
VOTE ROW B.
Balderdash and personalities win elections. Both candidates have been blessed with both. 🙂 May the best candidate win.
Marilyn has received some high-level endorsements. I will ask my neighbor what she thinks of the Looney endorsement. Real neighbors endorsed McCarthy. Fabrizi, myself, Rev. Mary McBride Lee, Dennis Scinto, Michelle Lyons, AmyMarie Paniccia. These are the endorsements that resonate with voters. Again, it is only an election. This is only one platform. It is always easier taking it to the people than the blog. Now I do not know who Ganim or Testa, “the Machine ” is supporting because they did not run it by me. Does it really matter???
“Again, it is only an election. This is only one platform. It is always easier taking it to the people than the blog.”
Again, you are wrong three more times. It’s a primary, not an election. This is a webzine, not a platform. Why are you showing us how wrong you are on the blog when you should be knocking on our doors to tell us?
Steve, are you serious with this statement??? “Real neighbors endorsed McCarthy. Fabrizi, myself, Rev. Mary McBride Lee, Dennis Scinto, Michelle Lyons, AmyMarie Paniccia. These are the endorsements that resonate with voters.”
What a group of supporters Tom has in his corner, oy vey! Hahahah.
Harvey, are you okay?