While they hash out the mess in Washington to reopen the federal government, the political machinations to determine the next City Council president is blistering entertainment.
Aidee Nieves, who has served in that role for the better part of 10 years, faces her first serious challenge after galloping to victory last week in her East Side 137th District, blowtorching the unholy alliance that tried to take her out led by city councilors the rogue Alfredo Castillo, the piranha of politics Maria Pereira and City Clerk Lydia Martinez who was marinating in absentee ballots when most council members were in diapers.
Nieves beat back the peculiar alliance between City Clerk Lydia Martinez, sitting, and council members Maria Pereira and Alfredo Castillo, both defending election fraud charges. Pereira showcased this image on her Facebook page. For years they had been at each other’s throats.
Castillo and Pereira have been charged with multiple state felonies accused of wide-ranging election fraud from the 2023 municipal election. As for Martinez, her history of relying on absentee ballot harvesting is well documented, a queen’s crown of storage.
Ah, yes, Lydia hosts many senior citizen bus trips to Connecticut casinos. Here’s your free bus pass, with an absentee ballot application to boot, and coronation by Queenie.
Why the pushback on Nieves? The opposition asserts she’s quick-tempered, not collegial, is uncommunicative, doesn’t keep her 19-member peers in the loop of things, leading to disarray.
For her part Nieves says she runs a steady ship, shepherding legislation and was a key factor in modernizing the ethics-driven City Charter reforms passed by voters in last week’s general election.
Her opposition?
Right now it looks like Ernie Newton who had the job in the early 1980s as the first Black president during an era when Republicans were relevant on the legislative body.
Also in the mix, his East End council partner Eneida Martinez known for her unrelenting constituent work.
Another is North End council member Jeanette Herron, now one of the senior members of the legislative body.
And, perhaps, someone else.
Election to council president requires 11 votes, the mayor cannot break a tie.
Right now, according to political and City Hall insiders, Nieves does not have 11 votes in the bank. Several new council members, Black Rock, North End, Upper East Side, will be issued the oath of office prior to the vote, first week in December, so the freshmen will have a lot to say about this vote.
It’s been a long time since a round-robin of council presidency votes, waiting for king and queen makers to end the log-jam. This one could make for entertaining You Tube TV.
Eneida Martinez and Newton issued these comments Sunday in the OIB comments section, sharing insight into the state of the council.
Eneida Martinez:
If we as council colleagues can’t get our own shit together on the council, then how can anyone run this City? We can’t even agree to disagree on many things in this City on a council level. How about us trying to bring a black & hispanic caucus together? We can’t even do that!!!! Many don’t show up to committees, many don’t even know the charter, or critical ordinances. Some don’t even know what department to call for replacement of a garbage or recycling tote, but want high ranking leadership titles. Let’s be real here, and stop the shenanigans.
Jorge and I have a great working relationship. We worked together at RNP & DMHAS. I have had no issues with him on the council. But, if we can’t come whole on a local 20 body council, how can a city take any of these council members with egos, disrespect, unprofessional, unethical, disloyal, and the list goes on serious, including myself.
Let’s pull track records on all 20 council members to see the work put into each district they represent, let’s start there. I am not talking about OIB, News 12, CT. Post photo ops. I am talking about REAL CITY BUSINESS!!! Making changes in moving this City forward. I will wait to see how many come back with actual stamped receipts, not rubber stamped receipts.
I will take a challenge anytime. I have proven my record of serving this city. Outside of my flaws, I still maintain an excellent track record as a leader in the 139th, and this City. Like me or hate me my heart is pure
From Newton:
Well said my partner! I’ve had the privilege of being an elected position for over 30+ years starting as the first black president of the City Council at the age of 25 things were a lot different because the men and women that I started with understood what it meant to be an elected official
I can truly say having served as President pro of the state Senate and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives yes you and I have taken a community that once was vibrant and seeing over 20 years, nothing had happened today.
We have been able to change our community back to a vibrant community with new housing a great commercial strip, which has a bank, a grocery store, a restaurant with a new gas station car wash and many other great things has happened in the East End. You have truly worked hard to help turn around our community so that people who live here have a chance to stay here and all my years of public service I’ve never Witnessed The kind of politics that I’ve witnessed these last 10 years and yes, you are truly right that holding the title means more than doing the work.
This is my fifth term on the City Council fighting to make our community and our city a better place. We need to understand that titles don’t make the person the person should make the title. We live in the largest city in Connecticut made up a melting pot, but yet we act like the tail wagging the dog, but I still have Hope that one day we will realize we have the power to change the lives of the people we serve no man or woman is an island under themselves. I just hope that we realize that when we point fingers at one another, we got four pointing back at us as someone says only time will tell. Peace beyond you.
Why you can’t bring the black and Hispanic caucus together? Cuz there’s no white person in the mix. Y’all trying to replace him a Hispanic woman. You don’t have the traditional rallying call AKA Whiteness.
To WEEPA credit at least he’s trying to frame his mayoral run with that “gentrification” theme to unite the Black and Hispanic caucuses. Though a bit early in the morning. 🤣
Well perhaps that is politics particularly port’s politics I do find it “disingenuous”, to say the least to wanting to build something nice, things of value in the Port and label it races. You know there’s a reason the projects were torn down. They were a Bastion of crime
They were a Bastion of Street crime criminality in substandard quality of living to say the least. WEEPA, are the new housing the replace those dwelling fall in your ” gentrification” label?
This is all you need to know in the last 10 years City Hall has seen/ been revamped, definitely the police force where perhaps 80% of the Force has been replaced in that time frame. The Port is closing out the year with historic unheard homicides and yet the chief of police had a vote by the police Union of no confidence. Just say it.
Bit early for me WEEPA but I look forward to hearing your “disingenuous” racist theme. There was a time when G2 was best, SJ
Try to play nice and ports political sandbox people.
https://youtu.be/OGYVhvRXEsk?si=JuTHct7ZS0-JzRdi
Can’t depart without the prophet
https://youtu.be/eJO5HU_7_1w?si=rZqYjJLh1wlyIxWL
To the City Council members who read Only in Bridgeport regularly, you have heard me speak to you of my concern when I look at the registered voters who fail to actually use their right to vote for a Council person or for the foundational Charter Review questions. 2025 followed the recent pattern of 90% or more of potential voters staying home. Does that indicate success and contentment with municipal governance? Or the reverse in a low key manner where the police and fire departments operate to provide a feeling of safety and property security, but other things seem to complicated to explore and learn. And have too many people found access to the table where decisions can be made, blocked by failure of appointing authority within the City slow to respond and ultimately out of public sight?
Council persons had the opportunity to work together with me on developing Casual CIVICS Conversations in each District. They heard about the project every other month when I discussed it at public speaking sessions. It was ignored by them. But “time will tell” is like the turtle symbol I have celebrated for more than 50 years. Cumulatively, people can see that Federally, Statewide, and especially locally, when we do not gather and converse, democratic representational governance can die. It loses participation that focuses on the common good with all humans included for consideration of responsibilities and obligations as citizens. That pursuit of learning is called CIVICS. Stay tuned. Time will tell.
A lot of drama — flaunting of the scant development of the city that only occurred in fits and starts until anticlimactic accomplishment. A lot of chest-thumping about presently irrelevant history. But no plans or any utterances that might betray leadership abilities or tendencies. Definitely time for a change. But it’s Bridgeport, so it doesn’t really matter who…
“Definitely time for a change.”
Jeff,
A change of what? Elected officials? Appointed commissioners? A foundational Charter change? Perhaps you have not read of Casual CIVICS Conversations by way of comments on OIB or attendance at Public Speaking sessions, or a phone call directly?
Too bad for all of us because you understand CIVICS better than many in the City and an opportunity to meet with a few curious or independent fellow citizens who do vote might start a stronger response from the ‘body politic’ on Election Days.
Do you have one or two hours per month to appear at a local spot, enter a conversation that is unscripted, fact and opinion based, to listen and to learn, leaving with a better notion of who your neighbors are? Give me a call. Your activity does matter. Time will tell.
Hello, John. I appreciate your invitation. It’s difficult for me to attend meetings these days, being the primary caregiver for my 101 year-old mother, but I can surely give you a call. Can you e-mail your phone number to me — jpkohut1@aol.com.