Rally Pushes Back On Election Lawsuit

Opponents to the lawsuit challenging the results of the September 10 primary conducted a rally against voter suppression. From Frank Recchia, News 12:

The rally was held in response to the case involving absentee ballots used in the Bridgeport mayoral race. Mayor Joe Ganim won the primary after a count of absentee ballots. Supporters of Ganim’s opponent, state Sen. Marilyn Moore, are trying to get the primary results thrown out over questionable absentee ballots.

Dozens of seniors attended the rally in front of the Bridgeport Veterans Memorial.

A group of local pastors led by the Rev. Dr. Herron K. Gaston, of Summerfield United Methodist Church, say they have been getting calls from older parishioners who are now afraid to vote by absentee ballot or at the polls.

Gaston says, “A false belief has now taken hold of some of our most vulnerable residents that if you exercise your right to vote you will be singled out for prosecution.”

Full coverage here.

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33 comments

  1. The use of vulnerable seniors as “props” for this voter rights press event is pretty appalling.

    The woman at the end of the video wearing a black sweatshirt holding the purse over her shoulder lives in Fireside Senior Housing and does NOT vote by absentee ballot.

    I see another senior from Fireside Senior Housing that votes by absentee ballot. I just spoke with her last week. She ordered her absentee ballot for November and didn’t say one word about feeling there were those infringing on her right to vote.

    I was speaking with a voter in Fireside Senior Housing yesterday. She has great difficulty walking and his scheduled to start double knee replacement at the end of this month.

    On Thursday night she was in bed when a woman called her on the phone. The caller told her “they” filed a lawsuit to stop her from voting “electronically.” The caller further stated that “they” were going to pick her up in the morning and take her to a “meeting” to make sure she could vote “electronically.”

    The voter told her “you’re not picking up no one.” She further explained her knee issues.

    I asked the voter did the caller identify with a specific campaign. The voter stated the caller was from the “Ganim” campaign.

    Can someone tell what Reverend Lee’s nephew, and city employee Fred Gee is doing at this “rally” on city time? What about city employee Tom Coble? What is he doing at this “rally” on city time?

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    1. Maria, thank you for providing this information. My aunt, Rinta is a old lady who almost had a heart attack after being scared and feeling pressure from this Gen Now group. My aunt has a bad heart and she should not have to feel bullied that she can’t vote or she might be prosecuted. She told me that the event was very informative for seniors and it helped them. I don’t think this was a prop. I think this was appropriate.

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  2. This is but another example of Mayor Ganim using Black’s to perpetuate his bullshit agenda. You have Sambo’s out there pushing ignorance to gullible Black senior citizens while extolling the virtues of an ex-con mayor that have never done a damn thing for Black’s that didn’t benefit himself.

    Shame on you Rev. Dr. Herron K. Gaston if you aren’t telling those people that called you that this lawsuit doesn’t attempt to stop absentee voting or them from voting, instead it seeks to stop the abuse of absentee voting so that their votes really count. You should be telling them that certain people and the DTC are using this to further take advantage of them and to continue to further divide the community. Anything else would be uncivilized Reverend.

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  3. And did you see that shameful piece of crap Mary Lee talking about the civil rights movement after saying that another Black woman isn’t Black enough to be Mayor? Those Black giants of the civil rights movement that have passed on to reward must be rolling over in their graves listening to this shameful Sambo.

    Rev. Dr. Herron K. Gaston I know you’re trying to further your footprint in Bridgeport, but allying your self with political whores and fools isn’t the way fourth. Just saying my Brother!

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    1. Don, there you go again with your shit. These old people are scared and going in and out of the hospital. They call on this man because he is a leader and voice in the community. I met him. I talked to him last year. I have family who go to his church and he cares a lot about his people and he is doing the DAMN work in the community. This man track record started way before he got to Bridgeport!

      I heard from my aunt who go there telling me how this man went to the hospitial to get one of his members because she was so scared that they were bullying her to come to court after she voted for who she wanted to. Nobody pressured her. She voted for who she wanted. This is sad that our seniors are being freaking bullied. Why can’t you see it from this angle?????

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        1. My aunt Renita was at the rally. She is 86 years old. She was scared as hell about going to jail for voting. She can hardly walk and cannot get to the polls. She voted absentee and guess what– she had every right to vote. Regardless of who she voted for she should not be hauled into damn court because she voted. This is crazy! The rally was for the elder people because these people called asking for someone to reassure them that they would be ok. Say what you want about Dr. Gaston, but he works his ass off on the East end. He is always fighting for seniors and the youth! Acknowledge that. My aunt told me this rally was not about Joe Ganim. They said vote for who you want to vote for JUST simply vote. Did some people there vote for the Ganim, Yes, but a hell of a lot of them voted for Moore too. So what the hell is the problem with telling people they should not be afraid to vote!!!

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    2. Do not refer to a black woman as Sambo. Have some damn respect. You hear me!! Don’t you ever disparage another black woman again by calling her that. You are just as divisive as the statements you said she made about Moore. How dare you insult a black woman!! You are a rude old man.

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    1. donj, Joe Ganim is doing exactly what his friend President does when confronted with hard questions, 45 would hold rally someplace to avoid the press. Here we have today in the NEW YORK TIMES where Joe Ganim is a total embarrassment for the whole country to read, the Times has long been regarded within the industry as a national “newspaper of record.” What a great way to advertise Bridgeport, CT to America and to the world on why NOT to do business with Bridgeport. Below is from the New York Times:

      “Why This Ex-Con Mayor Is Running Away From Reporters”
      By Sarah Maslin Nir, Oct. 6, 2019, 5:00 a.m. ET

      Mr. Ganim’s prison sentence for 16 counts of criminal misconduct, including extortion, tax evasion, racketeering and bribery. That case accused him of lavishing city contracts on his friends in exchange for things like wine and home improvements.

      Much of that seemed a distant memory as the mayor walked from restaurant to barbershop to vape shop on East Main Street, until he met a couple outside a Puerto Rican restaurant.

      They happened to be suing the City of Bridgeport for what they say was brutality by members of the city’s Police Department, and began admonishing the mayor. Mr. Ganim took off.

      Attempts to follow him were rebuffed. “You’re going to write something bad about the mayor!” a member of the mayor’s entourage screamed, blocking access to Mr. Ganim.

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  4. Rev. Dr. Herron K. Gaston, NAACP president Carolyn Nah and City Council member Rev. Mary Lee all of you seem to really miss the main point of the issue concerning absentee ballots and real history of this problem in Bridgeport but instead of you understanding the history you want to blame those who are using their legal right to petition the court.
    Rev. Gaston, why are you holding a pro Joe Ganim campaign rally? If your true concern was about everybody having their right to vote then I would think that you would your homework about the voting problems in Bridgeport but no, it’s more important to impress Joe Ganim because you are on the Civil Service Commission and in a news article that was in the Florida newspaper when you were living there 4 years go how you were inspire by President Obama and your launching pad for future political ambition the same way that Dennis Bradley when he came to Bridgeport from Massachusetts not that long ago. Rev. Gaston I suggest that you start with the past history of voting problems in Bridgeport and here is a list to start from. By the way, Tom Coble you did a good job of putting this motley crew together to support your boss.

    Rev. Gaston, read a little of what the current Bridgeport City Clerk has done and your voice has been silent on Lydia Martinez disgraceful action who is running on Mayor Ganim’s slate and supported my Mario Testa and the Democratic Town Committee including you. Rev. Lee tells us all your position on Lydia Martinez and on the cases that I’ve listed who were/are elected members of this City’s government, this where your outrage should be.
    City Councilwoman Lydia Martinez admitted to illegally assisting in the filling out of absentee ballots, as well as encouraging those not eligible to vote absentee to do so. Martinez targeted residents of an assisted living home, Harborview Towers. She was ordered by the Connecticut Elections Enforcement Commission to pay a $500 fine. This was not the first time she was fined by the Commission: In 2008, she was found liable to pay $664 to the Citizens Election Fund for the excess expenditures her campaign committee made for her failed run for the State House.

    Sybil Allen, while serving as a Democrat on the Bridgeport Town Committee, engaged in a range of absentee ballot-related fraud. Allen completed ballot applications in the name of residents, forged signatures, and on at least one occasion got a voter to forge a ballot registration form for a family member who no longer lived in the community. Allen also told one voter that a candidate was not on the ballot and watched voters fill out their ballots before taking possession of them. Allen eventually agreed to pay a civil fine of $5,000 and was barred from running for re-election for two years.

    Warren Blunt, a city councilman in Bridgeport, pleaded guilty to being present while people cast their absentee ballots and subsequently taking those ballots while running for re-election in the town’s Democratic primary. The State of Connecticut Elections Enforcement Commission fined Blunt $2,500 and required him to resign from the town committee. He was also barred from running for elected office again for two years.
    As part of a “get out the vote” campaign leading up to the 2000 election, Ronald Caveness admitted to distributing absentee ballots, being present while people filled them out, and then collecting them. After an investigation by the Connecticut Elections Enforcement Commission, he agreed to resign from the Democratic Town Committee, not seeking re-election for two years, and pay a fine of $4,000, which was eventually reduced to $1,000.

    Paulette Park, while working for a candidate for Bridgeport’s 2000 Democratic Town Committee primary election, illegally persuaded voters to list false reasons for requesting absentee ballots, assisted them in applying for absentee ballots, and took possession of the absentee ballots after watching voters fill them out. The State of Connecticut Elections Enforcement Commission fined her $5,000 and banned her from working on future campaigns.
    Jacqueline Rogers was a campaign worker for James Holloway, a candidate for City Council. In the 1993 primary, she was paid $150 to dress up in a nurse’s uniform with a certified nurse nametag and solicit “emergency” absentee ballots from patients. She instructed at least one voter to cast her ballot for Holloway. The primary was ultimately decided in Holloway’s favor by just nine votes. The Connecticut Elections Enforcement Commission barred her from participating in political campaigns for five years.

    Curtis Mouning, a campaign volunteer for State Representative Mario Testa during the 1990 election, admitted to signing the names of five of his friends and family members to request absentee ballots to vote in the primary. He was ordered to pay a civil penalty to the Connecticut Elections Enforcement Commission in the amount of $500.

    Former state representative Christina Ayala pleaded guilty to two counts of providing a false statement and was sentenced to a suspended one-year prison term followed by two years of conditional discharge. Ayala had voted in a series of elections, including the 2012 presidential election, in districts in which she did not live. When confronted about residency discrepancies by state investigators, Ayala fabricated evidence to corroborate her false residency claims. Before agreeing to a plea deal, she faced eight counts of fraudulent voting, 10 counts of primary or enrollment violations, and one count of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. As a condition of her plea deal, she is barred from seeking elected office for two years.

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  5. Ron, don’t you start trying to put anyone in their place do you hear me? You better not start with this crap again. It takes me for you. And I mean you better not be trying to slick disk this pastor. You are a hater and you are a scumbag of a black leader. How dare you come with your attacks you old fool. Why haven’t you done something about the alleged abuse in the system since you have been here so long???? I grew up in this damn town and this is not a new issue. Why haven’t you said shit? why are you only now talking shit? I want to know!! Old people and the disabled deserves an intelligent voice to stand up for them because I would be damned if someone tried to beat my mother into fear and make her take the witness stand becasuse she chose to vote for who the hell she wanted to!! How would you feel old man if you were drug into court for no reason???? THESE PEOPLE DESERVE A VOICE THE SHIT THAT IS HAPPENING IS UNCALLED FOR!!

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    1. Who the hell do you think you’re talking to, you talk to your children like that and I’m damn sure not your child. Get your facts straight, nobody at that rally mentioned anything about how all of crime that I listed who are still either holding a elected position and are members of the Democratic Town Committee and that are the ones who taken voters rights away, well I didn’t hear Rev. Gaston, Carolyn Nah or Rev. Lee say anything about those who have been caught violating voters rights. I didn’t hear anybody say that they didn’t care if it was the Moore campaign or the Ganim campaign that they were upset about the voting process.

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  6. My aunt’s neighbor recorded the whole damn event. She was there. Dr. Gaston along with Mrs. Nah said “Vote for who you want to vote for. We are not hear to tell you who to vote for we are here to let you know that if you are eligible to vote to simply vote!” They also said that if there is any irregularites that the court will decide that but to not be distracted from voting. Now if you wnat the entire transcript why don’t you call news 12. Get the damn facts before you go on attack. All I know is my damn aunt was scared and about to have a damn heart attack at her riping age due to these clowns threatening seniors. How would you feel if your family was been threatened because they voted and nobody forced them to vote for a particular person.

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  7. Casper, do you think for one second that you could tell me anything that I would care about or listen to? That lady, Mary Lee is certainly a Sambo whose only motives are fueled by what’s on it for her and her family. Her nephew was given a city job which he wasn’t qualified to do right after Joe was elected for payment in full for being a good Sambo. She walks around Bridgeport bucking and wheating, shucking and jiving for the white Mayor and if that isn’t a Sambo then what is it?

    You need to save your feigned anger for someone that gives a damn because you are as confused as this so called minister in that you don’t find her comment about Senator Moore not being Black enough reprehensible. That lady is an embarrassment to organized religion, too Black people and to the civil rights movement which she proclaimed to be a part. In parting let me say to you, mind your damn business and remember I’m not your business!

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    1. Donald Day! Watch your tone with me, do you hear me? I said you better watch it. You don’t get to talk to me like that. I will put you in your place before you can say good morning Jesus. Have some respect. You are a shameful person. Mind your damn business and stay the hell out of other people’s business. Keep your mouth closed and speak to when spoken to. I don’t know Mary Lee or her Nephew that you are talking about, take that up with them, but in terms of addressing me– you better not ever make the mistake of speaking to me like that again. I am not the one. You better know it. Don’t you say another word to me you buffoon. Come correct or don’t come at all and that’s real!!

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        1. Ron,
          Kiss the blackest part of my ass. Your comments are vile. You evil bastard. Tell me now how different of a comment is this from what you accused Mary Lee of. Tell me you old fart.

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          1. Stephanie Thompson, NEVER invite a man to your ass, when you invite me to your ass be ready to get your ass kicked but a real woman wouldn’t do that.

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  8. Caspar, you are out of your damn mind and be advised I’ll talk to you in any manner that that I deem necessary. I’m not one of your children and understand that respect is earned and you haven’t earned on ounce of respect from me. To hell with you Casper and if you don’t know Mary Lee then keep your ignorant ass mouth shut. Let me repeat this one more time, I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU OR THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? I CAN’T SAY IT ANY PLAINER THAN THAT!

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  9. Donald Day, you dumb ass. Shut your damn mouth. Just in case you don’t know what to do: take your top lip and place it on your bottom lip and keep your mouth closed until I tell you it is okay for you to address me. Other than that, you better not utter a word to me. You are a bully. You will not intimidate me. YOU HAVE A DAMN PROBLEM. I WILL HELP YOU FIX IT. DONT YOU EVER FIX YOUR MOUTH TO DISREPECT ME OR ANY OTHER BLACK WOMAN FOR THAT MATTER. YOU DAMN FOOL. YOU ARE ONE IGNORANT BLACK MAN WHO CLAIM TO LOVE BLACK PEOPLE. YOU HYPOCRITE. COME OUT OF RETIREMENT AND MENTOR THESE YOUNG BOYS ON THE STREET WHO ARE SHOOTING UP EACH OTHER. MAKE A DIFFERENCE YOU CLOWN. AND STAY OFF OF OIB TALKING AND NOT BEING A PART OF A SOLUTION.

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  10. Ron, Dr. Gaston spoke with the press and told them that he didn’t think that comment was beneficial for our community and offensive to the spirit of coming together as a community and denounced it. Call news 12, Mark, and they will tell you. My 86 year old aunt was there. You all need to find someone else to pick on but you will not pick on my aunt’s pastor because I have seen how he work and I know the shit that he does for his church and his members and he goes hard. He may not agree with what I say on here because my aunt tell me– but I don’t give a damn I speak the damn truth about people, and I will not sit around and let you all bash this man. Ya’ll can kiss my ass with that. What the hell did you tell yourself after you just called me ” not black enough.” Get your damn life together.

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  11. Let me try this again, below is directly from Frank Recchia, News 12:
    “The rally was held in response to the case involving absentee ballots used in the Bridgeport mayoral race. Mayor Joe Ganim won the primary after a count of absentee ballots. Supporters of Ganim’s opponent, state Sen. Marilyn Moore, are trying to get the primary results thrown out over questionable absentee ballots.”

    “Dozens of seniors attended the rally in front of the Bridgeport Veterans Memorial.
    A group of local pastors led by the Rev. Dr. Herron K. Gaston, of Summerfield United Methodist Church, say they have been getting calls from older parishioners who are now afraid to vote by absentee ballot or at the polls.

    Gaston says, “A false belief has now taken hold of some of our most vulnerable residents that if you exercise your right to vote you will be singled out for prosecution.”

    Now those at the rally concerns were “they have been getting calls from older parishioners who are now afraid to vote by absentee ballot or at the polls.” Again, here is an example that those at the rally should being against, City Councilwoman Lydia Martinez admitted to illegally assisting in the filling out of absentee ballots, as well as encouraging those not eligible to vote absentee to do so. Martinez targeted residents of an assisted living home, Harborview Towers. She was ordered by the Connecticut Elections Enforcement Commission to pay a $500 fine. This was not the first time she was fined by the Commission: In 2008, she was found liable to pay $664 to the Citizens Election Fund for the excess expenditures her campaign committee made for her failed run for the State House. HELLO, Lydia Martinez is the current Bridgeport City Clerk and she running with Mayor Joe Ganim , well where is the outrage about Lydia Martinez, here is someone who has been fought guilty, now Gaston says, “A false belief has now taken hold of some of our most vulnerable residents that if you exercise your right to vote you will be singled out for prosecution.” Rev. Gaston, start right here with Lydia Martinez by calling her out and what does Mayor Ganim has to say about Lydia Martinez?

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  12. Let me say this again in easily understood English, I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU OR THE HORSE YOU RIDE IN ON! YOU UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT?
    IF YOU THINK FOR ONE SECOND THAT I GIVE A FLUCK ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY THEN YOU ARE A BIGGER FOOL THAN I THOUGHT YOU WERE! YOU UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT?
    NOW TAKE YOUR IGNORANT ASS BACK INTO THE HOLE THAT YOU CRAWLED OUT OF! YOU UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT?

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  13. Donald Day, no thank you. I wouldn’t want to ride in on your house because your horse is out of service. It can’t get up. It is out of commission so I hear and asleep. This is why it took you hours to get back to me on this post because your tired “horse” was laying down. And I will not be crawling back into any hole, you better hope you are able to get inside of a hole the next time you take your “blue” pill. Have a good day. Now go get some rest old man.

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    1. Don, you got that right, that’s why men talk in the gym, in a club, at a game, in a locker room, a pool hall are just a places where men talk like that. You know this guy could be bi trying to play both ends.

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  14. Don & Ron, both of you all are less of a man. How dumb are you. Don’t DEFLECT ASSHOLES. GO LAY YALL TIRED AS DOWN. It is clear that both of you are into something.

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