Rev. McBride-Lee: In Defense Of Female Pastors

Mary McBride-Lee, left, with female pastors supporting Ganim.

City Councilwoman Mary McBride-Lee, a city minister, responds to comments from OIB readers regarding an article highlighting female pastors endorsing Mayor Joe Ganim’s reelection.

Her comments follow:

Submitted by Reverend Mary Annette McBride-Lee

In response to the article that was posted concerning the women pastors

Dear Mr. Day:

First of all, you do not have the right or the power to define me nor anyone else. When you talk about one of us, you talk about us all. Shame on you!!! Mr. Day. Yes, I marched in Selma for all people not just black people; and, I fought for my rights. What have you done? You have no idea what is good for me.

Second, I noticed that you appear to be prejudiced against women pastors. I noticed you did not name even one female pastor nor minister that may be making a difference in our city. Every pastor you mentioned was a male. Not that it matters, however. God is not coming back for a large or small church, for a male or female, or for the building that we worship in. He is coming back for an entire people. And never you mind about my relationship with Mayor Ganim.

There might be fifty votes among us all, but I guarantee you that they will go for the betterment of our city. You have no respect for the cloth and have a potty mouth and a bad mind; but remember, the word of the Lord says, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm.” You might not think females qualify for the anointed role but God does. He is the only one we answer to.

Maria Pereira, I agree with you one hundred percent and I did instruct Pastor Lewis to contact you; however, I have asked her and the Lord many times for forgiveness, as a true woman of God.

I should not have asked her to have any dealing with an “atheist.” Your words not mine. When you are right you are right. One of my worst mistakes was asking her to go there. Oh, and by the way, you didn’t win either.

Alicea, we may be in a store front, but God is in the store front with us. We are dedicated and committed to the works of the Lord and we never stole a dime from Him!!! Did you?

And, Mr. Mackey, Thank you for speaking about your African American Queens all over the world whether you agree with us or not; that is what kings do, they protect their queens. Thank you personally for not letting me down. I have always had a quiet place in my heart for you. Thank you.

Reverend Mary Annette McBride-Lee

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67 comments

  1. Councilwoman McBride-Lee, do you think you can define me or what I believe in with respect to your statement, that I appear to be prejudiced against women pastors. Because I didn’t mention any women ministers had nothing to do with my beliefs or my acceptance of a woman minister, it’s just that the largest ministries in Bridgeport are headed by men. I didn’t do that it just happens to be a fact.

    Where was that outrage when Steven Auerbach said, ” I think the Rev. McBride is a poor excuse for a minister and an embarrassment to her community. Where was that outrage when he went on to say, “She has no shame. She is a bad politician hiding under the cloak of a minister.

    Yet you feel the need to try and admonish me on having an opinion yet the white man who said things that excoriated your character and were outright disrespectful, nothing from you. Are you now afraid to confront inappropriateness when it comes out of the mouth of a white man. It’s hard to take you seriously when you have two sets of standards, one for Black men and one for white men.

    Finally, your relationship with Mayor Ganim is an issue when he gave a job to your nephew after getting elected paying you back for your support of his election. If you don’t know, you better ask someone what I’ve done to uplift Black’s in this city and I’ve never looked for a job for myself or a family member and/or recognition because I always understood that doing good is its own reward. What say you?

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    1. Donald,
      If OIB can use the same picture twice to highlight the opinions of these women of color, but fail to provide commentary from these religious leaders as to why Joe Ganim has their support, it seems like one trip too many on the DOWN escalator, perhaps?

      Moore has talked about healing Bridgeport. No, she is not a physician, rather she is a resident citizen listener and observer with an acute sense of the sickness that grips the City. But too many folks are too sick to realize that they need to “take the medicine” by getting out to VOTE. If you can’t find something good to say about Ganim2, perhaps it is not there? If you don’t have a job….or other benefit…provided by City taxpayers……..without Open, Accountable, Transparent and Honest governance. Who provides oversight? Not the women on the escalator in my opinion. They need to speak their minds and see what happens to their audience.

      I wrote the following last week and re-post it again to be read and understood about healing. It starts with one life, one situation and a desire to operate differently in the future than in the past. From last week’s forum at Mt. Aery where more than one religious leader was a panelist………

      “A Religious Community Shares the Situation of the “returning citizen”

      I attended an event at a local church community, Mount Aery, last evening from 6-8:00 PM. The Empathy Network under State leadership coordinator Rev Nancy Kingwood-Small, of the pastoral staff at Mount Aery presented a CNN video from the Redemption Project headed by Van Jones. Jones had been invited to attend but moderator Louis Reed, fired former MIRA head, attributed weather issues with interfering with travel from New York. The audience exceeded 150 persons. What a person returning from prison faces IS one of the major issues in many Bridgeport families according to statistics shared.

      The program started promptly with a compelling video that told the 1997 story of a young woman (16) in Oakland, CA who was shot seven times while in the back seat of a van and died leaving a devastated family, The shooter was a gang member working his turf with no specific reason or anger for the people in the van. He was the only person of four who was arrested, tried, found guilty and given a sentence (20 years to life). Themes of redemption, repair, reformation and forgiveness vie with the civil justice actions among professional and volunteer workers in this vineyard.

      Twenty years, following the event, the shooter is shown in conversation with ‘Love Life’s’ father, who at the end of this emotional session says: “It is not where you start. It’s where you finish,” to the weeping killer. “I forgive you man.”

      In the following panel discussion, Lyle Hassan Jones said: “You have to take ownership for the crime, first. Acknowledge the wrong done to the victim and family. Ask for forgiveness.” Nancy Kingwood-Small talked about the “empathy” necessary when not only individuals, but families and systems are caught up in the chaos of violence. Simple issues like “identity cards” for returnees, necessary to get a job and hold it, had been ignored by MIRA (Mayor’s Initiative for Re-entry Affairs). And PSEG construction job expectations from the $500 Million project had not “trickled down” in any meaningful manner.

      Other panelists including Fred Hodges, Tito Negron, Councilman Ernie Newton and Mayor Joseph Ganim answered questions first from Moderator Reed and then from the audience. Reed informed the audience that #cut50 that he serves as a national organizer was a force securing release for 5,000 persons behind bars in 2019 and had two national goals addressed to the work of the coming decade.

      There was agreement that for the 1,000 “returning citizens” coming to Bridgeport annually, not enough is done. Insufficient accountability and resources are provided. MIRA received no praise and the firing of former directors Reed and Christmas was not mentioned. The CT Post has reported on MIRA and “returning citizens” this summer. (Reed’s biography on #cut50 fails to mention two felonies and his later guilty plea to two illegal actions that caused his termination.) As Lyle Hassan Jones said above: Own the crime. Acknowledge the wrong. Ask forgiveness.

      Mayor Ganim, the highest profile re-entry panelist, referred to his own “white collar crime” as perhaps complicated by substance abuse as happens to many. Other panelists talked about the role trauma plays to many seeking whole person health. The empathic community of color in Bridgeport provided him his “second chance” politically in 2015.

      But whether it is the choice of leadership for a Mayoral Initiative, flat funding of an operating budget for schools for four years, the failure of genuine economic development from his administration (noting a PSEG exception initiated during Finch term) and his raising taxes in direct opposition to his campaign statements there is much to consider in 2019. Last evening it seemed that a knowing and caring audience is looking for more and better municipal and State attention to “returning citizens” and the affected families. Did the pastoral women who visited Ganim’s office discuss the topic and the failure of the “Mayor’s Initiative”? What honest accountability are they seeking? Time will tell.

      Then a CT Post front page article with photos by Mike Mayko and a few days later a Page 2 article by Kelan Lyons reported the event. But neither mentioned the special advice from Lyle Hassan Jones:
      1) Own the crime.
      2) Extend full responsibility for your wrong actions to the victim and family.
      3)Ask forgiveness.
      Does this sound too simple? Not to me. Had this been done fully in 2015 would Ganim2 have gained office ?? And a moderator who was provided a “second chance”, but was fired because of illegal behavior while leading MIRA, doesn’t he need to attend to the Hassan Jones advice to help community healing? Perhaps he will amend his #cut50 Biography too? Public corruption is like that, even in 2019. Time will tell.

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  2. Rev. Lee, as a black it is my responsibility along with all other likei minded black men to support our beautiful black Queens. I along with Donald Day are questioning the need for a photo-op and a campaign ad picture for Mayor Ganim. Rev. Lee have you and those other ones ministers have met and spoken to the Senator Marilyn Moore, a black Queen in her own who has the chance to become Bridgeport’s first black female mayor in the history of Bridgeport?

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  3. Did anybody see the article about Ganim and crime???
    Former Washington DC Police Chief Charles Ramsey was given a contract in April for 4 months for $25,000. No report has been issued yet.
    Because he hasn’t BEEN PAID yet. What a cheap city. The headline costs nothing and who cares if a report is EVER issued.
    Get this scam artist out of town! NOW!!!

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  4. Councilwoman McBride Lee, my apologies to you and the other Black women ministers if you thought my comments in any way was meant to demean the fact that you are strong women of God. In fact they were geared to Mayor Ganim who feels the needs to send out this false narrative by surrounding himself with Black’s like he has the best interest at heart for Black’s in the city of Bridgeport. Last election he did that at East End Baptist, around a large segment of the Black community, but this election cycle he don’t have that option because most Black ministers have figured out that he don’t have our best interests at heart and won’t offer him a pulpit to do the same thing.

    So, my response wasn’t about you or other women ministers it was merely about Mayor Ganim who will use Black folks for his own BENEFIT and throw us away after the election. Fewer Black department heads than in his previous administrations, fewer Black police and firefighters, No women firefighters after 35 consecutive years of hiring women and Black’s should support him why?

    I just wanted you Black women ministers to look at the results of his time as mayor and then look at the man to see if the results matches what comes out the man’s mouth and I’m sure the you’ll see the real truth.

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  5. Wellll…it looks like I escaped the wrath of Mary McBride-Lee. Sorry,I don’t accept her letter to OIB. Any person who is any way attuned to politics and political strategy will see this picture/propaganda as an attempt to garner support within the community of Black Women and Black Women who are very active in religious activities. Sorry,but I don’t buy McBride-Lees letter to OIB.

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    1. I’m not afraid to call her out. Her letter to OIB was 100 percent politics and ZERO percent theology. I’m not afraid to say the McBride-Lee is a puppet TestaGanim.

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  6. Joel, make no mistake about it that I want Mayor Moore, not because she’s my friend, but because she’s what Bridgeport deserves as a Mayor. No Moore pay to play mentality, no Moore hiding what is going on inside city hall but total Transparency, no Moore giving out jobs because you supported my candidacy, no Moore That’s the way it’s always been done, no Moore blind allegiance to the DTC, no more people in positions that they aren’t qualified to do and no Moore bullshit in city government.

    Dare to imagine a Bridgeport with a Mayor that only wants what’s best for Bridgeport and its residents that’s not beholden to anyone or any entity. A Bridgeport that’s allowed to see its full potential as a city and what it can really be without selling out it or its residents. Joel, Dare to Imagine!

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    1. Don, and a mayor who wants to serve the taxpayers and voters of Bridgeport only and not use the mayor’s office as his platform to run for governor like Joe Ganim did as soon as he got elected as mayor. Ganim ran for governor before going to prison and then he runs for again and he gets elected for the second as mayor and Joe Ganim goes out there again running for governor and the hell with the taxpayers and voters of Bridgeport. Bridgeport can get Moore than than Ganim for mayor.

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  7. Too be fair to Athiest, Rev. McBride’s Athiest remake about Maria would be the least reason for regretting to send Pastor Lewis to Maria. “Piranha” is the word that comes to my mind. Maria, I believe your words, also. 🙂

    “Piranha, any of several tropical South American freshwater fish that are voraciously carnivorous and often attack and destroy living animals: “Piranha is as dangerous fish like a shark because it also eats up living animals.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpTlS2vcWwM

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  8. I am not a Catholic, nor a Christian. That said, I believe that clergy-persons should not be involved in elected politics.
    The First Amendment lays out the Separation of Church and State in the USA. Thomas Jefferson wanted to make sure that government and the people had freedom from religion. We were(are) free to practice as we individually feel fit, but not to have religion influence government and the votes of the populace.

    In 1980 Pope (now Saint) John Paul II ordered that all Roman Catholic clergy withdraw from elected politics. Incumbent Massachusetts Congressman, the Reverend Father Robert Drinan dropped his campaign for re-election and left Congress at the end of the term

    It would be fitting if Rev. Mary McBride Lee would follow the sage advice of the late Pope and give up elected office. As for the rest of these pastors. Encourage your flock to register to vote and vote on election day. BUT stay out of the endorsement circus. It appears as if you are selling out your beliefs for pieces of silver (or City jobs or favors).

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    1. That is a lie, Marcus. The Frist amendment doesn’t lay out the separation of church and state. It was written in the constitution for the reason, the newly formed Government can’t establish a Government religion like England did when they created the Church of England. What you are actually stating goes against the First Amendment, prohibiting one’s free exercise to run for political office and who holds the religious title. That Separation of Church and state is an attempt to get rid of God in its entirety. Piece by piece. The Pope made a choice to have their priest not run in government. But dare to imagine.

      But it ok, I Think you are a lawyer. I expect nothing less. 🙂

      “I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toCb3h1iTXs

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      1. @RobertT

        Don’t put words in my mouth or make false accusations.
        Nowhere in my post do I call for the prohibition of clergy running for elected office. I post my opinion that they should not and the Pope’s prohibition of Catholic clergy participation in elected politics. I urge clergy not to run for or hold elected office, but not a prohibition by law, ordinance or regulation.

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        1. Please re-read my post. I say your opinion goes against the First Amendment. Your lie was when you said “The First Amendment lays out the Separation of Church and State in the USA.” the First Amendment does not lay out the separation of church and state.

          Now back to your opinion. It appears as if the Rev. McBride is selling out your beliefs for pieces of silver (or City jobs or favors).”

          Politics are at the center of the story of Jesus. His historical life ended with a political execution. Crucifixion used by Rome for those who systematically rejected there authority, not just one’s salvation. Jesus was very much a political figure, not to mention the Jewish people believe their messiah would be a political figure.

          “He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.”

          P.S your opinion is just your belief, belief is irrelevant to one existence.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCzwVP_1YNg

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          1. @RobertT
            I re-read your post and you are putting words in my mouth that I did not post.
            You write: “What you are actually stating goes against the First Amendment, prohibiting one’s free exercise to run for political office and who holds the religious title”
            NOWHERE will you find be calling for such a prohibition.

            NEXT: “Now back to your opinion. It appears as if the Rev. McBride is selling out your beliefs for pieces of silver (or City jobs or favors).”

            NOWHERE did I write anything about McBride selling out….
            The exact quote in my post: ” As for the rest of these pastors. Encourage your flock to register to vote and vote on election day. BUT stay out of the endorsement circus. It appears as if you are selling out your beliefs for pieces of silver (or City jobs or favors).”

            That specifically EXCLUDES McBride.

            Stop misquoting and making false accusations. If you wish to quote religious text (which you do without attribution) I call you attention to “לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר” Exodus 20:16 which I sight translate for you: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Misrepresenting my words and presenting them to OIB readers is bearing false witness. In fact the actual word in the Hebrew text in the admonition is LIE. An unencumbered translation is Don’t lie about your neighbor.

            We shall never agree about religion, as we practice different ones, I just want religious influence and authority out of civil politics, but I do not call for codifying a prohibition.

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          2. I see the problem, Please re-read your post. 🙂

            You made a statement that “The First Amendment lays out the Separation of Church and State in the USA. ” That is the lie. I will be kind and say, WRONG.

            What was your opinion on that statement, “Thomas Jefferson wanted to make sure that government and the people had freedom from religion. We were(are) free to practice as we individually feel fit, but not to have religion influence government and the votes of the populace.”

            In fact, James Madison was credit for writing and establishing the First Amendment, the Bill of Rights,

            Now as for your, “NOWHERE will you find be calling for such a prohibition. Yes, let’s look at your complete statement

            “It would be fitting if Rev. Mary McBride Lee would follow the sage advice of the late Pope and give up elected office. As for the rest of these pastors. Encourage your flock to register to vote and vote on election day. BUT stay out of the endorsement circus. It appears as if you are selling out your beliefs for pieces of silver (or City jobs or favors).

            Now I never said you created an Amendment to prohibit clergy from running for office. I said your opinion goes against the First Amendment, one’s freedom of religion and freedom to run for office. When you said McBride should follow the Pope and give up elected office.

            Lets look at your, “NOWHERE did I write anything about McBride selling out….”

            Did you not opine “It appears as if McBride is selling out her beliefs for pieces of silver (or City jobs or favors).”

            Who does it appear to that McBride is selling out?

            I believe you are/were a lawyer, and you are going Exodus 20:16, at me. really? 🙂

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1no75lpOiw

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          3. Marcus being Jewish (I believe) and wanting the separation of church and state for the USA. (religion, “God” not have an influence on it laws) What is your opinion on being (Jewish) and Jews beliefs and laws that are directly given to them by God, and the current situation in the Middle East regarding God promising the land that is/was being taken by force for the Palestinians? If you are not Jewish disregard this inquiry.

            P.S is not Exodus 20:16 on of them? 🙂

            I expect nothing less. 🙂

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0Mg-eZqEdI

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    2. Marshall, Father Robert Drinan was a very good Congressman, Drinan was the first member of Congress, in July 1973, to introduce a resolution calling for the impeachment of President Richard Nixon, though not for the Watergate Scandal that ultimately ended Nixon’s presidency. Drinan believed that Nixon’s secret bombing of Cambodia was illegal, and as such, constituted a “high crime and misdemeanor.” However, the Judiciary Committee voted 21 to 12 against including that charge among the articles of impeachment that were eventually approved and reported out to the full House of Representatives. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Drinan played an integral role in the Congressional investigation of Nixon administration misdeeds and crimes.

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  9. I also believe they should not be involved in politics. I’m a big believer in separation between church and state. I’m also happy to see alot of blacks my age 35 and younger are saying no to religion!! I stopef going to church years ago when I saw what it really is about…

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    1. donj, I have to respectfully to disagree with your comment, ” I’m also happy to see alot of blacks my age 35 and younger are saying no to religion!! I stoppof churches out there ed going to church years ago when I saw what it really is about…” Let me say this, you need to reach out more and not give up so fast. You just haven’t found the right pastor and setting yet but remember a church is more than a building, you can find God just by reading the Bible and knowing what God’s word really is thereby you will know if what the pastor is saying is true. donj, there are number that you might feel at home, I invite you to checkout Mt. Aery Baptist Church at 73 Frank Street, with two services, 8:30am and the second service at 11:00 on Sundays. donj, you will not see any politicians speaking and you won’t find the pastor endorsing any candidate. donj, it doesn’t have to be Mt Aery but for a young black like your self there is much that you can learn and much that you can share with others

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      1. Thanks Ron! When you see how these pastors are living BMW Benz they are driving and houses they live in outside of bpt yet there churches are in very poor communities and members are struggling it looks very bad on these churches within our community. I’ve always heard good things about mt aery Baptist church .

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        1. donj, what is it that you are looking in a church or a pastor? You are painting ALL religious leaders and churches as all being the same. Church members in a number of churches see and understand what their pastor has done in preparing their self by getting their Bachelor Degree and their Doctorate Degree in religion which are not free, yet you want someone with this of eductional background to be poor and to live in poverty.

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  10. Hearing from reliable sources that the Ganim campaign and DTC are seriously concerned Joe Ganim may lose on September 10th.

    Many voters are refusing to vote for Ganim. The question is will they vote for Marilyn Moore.

    In the 138th District her biggest challenge is that many voters don’t know she is running, and if they do know she is running they know little to nothing about her record, accomplishments and her platform

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    1. Maria, you are doing a good job in helping Joe Ganim to get elected again with your “negative” comments about Marilyn Moore. Let’s not for get that either Marilyn Moore or Joe Ganim will be elected as the next mayor of Bridgeport. Maria is more comfortable with Joe Ganim becoming mayor again, I’m sure that Joe Ganim and Mario Testa truly enjoy your support and comments against Marilyn Moore, keep up the bad work Maria and I’m sure that Joe and Mario will look out for you.

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      1. No one should be making assumptions. The Moore campaign needs to be touching base with as many registered Democrats until September 10th. No one should be resting in their laurels. We need to seal the case. Joe Ganim,Mario Tests and all their acolytes need to be sent packing

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  11. Maria, that post is an oxymoron.

    If “D’s” voters are refusing to vote for Ganim who is their other choice? If they’re fusing to vote for Ganim and don’t vote for Moore than they are really not voters. If voters are refusing to vote for Ganim, it really doesn’t matter how much or little they know about her record. Does it? 🙂

    If Joe loses the Primary, game-over. If he wins a second term expect of a shake-up in his second administration.

    P.S Piranha, what are you cooking? Bacalhau?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPO76Jlnz6c

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    1. Don, without a doubt it was that $1000 donation from John Ricci is the dividend that keeps paying, and paying and paying. Money well spent Mayor Ganim and Mario. The way Maria was talking here was no problem her getting elected to the City Council from the 138th district, that was a given, so why did Maria that $1000.00 from Ganim and Mario biggest supporter, John Ricci? Oh, that’s right Ricci gave money to other candidates even some that she doesn’t like and of course John Ricci is a friend of hers. What happen to that moral high ground that Maria about her dislike of Ganim and Mario? That $1000.00 bought that moral high ground. What was that saying, “money talks and bullshit walks?”

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      1. You guys should quit preying and preying on John Ricci. Your time would be better spent praying for Senator Moore. It will be interesting to see tomorrow’s campaign finance reports. Working Families Party is running her campaign. Nice woman but too Progressive like A.OC you later. Can I Get A Witnes!

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          1. If just 13,000 people come out to vote in the primary, we will have a New Mayor!

            Joe Ganim…………..6240……………..48%
            Marilyn Moore …….6760……………52%

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      2. Voters have every right to vote for Ganim or Moore. They also have the right not to vote for neither.

        In conferring with my team,,and based on conversations with our absentee voters, we believe close to 100 AB voters did not vote for either.

        More of our AB voters in JFK leaned towards Ganim and more AB voters leaned towards Marilyn Moore in Thomas Hooker if they chose to vote for Mayor at all.

        Very few AB voters voted for any other candidates other than Mayor Ganim,,Marilyn Moore, Chris Caruso (Thomas Hooker) and Samia Suliman and I.

        For those AB voters that did hit an entire line, the majority ndicated they voted for Row B in Thomas Hooker. In JFK there were some voters that hit Row A and then dropped down to vote for Samia and I..

        Remember, these are guesstimates based on what voters say to us. It is not an exact science

        I wonder how Tony Barr is doing on ABs for the Moore campaign.

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  12. Give me a break. McBride-Lee,both in her letter to OIB and the original intent ,was playing 100 percent politics. Ganim,,McBride -Lee et all was taking us on a ride on that escalator. Sad to see some OIB stalwarts lose their courage.

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  13. Let me repeat and reiterate. Ganim and these pastors/took us on a ride for the last FOUR YEARS. The cliche says,”Fool me once,Shame on You. Fool me twice ,Shame on me.”. Are the People of Bridgeport going to be fooled again?

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  14. Excuse me. But is I remember Ganim win the Democratic Primary by really not a significant margin. I may be imagining things but if you add Mary Jane Foster’ s votes to Finch,Ganim LOSES. I will stand corrected because right now I am only dealing with my memory (which can be suspect at times). This may sound simplistic but it is a question of combining Finch/Foster votes and Ganim is a LOSER.

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  15. I think that Marshall Marcus made the most salient comment.
    The issue is not a dismissal of female ‘reverends’, it is question of credibility of all ‘reverends’ who get involved in politics.
    Pope John Paul got it right. Separation of church and state supports a democracy.
    Of course, some of the ‘reverends’ refer to themselves as ‘apostles’ so they may feel they out-rank the Pope.
    I will need to check my ‘Canon Law for dummies’.

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  16. What exactly does it take these days to become a “reverend” or “Pastor”?..Is it as simple as getting people to go hear you preach,then if you get enough people to listen,you’re a reverend?.I’m not trying to be flippant,I really don’t know.

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  17. Joe Ganim has been playing black ministers from the beginning of his first run for mayor, at that time it was Rev. Vernon Thompson from East End Baptist Tabernacle Church who lead the way for Ganim and Thompson was rewarded with a high paying City position and Joe Ganim used Rev. Charlie Stallworth who is now the pastor of East End Baptist Tabernacle Church and Stallworth also got a high paying City position. It’s against the law to buy a person but you can rent one and that’s what Mayor Ganim has done with Thompson and Stallworth and now that Ganim and Stallworth are no longer working together Ganim decided to get the most loyal voter in the Democratic Party nationwide, the black woman and Ganim got a group of black female pastors to do a photo-op and a press release with a group of black female pastors. I asked the question earlier, did these of black female pastors meet and talk with Senator Marilyn Moore, if not then why not.

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    1. that’s what I’d like to know, did a one of them meet with Senator Moore? If none did we have a right to know why. If Joe Ganim promised them anything in return for their support we have a right to know how he sold out the rest of the people of the city of Bridgeport for a few lousy votes.

      Little Joe Ganim is running on chutzpah, narcissism, a six-figure paycheck and the perks of elected office, not altruism or a real desire to improve the lot of the people of the city of Bridgeport.

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      1. Derek, I asked the question twice, did these black female pastors talked with Senator Marilyn Moore like they did with Mayor Ganim and so far Rev. Lee has not replied and neither have any of the other black female pastors. If they didn’t then they have been rented by Mayor Ganim for that press release and for that photo-op, say it ain’t so Joe.

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        1. Joseph P. Ganim is using the power of high office to secure votes. In that way he is no different than countless incumbent politicians that came before. He kept one campaign promise: transparency. He is shamelessly cynical in buying off a group of clerics with promises.

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