Saluting P.T. And Friends

Bridgeport … where the circus never left town

My late great friend James G. Clark, that genial wordsmith for the Connecticut Post and others, could certainly turn a phrase.

That line is right up there with GOP operative Phil Smith’s dandy …

Some towns play political softball, some towns play hardball … in Bridgeport they play hand grenades.

Clark and Smitty of course were serenading city politics but it’s impossible for me not to think about those lines during Barnum Festival time and all those opportunistic pols that will show up for all the good stuff this weekend.

Fireworks Friday night, Champions on Parade Saturday night, and the Great Street Parade kicks off Sunday at 11 a.m. As your favorite pol marches up Park Avenue keep your verbal hand grenades in check, although a tomato or two might apply. What’s a parade without a little political ribbing? Hey, mayor, did you really wink when Joe Riccio asked to push through that legislation to save the port authority from the City Council?

I can hear the mayor now. “What? Who? When? Who’s Joe Riccio? It’s a great day for a parade!”

So enjoy the weekend everyone. I’ll be around in case some big breaking news occurs. And just in case you haven’t drowned in all of my port authority coverage, here’s just a little more: a memo that went out to City Council members on Thursday from Finch Chief of Staff Adam Wood.

Members of the Bridgeport City Council:

I wanted to provide a brief update regarding an issue that I know is of concern, the Mayor’s review of the resolution passed by the City Council this Monday night, June 22, 2009, to dissolve the Bridgeport Port Authority. The Mayor is in agreement with many of you, that recently passed state legislation is not in the best interest of the City of Bridgeport. This legislation clearly needs to be amended to allow the City and its leaders to retain a measure of local control over the port and its operations. It is also clear that changes need to be made at the Port Authority.

The Mayor’s entire administration is working diligently and in constant communication with the Governor’s office, state legislative leaders and our own attorneys and Port Authority leaders to address all of your concerns and to ensure that we don’t lose sight of the time-sensitivity of this legislation’s potential adoption (the DOT bill is currently in Governor Rell’s office pending approval or veto). As you know, the Mayor has a 21-day executive review process. Because of the complex legal issues and liabilities (these were discussed with each of you in the form of a memo from our City Attorney prior to your adoption of this resolution) involved with this resolution’s potential adoption, we are proceeding with caution to address your concerns and also to be sure that the city does its due diligence to understand the full scope of potential liabilities.

 BAM Fest News Release

Citibank, Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce (Affiliate of Bridgeport Regional Business Council), People’s Bank, Cablevision, Carlson Construction, WEBE108/WICC600, and more

Endorses

BAM Festival
Friday, June 26, 2009
Bandshell at Seaside Park, Bridgeport CT
Come out and enjoy Live Performances, Fashion Show, Fireworks, Boat Rides, and more … for more info call 203-332-7366

1 Barnum Dyke, Bridgeport, CT 06604
4:00PM – 9:00PM (performances and Fashion Show); 9:00PM – 10:00PM (Fireworks; and 10:00PM – Midnight (After Party)

News release from SuBy

Bysiewicz: With Governor’s Signature, U.S. Senate Vacancies in Connecticut to be Filled by Special Election

Secretary of the State Led Drive to Enact Long Overdue Election Reform Restoring Democratic Right of Connecticut Voters to Choose U.S. Senators

Hartford: Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz today praised Governor M. Jodi Rell’s signature of Senate Bill No. 913, An Act Concerning United States Senate Vacancies, which passed by overwhelming margins in both the state House and Senate. The law takes effect immediately and mandates that vacancies in the U.S. Senate in Connecticut be filled by special election to take place 150 days after a vacancy occurs. The law contains exceptions reserving a gubernatorial appointment in the event of 50 or more Senators perishing in a national catastrophe, or if the vacancy occurs during the final year of the Senator’s term.

“Despite earlier reservations, Governor Rell has done the right thing and signed this long overdue election reform into law, said Secretary Bysiewicz. “This law places the critical decision of electing a U.S. Senator back in the hands of the voters where it has always belonged, and also provides a more than adequate timetable for parties to hold primaries and nominate candidates. By enacting this bill we avoid the kind of nepotism, cronyism and corruption seen in other states such as Illinois and Alaska when governors have misused their power to appoint Senators to vacant seats. This is a win-win for voters and for our state government, and I hope it serves as an example to other states.”

Bysiewicz added, “The enactment of the Senate Vacancy law is especially gratifying for me personally, since I have fought for its passage both as Secretary of the State and previously as a lawmaker.”

The enactment of Senate Bill No. 913 restores Connecticut law to what it was prior to 1947 and makes Connecticut the 6th state to require special elections to fill U.S. Senate vacancies, the others are Alaska, Oregon, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin. U.S. House vacancies in Connecticut are filled by a special election within 60 days or 120 days in the case of a primary.

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41 comments

  1. *** Hope the weather holds out this weekend so everyone can come out to the Parks & Barnum attractions and enjoy the beginning of a real summer weekend! Come one, come all Ladies & Gents. Don’t be shy, just be sure to be prepared for the weather, traffic & crowds. Buckle up, don’t drink or use your cell phone while driving ’cause 1-time will be watching with pen & ticket book in hand! Public trans. or walking, riding a bike, car pooling, etc. will be the best way to get to & from the city parks this weekend. *** Enjoy & be safe, VATOS! ***

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  2. is there anyone with a bigger ego than Mojo? Or a bigger a-hole? His early AM come one come all to bloggers is a cry for someone to help make him come. I don’t know why he has such homophobia … no gay man would find him appealing and I doubt many women do. Why not come out of the closet already?

    Now that I vented I can shut down this blog for the weekend and enjoy myself and my partner!!! Vaya con Dios!

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    1. Independent Soul:

      By the power invested in me by whomever invests power in anything, I hereby declare you to be immune from Philistine of the Week for the rest of your life. This distinctive honorarium is bestowed upon you for your keen insight as to what a complete shithead *** MOJO *** is.

      Congratulations.

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    2. *** How in the world did you get all that Homo B/S from my short enjoy the P.T. Barnum Summer Festivities this weekend blog? You still upset about that Gay nonsense from last month’s OIB blogs? Man you’re one sick Rainbow “baloney-pony” pitcher, (aka) “hard-salami” catcher; 7-D/Sins league follower. Next time you feel like making B/S up & venting, stick a Georgia Hot in your mouth and look in the mirror so you can see how funny & gay you look! That should cheer you up for a while, Malaka! *** Que te lleve el Diablo, Puto! ***

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        1. *** I don’t put my personal business out in public; besides you’re not my type & I’m not into unsafe, non-humanly productive type, 7th deadly sin, gay sex like you or yahooy & independent-so. *** All you need to get a life for sure! ***

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  3. Philistines for Life?

    Independent Soul and yahooy have been banished to places that don’t even appear on maps! The empty streets of chaos will rejoice in their arrival.

    In sharp contrast, MOJO has been given the blogger-of-the-week award for showing skin too thick to be pierced by those two digital thugs. A parade should be thrown in his honor. Besides, he’s the only one talking politics here. Yeah, he’s got an ego the size of a battleship but that’s exactly what this blog needs.

    Those other two weasels?

    Forgeddabout’em …

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  4. Enough of the ad hominem attacks.
    Re: Bridgeport Port Authority, will Gov. Rell veto the legislation, and if so will that allow some breathing room to give a better review of the issue by the council? The council could then restructure the BPA board of directors and finally begin the oversight it should have had some time ago. How did our state delegation vote on this issue? Were they even aware of the rat inserted into the original bill?

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  5. Let me see if I have this right. The inference is that the Port Authority is going to terminate Joe Riccio for asking the paid lobbyist to work on a piece of legislation whose ultimate goal in Joe Riccio’s eyes was to save the Port Authority?
    I would like to see how this plays out in court. Unless the PA told Joe not to do this (and that would mean that they had full knowledge of this beforehand and didn’t mention it to anyone else) I do not know if this is any real grounds for termination.
    If there are other things out there below the surface that the public doesn’t know about, it may make for a stronger case against Joe but also against the PA Board.

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    1. It will probably end up being paid out in a wrongful termination suit, if Joe Riccio is like a salad. Tossed!

      It would be cheaper to keep him or buy him out.

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  6. What … no reports from the fundraiser/lovefest held on Madison Ave last night??? Did it get canceled due to a low turnout??? Got to be something to report on, people!

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    1. Finest there is a good possibility that any OIB blogger who attended the event got too drunk to remember. I wasn’t there, but my bipartisan spies clued me in to some interesting info. In the 130th district–the one I’m interested in the most–I was informed that Bonnie Roach (Danny’s wife) is going to run for City Council. I guess Danny is taking a page from Mitch (the switch) Robles’ book titled: Keep it in the family. Could Crowe be out?

      Bpts Finest, you know something about getting info. Now read this one: Dick Blumenthal is going to run for U.S. Senate. I was informed that he was shaking hands–No word whether it was on his Mojo before the handshakes–and telling the folks that he was in for the long haul. Perhaps Mojo didn’t get too drunk–he was there–and can share some of the “juicy stuff” with us.

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  7. There was someone there named Lennie Grimaldi. He got so fucking drunk that he went home and wrote on his blog something that can bring him some trouble with the law. I don’t think that Lennie heard about the blogger that is being held without bond for suggesting that the people “take arms” against two Connecticut legislators.

    “As your favorite pol marches up Park Avenue keep your hand grenades in check, although a tomato or two might apply.”

    LENNIE, TAKE THAT BACK! Don’t you know that Politicians have no sense of humor?

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  8. I almost forgot about the 137th district. One of my spies picked up a conversation in which it was heard that Councilman Daniel Martinez of the 137th district will not get the endorsement. Guess who is getting it instead!

    Give up?

    Alberto “Tito” Ayala

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  9. Joel, for a Republican you sure know a lot about what happened last night. What’s up in the 137th? Maria Valle didn’t want to run with Tito last time, that’s how Danny got in. Did they kiss and make up or did Danny get too big for his britches (no pun intended).

    And what’s happening with the HUD scandal? No one got a pink slip today. Is the City actually coming up with the $1 million to cover all those salaries? And will Alanna be disciplined for this major screw-up or will Council Prez Cousin Tom bail her out?

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      1. In short, we cannot provide you with case status updates or other information while the case review is in progress. Further, our decision to close a case is final and there are no appeal rights provided by the Inspector General Act of 1978.

        One call from Jim Himes or Dodd, for example, can make things go away.

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  10. City Hall Smoker, my bipartisan spy just made an amendment to the report of the 137th district.

    The Danny Martinez replacement choice looks like it’s going to the daughter of Alberto Ayala. If it’s the one I’m thinking about at least she looks better than her dad.

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  11. The Big Question Is:
    Will Andres Ayala jockey his horse Danny Martinez?
    DM has been a good Councilmen for the 137th. But it seem like the Mitch (the switch) Robles book titled: Keep it in the Family, is becoming very popular.

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  12. Will Danny Martinez team up with former City Councilwoman Lydia Martinez (no relation)?

    The Bridgeport Republican party will soon send out letters to all Bridgeport Republicans in an effort to recruit City Council candidates. Anyone interested can contact: marcpdelmonico@aol.com

    Over a week ago Former State Senator Rob Russo got married. I hope that Rob saves some energy for his Board of Ed. run. Do you hear the sound of a head banging against a Bed Board?

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    1. Why would Lydia team up with Danny? Lydia is on the opposite side of the Andres Ayala fence. Half of what you say is complete garbage. Congrats on fingering the Isa story… his fundraiser fliers have been all over the city for a week now.

      Genius.

      Anyone interested in wasting their time can contact: marcpdelmonico@aol.com. I doubt Marc wants you encouraging other people to waste his.

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  13. *** Lennie if it were not for your OIB web-site, some of the regular bloggers would not know what to do with themselves, ’cause many have “no” real friends or social lives @ all! Their only social life is @ work and that’s it. They’re either alone, separated or have a miserable relationship with their spouse & kids. Sad but seems true, especially when reading some of their usual overall complaints over and over on this forum. From chronic complainers to dreamers & liars, wannabe politicians & promise-makers, back to forum gossip reporters, to sexual fanatics and work stalkers! All types that claim to have the answers & questions to almost everything! *** It’s truly a Circus city with one hell of a sideshow here in Bpt. *** However it needs some cotton candy! ***

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