A couple of weeks ago I was chatting with Mayor Bill Finch’s Chief of Staff and political yogi Adam Wood about the election season. In politics, you try to make things happen but timing can be everything. The mayor has experienced a run of good reelection fortune this year. Instead of once again facing Chris Caruso in a primary, Governor Dannel Malloy rewarded Finch’s nemesis with a state job. Caruso bagged a mayoral run. Instead of facing Joe Ganim, running strong in OIB polls, the former mayor opted out. Is it possible, I posed to Wood in jest, that Foster doesn’t qualify for the ballot?
“No way,” Adam replied. “I’m not that lucky.”
Nothing wrong with a little luck. So now Finch has no primary opponent, unless a Superior Court judge orders Foster on the ballot. Foster is expected to file a court complaint claiming she was railroaded by an Ayala technicality. Foster had enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, but one too many school board candidates on her slate that led Ayala to vanquish the entire slate. Seems like a pretty big leap to me, but Ayala says the law is the law. Didn’t she know this law when she issued petition papers to Foster’s slate? Several former and current registrars said she should have known. Who’s the eagle-eye lawyer who snagged this technicality and shared it with Ayala? I want that lawyer on my side.
“Mary-Jane got Bridgeported,” says Republican mayoral candidate Rick Torres who’s slated to face Finch in the general election in November, outgunned by a nine to one Democratic registration advantage.
Finch supporters understandably are snickering over the latest developments. They say they’d have kicked butt in the primary anyway. But perhaps we’ll never know unless a judge steps in. So what appeared to be an interesting three weeks leading to primary day is now in the hands of lawyers and presumably a state judge. Santa’s fairy dust is ruining my election coverage.
She’s a dumbass … ANYONE BUT AYALA!
City Hall,
The best little whorehouse in BPT.
LOL!!!
Hey! Did Jim Fox make it in Black Rock? I hope so, we need someone with a brain. The two bozo council people in the Rock totally suck, man.
The whole freaking council sucks.
People snickered that Gomes was alone on his petition. They said his Carolina manager was dumb.
Obviously MJ shoulda called Gomes earlier, no?
John Gomes is a stand-up guy! We need a united front.
Should be a united front minus Bartlett, this is the big time and he’s gripping the bat too tight and struck out on three pitches. Another publicity stunt gone wrong, MJ.
Democracy has taken another slap in the face. Bridgeporters are again going to experience a royal screwing if this decision is held up in court.
If anyone thinks Ayala made this decision on her own they believe in the tooth fairy. Ayala received her marching orders from the bastards who run this city.
Think about it, the news and a lot of work will be going into fighting this decision by Ayala. It will take the issues of this mayoral race out of the news and put them on the back burner. Finch & Company knew MJF was in a dead heat with Finch.
The Santa Clause,
I’m going to prison for the DTC.
Too funny!
Lennie, can you get us a list of those who DID qualify and the positions they are seeking?
This is a stretch, just bootstrapping by Paul Ganim. His interpretation of the law and Sandi Ayala’s failure to catch inconsistencies when issuing the petitions is going to come back and bite her on the ass.
A friend of mine told me when Finch was in Hartford for the BOE hearing he came up with a quote”Sometimes democracy just doesn’t work” How about a violent revolution?
Democracy doesn’t work in Bridgeport because Mario and his puppets don’t want it to work. There are a whole lot of people–convicted felons and otherwise–who have been deprived of their right to vote for the candidate of their choice. What’s Mario afraid of, besides losing control?
That’s pretty much a redundant question, don’t you think … EXACTLY WHAT HE’S AFRAID OF and I don’t even know him or the DTC … but it’s clearly the case.
Why do I live in such a f_ _ _ed-up place?
I should live in Monroe or Trumbull like Mario or Timpanelli.
Well, the primary could be over. If it is, it is.
Unless it isn’t. Connecticut has a pretty strong tradition of letting voters decide these things. It’s always a battle between the parties trying to keep things tight and others trying to open things up.
My two cents say the primary goes forward. But a tip of the hat to the Finch people for screwing up the opposition. The Foster people have had their way for a couple of weeks for those of you scoring at home. (“The West German gave the dive a 9 but we are still awaiting the score from the judge from Bulgaria.”) In any case, the longer it is in court the more it screws up a challenge, period. Makes them look weak.
If the primary does go forward and Mary-Jane is not “Bridgeported,” as Rick Torres so elegantly put it, this could turn out to be the best thing for the primary.
I’m throwing these observations out now, primary or no primary. They count in all Bridgeport elections. I was going to file something like this anyway before events got in the way.
All the markings of a stinker are on this primary, and the sooner it is lawyered up before a vote is cast the better for the city.
There are no spring lambs in these two flocks. I would judge there are plenty of personalities who know about “Bridgeporting” or how to “Bridgeport” someone.
This is good. The more both sides know about Bridgeporting the tougher it is to do it. But certain rules still need to be agreed upon.
First, The Registrar of Voters is supposed to provide the football field and officials. The Registrar is not supposed to be the football. Santa needs an independent legal counsel so she is not whipsawed by her responsibility to the people and party. Yeah, she should be an independent operator but it is not working out that way. And this one ain’t necessarily her fault.
Second, make sure the precinct staff knows what they are doing September 13. Good workers make good elections. Some of the best ones are just folks from the neighborhood who can look up from the checkers table with doe eyes staring and say: “What the hell are you doing here–again.”
Third,
BRIDGEPORT LOGIC: Everyone knows how to cheat with absentee ballots. The playing field is level if everyone is cheating.
REAL WORLD LOGIC: A level playing field means no cheating.
Fourth, a knowledgeable, decisive chief moderator who everyone respects is needed to stop Bridgeporting before it starts or as it starts.
Gee Rick, if nothing else you may have given writers on Connecticut politics a new word to play with.
Jim is correct, Connecticut has a tradition of letting the voters decide for themselves. This is the “Constitution State,” remember.
I’m sure Bill Finch would like to see Mary-Jane Foster ‘deported.’
This is all very fishy and I would know! I’d move out now if I hadn’t gone to Bridgeport Public Schools and could afford it!
Fish–Bridgeport Public Schools have some good programs … it’s all about applying yourself!
It’s 1:00pm. Why the hell isn’t MJF in court???
She’s campaigning on Madison Avenue, go ask her. The lawyers are handling the matter and everyone is keeping in touch via technology.
I guess Wood made his own luck this time. Let’s just hope the courts decide to give the voters a say.
I WOULDN’T BE DANCING IN THE THE STREETS JUST YET IF I WERE A MISGUIDED FINCH SUPPORTER. A revolution may be extreme but it is happening all over the United States and around the world. The democratic town committee may have just gone too far. Santa Ayala has already embarrassed the city around the United States in a past election. Well here we go again!!!
SHE REALLY NEEDS TO BE FIRED!!! Not resign–fired for incompetence. The support for Mary-Jane Foster has gotten even stronger since Bill Finch gave himself an A for economic development. This is the kind of news that energizes an underdog. Makes you want to go for the jugular. Another four years of Finch could mean a new Sacred Heart dorm on the site of Testo’s restaurant. No way!!! I look forward to the debates. Are they still on for tomorrow evening? Will Finch be a no-show???
Sorry Steve, she can’t be fired. As an elected official she enjoys the luxuries … wait … weren’t the disenfranchised school board members ELECTED? … never mind!
Did anyone here feel the earthquake 5 minutes ago?
Oh, so that is what it was … I though my computer room was haunted …
Methinks someone is pissed off that Mario Testa was referred to as God on a prior thread.
God is a divine term–this human garbage is a blight on humanity. We need to reclaim our rights.
Rick Torres, Republican Bridgeport mayor candidate, will appear on the live TV show “Bridgeport Now” next Tuesday August 30, at 8pm.
Rick Torres, nice guy–Best chance for defeating Finch–Mary-Jane Foster … Hmmm Maybe he will do what he did last time and forget the Republican party and support the Democrat–We need you Torres to do that. Oh wait, Caruso lost by how many votes?
If MJF can’t get on the primary ballot you mean Mayor Rick Torres. Anyone but Finch.
When all else fails, vote the Meadow Party ticket. Bill ‘n’ Opus all the way!
*** Another shot in the foot for Foster! Seems Ms. Ayala would have been damned if she did & damned if she didn’t either way depending on the law & what campaign party you talked to, no? Attorney P. Ganim is said to have caught the technical error. *** Wish for the best, but expect the worst! *** OIB ***
No word on the court front, Lennie?
I’m hearing they’ll file on Wednesday.
Just read that, Neigher the civil rights attorney and MCAT.
REINSTATE THE FOSTER SLATE!
It seems to me the Finchies have done a fabulous job of bringing MORE public attention to the MJF campaign and MORE public attention to the plight of a city run by unscrupulous self-promoting tyrants. It’s PERSONAL now, folks. We don’t have much in Bridgeport, so don’t mess with what we do have, and that is the right to vote. If folks did not know who MJF was before, they certainly do now. If MJF’s slate does not get reinstated to the primary ballot, voters will be LOOKING for her name at the general election. Thanks for the free and widespread publicity, boys! You can add “publicist” to your resume while you are updating it.
I agree, Zena Lu. I think this latest stunt is going to reflect real bad on the Finch Front. People questioned his win over Caruso a few years ago and now this? Mary-Jane Foster has got to take this to the finish line!
Good point, Zena Lu. Now the Finch camp and his handlers at Mario Testa’s Pasta Circle & Fascism Society look like the robber barons they truly are. This rejection of the petitions stinks like like an overturned outhouse.
Mary-Jane supporters … DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED by this cheap political trick covered by legal fiction. This will ultimately work to our benefit when the courts put Mary-Jane back on the ballot and everyone will know who was really responsible for this attempt to once again undermine Bridgeport voters!
Right now Bill Finch is crying crocodile tears but on September 13 the voters of Bridgeport will turn those into real tears!!!
MDG–MJF supporters need to hang their heads and quit, Kneel to Mario and Finch!
Kneel to Finch and Testa–lol lol yes I will, I will when pigs fly out of my ass or when the zoning board approves a Zone Change at Mario’s restaurant so he can build another dorm for Sacred Heart and then the North End will have something to really get pissed at!!!