John Stafstrom, the city’s bound counsel, was an early supporter of Dannel Malloy for governor. He was there in 2006 and there again in 2010 and in between and after. Mayor Bill Finch’s campaign spent about $400k in its primary win over Mary-Jane Foster and now it’s time to reload for the general election (not that he really needs that much with a 10 to 1 registration advantage). Did they have to spend all that money for the primary? Well, Finch operatives expected to win the primary two to one. That didn’t happen, so maybe it’s a good thing for them they emptied the tank and didn’t take the primary for granted. The governor is scheduled to be in Bridgeport on Monday at a Finch fundraiser hosted by Stafstrom.
Stafstrom, former Democratic Town Committee chairman, is a cunning pol who has served as a key bridge between the mayor’s office and the governor’s office. Mario Testa, after five years of exile, reclaimed his party chairmanship in 2008 in a battle against Stafstrom, but Stafstrom has juice with the governor.
Mario and Finch supported Malloy’s primary opponent Ned Lamont last year, a move that did not create much love between Finch and Malloy who did not endorse a mayoral candidate in the recent primary. Malloy and Mary-Jane Foster are friends. But Malloy is a pragmatic politician. If he decides to seek reelection in 2014 Bridgeport must be a key component. Sometimes it’s better to bite your tongue and stay focused on the bigger picture. And that means showing up when an early supporter such as Stafstrom requests your presence at his home on behalf of the mayor who selects the bond counsel, a legal adviser on a host of city development and capital improvement projects. Stafstrom supports mayor, mayor rewards Stafstrom (yes, Stafstrom’s qualified to do the bond counsel work), Stafstrom supports Malloy who appoints Stafstrom’s spouse Dennis Murphy deputy labor commissioner (yes, Murphy’s qualified to do the job, he also worked for Malloy when Malloy was mayor of Stamford) and governor appears at Stafstrom’s house and so it goes, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Just in case you want to pony up and attend the love fest Monday night here’s the official invitation. Tell them OIB sent you! Can we get a commission?
PLEASE JOIN
State Party Chair Nancy DiNardo
John Stafstrom
Paul Timpanelli
Susan Davis
Ernest Trefz
Lynn FuscoFOR A COCKTAIL RECEPTION
IN SUPPORT OF THE RE-ELECTION OF
MAYOR BILL FINCHWith Special Guest
GOVERNOR DANNEL P. MALLOYMonday, October 24, 2011
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.At the home of
John Stafstrom
420 Brooklawn Avenue
Bridgeport, Connecticut
(Parking is on Laurel Place or Brooklawn Avenue)Contribution Levels:
$1,000 – Sponsor
$500 – Patron
Lynn R. Fusco, President of the Fusco Corporation–one of the leading construction and property management companies in New England is a member of the organizing committees for the big food fest a la Don Calamari. How come?
Caruso will be there but not sitting at a table.
For the record Lennie, Caruso is now “The Big Wage,” remember that! yahooy, one of these days you’re going to find yourself in the same room with me, Ernie Newton, Chris Caruso and Lynn R. Fusco. I won’t do a thing except watch them feast on you. With just a third of $400,000 I could start my dream business and create permanent jobs. At least Finch didn’t spend $50 million (now that’s a lot of jobs) and lose. I’m not sure Finch needed to spend $400 grand–$225 grand should have been enough as he had the advantage of the incumbency and strong name recognition. As I said in the past, Joe Ganim would had created a huge interest in the primary had he entered the race. I’m still meeting quite a large number of people who didn’t know there was a primary and Finch won. The primary was the election and if Finch raised just $150 grand, he is in–even if his opponents raise $300 grand each. Lennie, you can start writing the OIB headline now: Finch Wins Election by 68% of Vote. By the way Lennie, it was $404,000 if you count the $4,000 the DTC paid for the primary day food for workers. Lennie, I’m gonna go to the “love fest” and wait to read what my OIB friends think. Let’s just hope the person I mug for the $500 isn’t yahooy.
Bond counsel must be a tough job. It looks like Stafstrom is sound asleep on his feet.
Where is MCAT???
Will Monroe’s landmark castle be saved?
She needs to save the castle just in case she becomes Queen of Monroe one day!
Hail MCAT!!! Queen of the Monroe-ites!!!
I wish I could save it, but I don’t have anywhere near the purchase price. I once had a dream to buy that property and turn it into a retreat center for women and all people who want a peaceful place to contemplate all the relationships within their lives, work, family, friends, spiritual, etc. I would have liked to provide a place and courses of study and meditation to help empower women and help them find a voice, personally, politically and career paths. If you know anyone who wants to invest in something like that, let me know!
Because she got school jobs many, even though she is an obnoxious woman who surrounds herself with know-nothings who when she stops short they all end up with there noses deep in her ass. But that’s the way of getting jobs in Bpt, quid pro quo. She and Bpt politicians are the best at that. Many people can’t stand her.
bpt guy–I think you are talking out of your ass. Do you even know who the Reaper is talking about? Reaper and MCAT could be the King & Queen of OIB.
Grin Ripper, I’ve been away. yahooy asked why Lynn Fusco was involved in fund raising committee for don calamari. Now who should stop talking out of his ass, get some combo mouth and ass wash, in your case one and the same.
I think you have me confused with someone else. I have never worked in a school other than being a professor at a law school. I am the only employee in my law practice. I am absolutely certain the powers that be in Bridgeport are very unhappy with me at present. I agree there is a disgusting quid pro quo in BPT as well as many unqualified political appointees. If you weren’t sure of who I am you shouldn’t have made your comments.
Susan Davis has become a shill. She too can be bought off for a shilling.
Interesting, the only moneychanger in this mob who lives in Bridgeport is Stafstrom. Hear the Town Chair was taking notes of who did not show up last night at Testo’s. I marvel that you can’t ask the public to sign a petition in city hall but you can pass out fliers and email invites to employees for fundraisers as long as it is during lunch time???
It’s a shame we lost. MCAT could have been appointed Chief City Attorney. That in itself would have been one of the most important moves leading to our return to prominence. Can you imagine that office held by someone with skill AND integrity?
Thank you, yahooy. That was extremely nice of you to say. Politics can’t prevent me from fighting the good fight and that is what I will continue to do.
Lynn Fusco and Ernie Trefz have a lot to gain by gaining the favor of the current administration. I guess there is nothing wrong with that. Both are very good at what they do for a living and are free of any hint of scandalous activity. If MJF had won both Trefz and Lynn would have made their services available to her as well. It is actually refreshing we have builders and developers like Trefz and Fusco interested in Bridgeport.
More like Great UnExpectations! If things were so good then why are things so bad? Ramos and his mob, the gang of six bored of education members put the fun in dysfunctional. Pay close attention to his mission statement for the Bridgeport schools! “College Ready”???
www .ctpost.com/opinion/article/Pride-in-the-progress-of-Bridgeport-schools-2226538.php
Bridgeport CT–Deposed DTC leader Moamario Ga-testa has been killed, the State Central Committee confirmed Thursday, following news of his capture and reports of his death.
We been waiting for this moment for a long time. Said Antitestoo, “Moamario Ga-testa has been killed.” The ousted dictator died of wounds suffered in his capture near his hometown of Monroe according to a senior National Transitional Council official and a government City Council member Bob C.
“The people in the streets of Bridgeport are elated,” said OIB’s Cupcakehore.
What do you all think of the Ramos op ed in the CT Post today? By the way Lennie, you were right and my calculation was not correct. I thought he was getting salary every year until retirement, it’s only health care for his family, right? BTW, why were the debates cancelled?
Things are really moving along under this new school board, Bullshit!!! For the second day in a row my 7th grade grandson has had no teacher in his classroom. His regular teacher is out. They are not hiring a substitute. My grandson all 5’9″ of him gets to monitor kindergarten kids two days in a row. Why no substitute teacher??? This is crazy.
Come on, tc. What did you expect from mostly white, wealthy suburbanites?
They cannot comprehend what it is like to be from Bridgeport attending Bridgeport public schools. And this is exactly why Finch wanted a board made up of people like this.
They think their parents are mostly felons or ex-felons or illegal aliens. They shouldn’t expect anything better than this for free.
Life ain’t perfect, is it? That’s the title I’d place on the picture at the top of this column. Chris (“I only lost by a few” but today I have a job with a pension) Caruso, Governor Malloy whom I do not have a nickname or a gripe about at this moment, and John “Bond Counsel and Vendor to the City” Stafstrom. Lawyers keep time records for work on client business. When you work on City business, but also are a part of the political establishment, how does the public know when you are working for taxpayer money, and when you are off doing work as a volunteer? Lobbyists have to identify themselves. How do people wearing more than one hat in City governance circles keep honest track?
Grin, tc expects the Ramos system in place would have provided substitute teachers at a minimum. John Ramos has not “left the building” yet. So momentum would cause tc’s expectations to be reasonable. Please consider also, Bob Trefry was administrative leader of an urban hospital that employed, served and responded to multiple needs of a community with respect for diversity. I have seen nothing from them yet that supports the charges you are making. Aren’t three or four of the people on the new Board residents of the City in any case?
Any word on the abandonment of confirmed debates by Mayor Finch? His schedule is too full? I can take a guess at what is full, in this case, and what it is full of, too! Can’t you?
Finally, we started the summer with the “Anyone But Finch” mystery and that sense carried through the campaigns and decisions made while at least five Mayoral hats were in the ring, other than Finch. The strongest challenge came from supporters of Mary-Jane Foster. I currently hear if Mary-Jane were to merely give her OK, by signing her name to a letter requesting write-ins for this year be counted, the Secretary of State would direct the local Registrar to count write-in ballots for her candidacy. OIB has had a number of people who seem to want to continue to support and vote for Mary-Jane, almost as a representative protest of Finch’s first term. Absent her OK, they may sit on the sidelines this year and not even vote. There is a deadline on this action coming up fast. Is there anyone who would like to see Mary-Jane provide this opportunity to voters? No fuss, no muss, no expense! Of course the lack of cursive writing in many schools today may be a setback in this regard, but as I said at the top, “Life ain’t perfect!” Time will tell.
Chris “The Big Wave” Caruso is looking more like a tsunami with that girth he’s carrying. He’ll be lucky to see another five years. Get with a program, Chris.