Stallworth Resigns City Job, “Very Little Interaction” With Joe

Stallworth, Ganim event
Stallworth speaks at Ganim campaign event in 2015.

State Rep. Charlie Stallworth, an early backer of Joe Ganim’s mayoral comeback, has resigned as director of the Small & Minority Business Resource Center after being demoted from the mayor’s office as part of an administrative shakeup by Ganim in December. His last day of employment will be April 14, according to his resignation letter to Ganim.

“Thank you for the opportunity to serve the wonderful people of Bridgeport,” he wrote. “The experience has been both educational and fulfilling. I hope and pray for the success of our city. I will continue to be an advocate for the city and the great people of Bridgeport.”

In Stallworth’s East End church, on January 1, 2015, Ganim issued his first public apology about his conviction on public corruption charges in 2003 on his way to a historic comeback. Stallworth, a leader in the politically active Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, emerged as a high-profile Ganim campaign supporter. Ganim rewarded him with a $100,000-a-year job as special adviser to the mayor working out of the mayor’s office.

Stallworth had joined several black political leaders condemning the rank demotion of Lieutenant Lonnie Blackwell who was accused of fabricating a racial letter within the Police Department. Blackwell denies the charges. Stallworth speaking out was seen as a public swipe at Ganim. Stallworth, in frustration, made some internal noise about quitting his city position. Discussions between Stallworth and city officials ensued about staying or going. In lieu of Stallworth leaving the payroll completely, Ganim opted to reduce his role in the administration and cut back his hours during the legislative session that began in January.

In an interview with OIB Wednesday morning, Stallworth said “It was time to move on. There are a lot of things I want to accomplish for the community.”

What was his his most recent relationship with Ganim?

“Joe and I have had very little interaction.”

Is he pondering a mayoral run for 2019?

“It’s not something I’m thinking about at this time.”

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60 comments

  1. Well I guess Reverend Stallworth didn’t understand the first rule of Ganim politics, I Kill My Enemies. If you’re not with me, you’re against me and if you’re against me you’re my enemy. Rev., any questions?

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  2. Who’s on first?
    What’s on second?
    I don’t know’s on third.
    Joe just keeps on shuffling the deck but watch that dealing from the bottom.
    We’re going to soon have an electronic scoreboard to try to keep up with these changes!

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        1. I don’t know her, but I’m sure she’s thinking you’re an asshole. On the bright side at least your “curmudgeon” has turned into “sarcasm.”

          PS Sarcasm is jokeish. : mocking, contemptuous, or ironic language intended to convey scorn or insult.

          Way to go, “curmudgeon.” 🙂

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      1. As I told you, she is Dottie Guman, a very powerful woman in Bridgeport politics. The name was not made up by me but by members of the TC.
        You see dumbass, things happened before you were born. Move on.

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        1. I said I don’t know her, you called her Mother Goose. I took it as a sarcastic remark coming from someone who never says anything nice or remotely genuine. This is too heavy for me. Things seems to get way too serious for me. BAM I’m OUT, good luck people.

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  3. Hopefully this a lesson learned for blacks who aspire to run for political office or who seek a position in the Ganim administration and that’s loyalty to Mayor Ganim is a one-way street. You MUST be loyal to Joe but it’s NOT reciprocal. Like him or not it was Rev. Charlie Stallworth’s East End church, on January 1, 2015, Ganim issued his first public apology about his conviction on public corruption charges in 2003 on his way to a historic comeback. Stallworth, a leader in the politically active Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. It was this act that PUT Joe Ganim on the map for black voters to consider to vote for Ganim and what was the reward to the black voters for supporting Ganim, absolutely NOTHING. This is a bigger learning moment for the Black community and especially the black voters in Bridgeport and that’s Mayor Joe Ganim does NOT deserve your support and your vote. It’s okay to forgive our vote for Joe Ganim but to understand we can’t trust him again no matter what position he decides to run for.

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    1. Joe Ganim used the black voters like many other politicians, no prominently white city or town would have voted for him. We as blacks are too forgiving and it always bites us in the butt. I mean he said he was sorry in the man’s church and now looks what happened. Personally I regret voting for Foster instead of Finch as Finch had a better chance to win.

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    2. Let’s say Joe Ganim was repentant or apologetic at that church, acknowledging the harm his choices in the first administration did to Bridgeport’s future. As an avowedly “second chance” candidate, one who should be going out of his way to verify the trust he asked voters to register. But he has not done so.
      His “vision” as a candidate embraced STOP RAISING TAXES and his actions were a contradiction. So he padded his 2017 budget with positions that were not used for the first six months of the year, and he allowed the Small and Minority Business Resource Center to founder though minority jobs are needed, especially “second chance” opportunities.
      Sewing up magnificent retirement outcomes for certain public safety personnel is his notable priority as he goes to the State for another opportunity to bond that will serve as a more significant limitation on future operations and budgets than necessary. Who can make a simple case for this bonding? Is it as simple as 8% that we will pay as necessary assumed earnings on unfunded pension amounts PLUS 4% interest on borrowing money today for 25-30 years into the future, is LESS EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT??? Plus the cost of bonding itself??? Can you show us your illustration, Joe? Or will you allow Ken Flatto to show us your math that will “save” millions per year? Time will tell.

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  4. donj, you are confused in your observations that the Black community was used by Mayor Ganim or any other politician or party. Joe deceived the Black community into supporting him in so much as they thought his motives for running were pure and altruistic when in reality it was just Joe being Joe.

    The fact is kid that you know little or nothing about Bridgeport’s politics and you do a disservice to the Black community when you say those stereotypical things about blacks as a race. It is said it’s better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are a fool rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt. Why is it when blacks do something the status quo disagrees with it’s an indictment of the whole race? Do you see how stupid you sound because I know you weren’t talking about yourself when you said Mayor Ganim used the Black community, unless you don’t think you’re part of the Black community.

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  5. Ron, all I’m going to say for now is our two Senators, Ed and Marilyn, who are black, never stooped to the level of groveling politics; yet they were elected, re-elected, and continue to be independent officials. Neither was endorsed by the TC, in fact the Town Chair went out of his way to insure they were challenged; they won with loyal friends and knowledgeable voters. I can only imagine the disappointment Charlie feels, but it shows we all keep learning.

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    1. Lisa, thanks for bringing that very important point about our two State Senators Moore and Gomes, they are the standard we all should look for when voting. To hell with Mario Testa the head of the Democratic Town Committee (DTC) and Mayor Joe Ganim. As for the black and Hispanic City Council members and District Leaders, they all are scared of Mario and Joe and they need to be challenged and face a primary if they seek office.

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    1. Bubba; you, me and a few others know that. Remember we go back to the beginning and observed it all before. For the most part, this present group of groupies fall for it.

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  6. Don or Ron, you always say it was because of the black vote that Ganim got elected. Show me the evidence that it was the black vote that got Ganim elected. Ganim received 6,264 votes, Finch 5,857 that’s a 407 vote difference. So Ganim won the primary by 204 votes, because we all know the primary’s the game.

    I believe most if not all on Ganim’s ticket lost. I only know Maria won on his ticket, but I think most of those who ran on Finch’s ticket won.

    So are you saying the black vote voted for Ganim but not his ticket and voted for those on Finch’s ticket instead?

    Other than Stallworth and a few other black district leaders, how can you say it was only because of the black vote that Ganim won?

    What about the other black people who supported Finch or Foster, like Gomes and Moore, they didn’t support Ganim.

    Are you saying they have less of a voice in the black community over Stallworth and Ford and Ernie?

    What about all the other black church leaders or voices in the black community who supported Finch or other candidates?

    What about the the dynamic duo on OIB? 🙂 Do they have less of a voice with the Afro-centric voters in Bridgeport?

    Show me the breakdown of the primary results saying blacks overwhelmingly voted for Ganim.

    Also what about the Spanish population Perez or Gomes ginned up. What about Maria and Lisa and countless others who worked on Ganim’s campaign?

    Lennie, give us the breakdown on the demographics on the primary results among Ganim, Finch and Foster. I will bet it was fairly even among all demographics between Ganim and Finch.

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    1. Go to the Town Clerk’s office and ask for the election numbers by districts and voting places and if you know anything about who are on the voting list for a city that’s a majority black and Hispanic City then you will understand.

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    2. Robert, Joe Ganim won the black vote in the 2015 primary against Finch convincingly, running up large numbers in heavily black precincts such as Dunbar, Hallen and Wilbur Cross. In those three precincts combined Ganim defeated Finch by more than 500 votes. In racially mixed Hooker School, where District Leader Maria Pereira helped churn out the vote for Ganim, there was another 100-vote plurality.

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    3. Robert, read this and process what I’m posting: if not for the loyal, forgiving blacks Joey G. would never have had the opportunity to stick his toe back in the political waters. They gave him life and viability, the rest jumped on the bandwagon after the momentum took on a life of its own.

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      1. Not saying blacks didn’t support him. The $500,000 Joe raised was just or more important to Joe’s “win.” Where did that come from? To be honest they jumped on and off that bandwagon.

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  7. PS This blog exploded when Joe gave him a $100,000 job that is a waste of taxpayers’ money, now he’s an asshole for getting rid of someone who supported him. 🙂

    Ron and Day, what color are the CAO and the Superintendent of Schools? Are you sure your colorblindness is not associated with gender blindness?

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    1. Robert, you keep making statements or asking questions about things locally but you have no understanding of the past in Bridgeport. It’s your right to write whatever you want on OIB unless they take it down for a reason but you need to get your history in line and up to date if you want respect.

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  8. Robert, really two department heads? The BBOE isn’t governed by the mayor’s office so that leaves one that you know of, right?

    The city of Bridgeport is approximately 72% African American and Latino depending on which report you read and there are over 40 departments within Bridgeport city government and I can assure you, the 72% have considerably less than 25% of the department head positions.

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  9. Hey, look at this way. Joe used Mr. Stallworth to get out his message to the black community. For that, Joe gave him a made-up job that paid him off handsomely. Now Joe’s debt is paid, and Mr. Stallworth was told to move on. What’s the problem? This is how business is done in Bpt. Finch did the same with Tiago, only difference, Tiago is still getting paid.

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    1. Harvey, thank you for your comment because that will be part of the campaign against Joe Ganim when he runs for elected office again. Ganim knows it’s against the law to buy and purchase a black man but you can still rent one for a short term and that’s how Joe Ganim operates, his white appointees keep their positions no matter how bad they are performing their duties in fact look at those who were with Ganim in his G1 term that he has given high-paying positions. Harvey, you are totally about when you said, “this is how business is done in Bpt.” That’s how Joe Ganim does business with blacks, it’s one and done. Ganim has only two black department heads, Janene Hawkins, JD Director of Labor Relations and Nestor Nkwo Director, Office of Policy & Management. Nestor has been in that office in different positions for a long time and Rev. Hawkins is new to City management, hopefully she will be able to keep her position. It’s good being white in Bridgeport because whites have a greater chance in getting a position in a Ganim administration than blacks in a City that is predominantly a city of color.

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      1. How about the Police Chief, Health Dept, BOE, I am sure there are more. If I am wrong and Mackey is right with his numbers then whose fault is that?
        It boils down to this, a certain number of known blacks and Hispanics are always getting jobs. A certain number of jobs are set aside for minorities. These jobs are mostly elected positions but if you are endorsed you are in. Town and city clerk reserved for minorities, Registrar of voting, State Rep 138th State senator for 138th and I am sure the list goes on. Look at the names for those jobs and you will see why we are screwed. Stallworth was a do-nothing as a state Rep for my district.

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      2. Ron–How about Kim Staley, the CAO, Deputy Chief of Staff, Christine Bartlett-Josie and Tyisha Toms??? Charlie was a no-show at City Hall and is one at the Legislature. He’s hitting clean-up at his House of Worship.

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          1. Right, Ron! Isn’t the CAO the Chief Operating Officer over all department heads? Just sayin’.

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  10. Donald, time after time day after day blacks and Hispanics are promised the world by politicians and what do they get every time? Bupkus. I have been around Bridgeport politics for over 50 years and it’s always the same.
    The black and Hispanics in Bridgeport make up 72% give or take of the population and yet they can’t field a viable candidate for mayor. Why is that? Well they both want to be in charge and it ends up in a feud and once again we have a shithead for a mayor.
    Were was the black and Hispanic community when another white is named chief of the FD based on questions e-mailed to each candidate? This was an out-and-out slap in the face to minorities and to civil service.
    I don’t see any viable black or Hispanic running for mayor in the near future. For that matter I don’t see any white candidate with balls running for mayor in the future. The Fords and Newtons and Diazes of this city should just ride off into the sunset.
    What a mayor has to do is put the residents of his city to work. Let’s compile a list of residents wanting to work for the city also get their qualifications. We then look at where we can save money by using city residents. Examples: Have people take the OSHA course for traffic control at construction sites and stop using overpaid cops. Put together a group to do our tree trimming and removal rather than hire out the tree work. Hire residents to help demolish vacant houses, we have all the equipment necessary and we have people in Bridgeport just begging to work.
    You see this is not rocket science, it’s called HONESTY!!!!!!!!!

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  11. Well Andy Fardy, I actually agree almost 100% with your opinions and observations. I wish I could expound, but you pretty much nailed it. OMG, I’m agreeing with Andy, Pat’s probably the one who put all that together. Just kidding, Andy!

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  12. Andy, there is a viable black candidate for the Mayor of Bridgeport, Marilyn Moore whose honestly, character and integrity are only exceeded by her humility.

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  13. affirmative action : an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women

    A. Why are you lumping blacks and Hispanics into one group? They are separate ethic groups. Reverse Racism.

    2. The blacks and Hispanics have roughly the same population. 36% while whites have have 22%. Wouldn’t that make whites the minority?

    Affirmative action, Well Played.

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    1. No to Day and Ron. They almost always add in the Hispanics when talking about white and black.

      As for you, you can add whites to them. Whites only make up 22%. I believe Maria won overwhelmingly in Dunbar, Hallen and Wilbur Cross over a black endorsed candidate.

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  14. Now let’s look at Bridgeport Reps. 4 blacks, 2 Hispanics 1 white and a Jack Hennessy, whatever he is.

    What is the BOE make up, 3 blacks, 4 maybe 5 white, 1 maybe 2 Hispanics. If anything the Hispanic population is being underserved.

    The city council seems pretty diverse.

    You know what’s missing, Republicans, I thought government governed based on ideas not race. Why does it matter what race you are? You are all Democrats, right? Or does party line, platform, and loyalty not apply to what’s best for the city and its residents? In that case why does race matter in a “me politics” that governs this city?

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      1. Blacks make up 36%, whites 22% that’s only a 14% difference, roughly 21000. You always make it out blacks are overwhelmingly disproportionately by whites by adding in Hispanics into your argument and never taking into any Hispanics posts or jobs like Chief of Police, Perez, or Gomes. Day even wetn so for as to discredit and dismiss a black Superintendent of Schools because it’s “not part of city governance.” Not sure if that was more racist or misogynist. But when you brush off the head of the body that controls the other half of the city’s budget to the tune of $200,000-plus. Your race card like unions, Once they hit their equilibrium it’s counterproductive. In fact it is counter-intuitive.

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        1. Ron, the first reply was to the post addressed to Andy. As for the second post regarding party, Joe supported Hilary Clinton, and you supported Hilary, Right? So you don’t have a problem voting for white politicians, right? Joe is a Democrat like Hilary and white like Hilary, right? So what’s your problem with white Democrat Joe? After all, blacks are the main reason Joe was elected.

          PS Were you in favor of Stallworth receiving a $100,000 made-up position because of his support of Joe in his reelection bid?
          Please let’s not forget that is not Stallworth’s church, it’s God’s house.

          www .youtube.com/watch?v=TyJbR8xHCx8

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          1. Robert, damn, what in HELL are you talking about? You have no knowledge of what you are asking.

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          2. Other than letting Joe use the church pulpit to make his apology, what did Stallworth do to help Joe? The only black person with Joe was Nelson, in my opinion, Maria probably did more for Joe in the black community than Stallworth, that’s why he barely beat her. If anything Joe saved his seat. What I’m asking you is simple. Do you think Stallworth deserved a $100,000/year job from Joe based on his support?

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  15. *** I was offered the replacement job but I demanded twice the amount the Rev. was getting for my services. After all, I have a political background and I’m a minority Army Vet; retired CT C/O and ex-community service coordinator for the CT Judicial Courts Dept. Oh and since the job’s in Bpt; I’m a registered Dem. voter! *** Only setback is I have “no” experience in this particular field. ***

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