The Times Profiles Ganim’s Run For Governor

Ganim New York Times
Ganim profiled by The Times. Jessica Hill for The New York Times

From Lisa Foderaro, The New York Times:

Joseph P. Ganim, the mayor of Connecticut’s largest city, is selling a message of imperfection, but also redemption.

He is the embodiment of the second chance: After serving as Bridgeport’s mayor in the 1990s and early 2000s, Mr. Ganim, a Democrat, was convicted on multiple charges of corruption and sent to federal prison. Seven years later, he emerged from his “time away,” as he calls it, a changed man.

He returned to City Hall as mayor in 2015, vowing to make his mayoral redux squeaky clean–even hiring, as a senior adviser, the F.B.I. agent who was a key member of the prosecution team that convicted him.

Now, Mr. Ganim is hoping to pull off an even more improbable comeback: He is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor amid a crowded field of candidates bidding to replace the Democratic two-term governor, Dannel P. Malloy, who is not seeking re-election.

Full story here.

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43 comments

  1. I agree with Pete Spain’s assessment of Ganim.
    I agree with the NYT’s mention of a belief that Ganim is the one Democrat a Republican can beat.
    I do not agree with the NYT article describing Ganim’s Bridgeport as “a gritty coastal city of 150,000 where he has earned praise for attracting development, stabilizing finances and bolstering the police”. Development? Stabilizing finances? Bolstering police?
    There was no mention of Ganim’s failure to reinstate his law license or receive public campaign funds.

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  2. I believe in redemption and I believe in second chances. I believe most people are hypocrites and say they do. During this time of Passover and Easter, The message is timely. This is a time of renewal, redemption and freedom from bondage. If you have any faith at all you will sit back and watch a determined individual move our city forward. Waiting for failure is just so very sad.

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    1. I also believe in redemption. Joe Ganim appeared to have redeemed himself two years ago while he was cmpsigning for his old job. He blew it after the election. He has claimed development for himself when most of the negotiations occurred while he was still enjoying the hospitality of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

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      1. Bridgeport Kid you are correct. Every Mayor that has ever taken office inherits the good and the bad. Mayor Finch accomplished a lot and on the blog he was ripped to shreds. Ganim may take credit for some past projects but the Amphitheater and The POLI /Majestic are his own and both will be a home run! Mayor Fabrizi did a fine job and he inherited Ganims work on Steele Pointe. It all became a reality from the dream of a Republican Mayor, Leonard Paoletta.

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  3. I think that during this interview Mayor Ganim was reticent about him turning his back on the Black community of Bridgeport. The article failed to mention that the Black community of Bridgeport was apoplectic about the treatment of them by Mayor Ganim when he needed a friend.

    Mayor Ganim, the Black community of Bridgeport has its eye on you and will not forget how you turned your back on them and they dont care how many of those little bullshit jobs you give to a few Black’s that will last only until they vote you out of office as mayor. My job is excoriating you on behalf of the Black community so that they never forget what you didn’t do for them and I take my job very seriously.

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    1. Joe Ganim has misused EVERYONE in this town, the black community in particular. No worries. Everyone is media savvy these days. Word about his hypocrisy will get out via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and every other sicial platform.

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    2. Don, this article is puff story, they didn’t do any real research into who voted Ganim back into office as mayor. The black community came out in large numbers to elect Ganim and what has he done to be reciprocal and loyal for their support and vote, not a dam thing. Joe Ganim is nothing but an ingrate and his partner, the DTC chairman dictator, Mario Testa won’t even put a foot in the black community and he could care less about the black community, just ask him.

      Ganim will do his usual act and start to visit black churches just for voting time but this time it won’t work because he has no record to stand on to show the black community and as you said Don, “those little bullshit jobs you give to a few Black’s that will last only until they vote you out of office as mayor.”

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  4. Now the ‘burbs are weighing in on the casino, concerned about traffic on I-95 and local surface streets. What does Joe “I have sinned!” Ganim have to say about that?

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  5. so that we understand the comments on this page. Ron Mackey and Donald Day supported Mary Jane Foster. I am sure the Black community listen to them. Derek Brown supported Rick Torres a Republican go figure. I Steven Auerbach supported Bill Finch.

    I believe Ganim has a huge following. I think he is doing a fine job. How can anyone be critical of a man that is doing what he set out to do. Ganim can and will do for Bridgeport what Roland did for Waterbury and Malloy did for Stamford. We may be a gritty city but our location is undeniably excellent and ripe for development. We the people are Bridgeport’s Ambassadors. If we keep knocking our leadership and development what hope can we possibly have?

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    1. Steve, as usual you don’t know what you are talking about, I told Ganim that I was supporting Mary Jane Foster because Ganim waited to enter the race. I had know problem in supporting Ganim during his time as mayor before going to jail. I was willing to support him after he got elected this time but he has done anything for blacks and the black community since being mayor. There were a group of black ministers who were saying that Mary Jane was a Republican and some other old time Democrat dirty tricks. I kept waiting and waiting for Mayor Ganim to repay the black voters who put Ganim back into office and he still hasn’t done a dam thing for them. Now he thinks that blacks in other cities will vote for him. Blacks statewide will look at Bridgeport and asked what did he do for those who supported Ganim and they will see, nothing.

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      1. Ron Mackey, I believe you are sincere in your commentary. I do have an honest question for you. What exactly is Joe Ganim expected to do that you would find acceptable.There are Black pprofessionls working in The City Hall Annex, Lyon Terrace, BOE Throughout Public Facilities. What exactly are your expectations? It seems to me whenever I see Mayor Ganim in Public he is Warmly embraced by the Black Community all over the city. Reading the blog between you and your friend, one might get the absolutely fake news impression that this community does not love Joe. They do. If they do not you would never know it. I have never seen a Mayor in this City that has had such a strong connection with the monorities in Bridgeport. Look , we are all in this together and in politics I understand that communities like to take credit for putting someone in office. But seriously, there were a handful of white people ad a couple of Hispanics that also supported him. We are a diverse city. I did not hear Ganim or Finch suggest any special treatment for any minority. Mary Jane Foster, a Woman I had hopes for 6 years ago was so disappointing in the last election I could not believe she was actually running. Why there was such a loathing against Finch is still strange to me . One thing that was blatently clear to everyone, Mary Jane Foster could not connect to ay group of people , especially Blacks from every continent and Island known to man.

        Joe Ganim s running for Governor . He will not recieve public funding. He paid his debt to society, People are still writing checks and he hasn’t really taken his show on the road. He has a clear path. He was raised among the wealthy and can identify with Urban America. He may not be able to practice law but that does not mean that education has gone to waste.

        Ganim paid a very high price for his past actions on the national stage and at home. His young family were deprived and so was he of memories. I’d believe the debt was paid in full and then some. I give him credit for fighting to get his life back. The dream he had all of those years ago. A comeback story is a great thing. It gives us hope.

        Our Blog master Lennie Grimaldi had the same past. Would anyone deny him of his dreams? I do not think so. I would hope not. People make mistakes. We move forward.

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          1. Joe Ganim “was raised among the wealthy and can identify with Urban America…” You make him out as if he is on par with the Kennedys. Hardly. Joe Ganim served seven years of a nine-year sentence. Was the sentence appropriate? Given that he took the witness stand, against advice of counsel, and lied his ass off, yes. He got what he deserved. Did his wife and children suffer for that? Yes. Was anyone else to blame? No. 

             He was denied his license to practice law because of this unmitigated gall. Ganim will never be reinstated to the bar because he will never admit to lying on the witness stand. (There’s no statute of limitations on perjury.) A pseudo confession in Reverend Stallworth’s South End church didn’t change the fact. 

            Mr. Ganim is warmly recieved by some of the black community. He’s not received, warmly or otherwise, by the majority. To many state residents he epitomizes what is wrong with the Democratic Party in Bridgeport.

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        1. Steve take a deep breath and get your head out of your ass. This statement by you is really something”Ganim paid a very high price for his past actions ” was he thinking of the high price when he took money wine and clothes as a payoff. Did he think about the people of Bridgeport he screwed. Did he think of his family when he was having those meetings at a Fairfield Diner the answer is a resounding NO
          The people of Bridgeport have given him permission to screw us again and screw us he will. Joe only cares about joe.I hate to say this but he will be caught again just like the ex governor now doing his second term in Bridgeport. Steve you have no moral compass and sold out for a job I hope its more than you made as a substitute teacher $75.00 per day

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        2. Isn’t it great that Joe Ganim grew up in the burbs among folks more wealthy than he governs today. Those folks have much tighter systems of governance that would not permit a number of the actions or inactions visited upon the Bridgeport public over the past 20 years. (Do we still have a Commission Chair who votes in Trumbull but runs a Bridgeport group? How does that work? What will SEEC have to say about addresses used for registering?) We put up with stuff that Ganim2 has not cared to cure. He will run with it on his record. Time will tell.

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    2. Just a reminder you sanctimonious asshole you campaigned heavily for MJF in her first run for mayor. During her second round you were no where to be seen because you could not figure out whose ass to kiss.

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  6. Greater Bridgeport Tranit is holding. Public hearing 4/12/18, 6:00 PM at Morton Government Center to annoinced planned service cuts. I’m sure Little Joe and his big ego will be there for a photo opportunity…

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  7. Joe Ganim will not be the next Democratic Candidate for Governor of Connecticut.
    I do think Joe will become the next Toby Moffett.
    I wouldn’t be surprised if Ganim starts his own Party, ( Lowell Weicker) but not with the same results.

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  8. Brother Mackey, what some people don’t understand is the fact that you can find a few Black people to pat you on the back doesn’t mean that the Black community as a whole supports you or your ideology. All one has to do is look at the election of Trump and you will see some misguided Black’s that bore witness to his plan for America in spite of his America being a hindrance to the uplift of 96% of Black America.

    What some people dont understand is that there Black’s working professionals in city hall, but the bulk of the working professionals working in city hall are white in a city where Whites are the minority. What some people dont understand is that Mayor Ganim rode the 2nd chance train all the way to city hall, but how many Black’s have been hired that are wearing the same hat as Mayor Ganim, that felon hat. He preached that 2nd chance bullshit, but since his return to city hall not one Black felon had been hired as one of those Black working professionals that some people speak about.

    Hell Brother Mackey, some people dont understand that Black’s that don’t wear the felon hat that Mayor Ganim wears can’t get hired as police and firefighters like they use to before the hire of David Dunn and why is this clown allowed to stay in a position for almost ten years without the benefit of an exam. Some people dont understand that under Mayor Ganim the Bridgeport Fire department put on a class with NO Black’s for the 1st time in 42 years and several classes with NO women for the 1st time in 35 years.

    Brother Mackey, what some people dont understand is that even if every department head was Black we would be outraged and appalled if they had no Black employees to lead just like we are outraged and appalled that most of the Black city employees have NO Black leadership. JG1 understood that and his city reflected the diversity of Bridgeport and he made that a priority. The Black community understood that and loved and respected that Joe as did you and I. I had never met a better man than the 1st Mayor Joe, but this Joe isn’t the Joe that I loved and respected.

    Brother Mackey, what some people dont understand is that I’ve received calls from the Black communities of Hartford and New Haven asking about this Joe Ganim and his commitment to the Black community here and I tell them about the old Joe and this new Joe that mislead the Black community. What some people don’t understand is that we’ve met with Mayor Ganim’s people and the 1st they ask us is what do We want or what can they do for us and the answer is always the same, You Can’t Do Anything For Us Except The Uplift Of Our People. Finally Brother, what some people dont understand is that we always supported Joe Ganim and the reason we didn’t at the last election is after waiting for him to make up his mind to run Mary Jane came to us and asked for our support we finally acquiesced and supported her. In hindsight we made the right decision because history has shown that Mayor Ganim two is not the man we thought he was at the beginning of our relationship.

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    1. Don, let me highlight something you said, “what some people don’t understand is that I’ve received calls from the Black communities of Hartford and New Haven asking about this Joe Ganim and his commitment to the Black community here and I tell them about the old Joe and this new Joe that mislead the Black community.” Ganim’s top campaign people for governor know that what you wrote is true, we got calls from people right after he had his meet and greet with delegates asking us what has Ganim done for the black community and we told them, he’s doing nothing.

      David Dunn has been on the City’s payroll for 40 years and the last 10 years as the “Acting” Personnel Director, neither Bill Finch or Joe Ganim have followed the City Charter to have a natiowide search for candidates to apply and take an exam for Personnel Director position. Don again you said, “there Black’s working professionals in city hall, but the bulk of the working professionals working in city hall are white in a city where Whites are the minority” this is what you call “affirmative action” for whites.

      Joe Ganim will get some black votes but what he won’t have is enthusiasm of black voters coming out and bringing their family and friends to the polls to vote for Ganim, those days are over.

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  9. The reporter for the NYT did not mention The corrupt DTC and Mario Testa’s role with election and with Ganim-about the Supreme Court’s recent admonishment on their proven absentee ballot fraud that is the life blood of their winning delegates and elections
    Details, details….

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    1. She also missed the fact that voters living in P.T. Barnum were paid a double sawbuck each to vote for Joe “I have sinned!” Ganim. Maybe she just didn’t know. Time to compose an email to her.

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  10. Just listen to Joe Ganim’s come to jesus moment from the 3:02 to 3:19. Joe doesn’t talk about improving the black community, nothing about jobs, it’s all about Joe. Joe Ganim knows nothing about being reciprocal to those who he was talking too and to who they represent. Does Ganim really think that this video will cause voters to vote for him? Please,

    “Ganim at East End Baptist Church-Apology” – YouTube

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mKgnlMNXmo&feature=youtu.be

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    1. Most Bridgeport residents know Joseph P. Ganim as an egomaniacal scumbag suffering from a Napoleon Complex, big and bad. We also know he ripped off the city for cash, wine, tailored clothes, all-expenses-paid trips to Manhattan including stays at the Four Seasons Hotel on East 57th Street, and home improvements. We all know he took the witness stand at his criminal trial and lied his ass off. We all know Mr. Ganim’s application to be reinstated to the bar was denied because he expressed no remorse, no contrition, no admission of guilt.

      Joe Ganim is a master if retail campaigning. He had a campaign staffer operating a camera for every photo op. shooting at Trumbull Gardens? There was Little Joe Ganim singing “Here I am to save the day!” like Mighty Mouse. Video posted on Facebook. Hole in the fence? He put on his “Home Improvement” costume and went to Home Depot. (Should have gone to Ace Hardware. They have a better jingle.) Video posted on Facebook. He went to a City Council meeting to threaten retribution if taxes were raised. Video posted on Facebook. He gave a poorly acted pseudo confession to the congregation at Reverend Stallworth’s East End Tabernacle Baptist Church. Video posted on You Tube. Some were fooled by the sizzle, and that’s all it was: sizzle. No steak, just fat burning in the fire.

      I intend to write a letter to the editors of the New York Times, a litany of his sins. He is a crook and should be exposed as such.

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      1. Derek, wait a minute, you mean Joe Ganim did all of this, “he ripped off the city for cash, wine, tailored clothes, all-expenses-paid trips to Manhattan including stays at the Four Seasons Hotel on East 57th Street, and home improvements?” But Derek, Joe Ganim didn’t mention any of those things that listed and I wonder if those who voted for him were aware of those crimes. Joe Ganim doesn’t understand the meaning of atonement and asking for forgiveness. I strongly believe in giving someone a second chance and in order to receive a second chance one must acknowledge what they did wrong, accept what they did wrong and to receive forgiveness one must ask for forgiveness well Joe Ganim doesn’t do any of this in his speech.

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        1. Amen, Brother Mackey. Amen. There are no shortcuts on the way to a full and faithful spiritual journey. No photo ops either. Time will tell.

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        2. To be truly forgiven a guilty person must make an apology. An apology is acknowledgement of wrongdoing and a promise to correct future behavior.

          Ganim has not apologized nor changed his ways, in spite of Steven Aurebach’s shameless defense.

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          1. We could ll feel sorry for Little Joe for Judge Bellis’s denial of his law license. Oh boo hoo hoo. Poor Little Joe, he can’t practice law no more. Ain’t that a shame. It isn’t as if he’s responsible for his own behavior. Oh, wait a minute. He IS. Then why is a $75.00-a-day sustitute teacher feeling sorry for him?

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          2. Derek, here is the reason why poor Steve who is a $75.00-a-day substitute teacher is feeling sorry for Ganim? Steve is a bandwagon fan is probably the most common term in the US. Bandwagoner would be the more general, non-sports case, and most everyone would know what you mean although it’s not very a common term. A bandwagon fan is more likely to follow any team that is currently popular.

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          3. Steve A. called me scumbag because I had the gall to say “Hold up with the casino, we have other problems here…” You know, socioeconomic injustice; environmental pollution, abandoned factories leaching industrial chemicals into the water and soil; a harbor that is no longer an active port because city government can’t see fit to appropriate the funds to dredge it (a working deepwater port would create a lot of high paying jobs for stevedores and other longshoremen); a failed school system that recieves fewer dollars every passing year. I’m an asshole and a scumbag because I pointed out all of these problems and more. I’m a scumbag because I am one of the voices shouting that Ganim plsyrd the black community to get re-elected.

            But it’s okay. MGM promised a casino and that’s gonna hide the crumbling east side from view, gonna make the riverfront all pretty. there will be gaming tables, high end stores, B list entertainers, glitz and glamour.

            We are saddled with a convicted felon that lied cheated and bought his way back into the mayor’s office. Steve thinks we ought to feel sorry for Joe Ganim because he was imprisoned for violating the Racketeering and Corrupt Organizations Act.

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  11. Derek if you can get me her address, Ill mention the Mario thing the NYT should do a story on that alone.!

    I predict that Joes opponents will bring it up in a big way. Its a “layup”

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