Bridgeport resident David Walker, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, rebuked assertions made by an opponent on the eve of the Republican state convention that he injected race into the campaign saying “Penny Bacchiochi should be ashamed of herself and she should apologize for her actions.” Bacchiochi made her comments on a Hartford radio station reported here. Walker statement:
I hope people will see Penny Bacchiochi’s assertion for what it is–a complete untruth by a desperate candidate on the eve of the GOP Convention. This outrageous, unethical and unfounded personal attack has no basis in fact or reality. I am shocked and saddened as to why this particular line of attack was chosen, but she has essentially called me a racist. I have run a positive campaign based on my qualifications and the issues. Meanwhile, Penny continues to focus on personal attacks rather than tell the voters how she will solve the problems facing our state.
I have a 40-year record, including 15 years of public service during four presidential administrations. I have been subject the three full FBI background investigations and have been confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate three times. There are literally thousands of people that I have worked with who would be outraged by her unfounded assertions. For people who know me her comments are clearly ridiculous and deserve no response. But in the court of public opinion, and because a television station decided to run this as a top story, without verification, I have no choice but to defend myself.
The real story is that Penny Bacchiochi deliberately impugned my reputation in the most hurtful and harmful way possible for purely political reasons. I am disappointed that Rep. Bacchiochi has decided that this was an appropriate campaign tactic. It is wrong, it is unfair, and anyone who knows me knows it is not true.
This was a destructive act and it is not good for the Republican Party, our democratic process or for the public discourse.
If people wonder why qualified individuals choose not to run for public office, they need look no further than State Representative Penny Bacchiochi’s Channel 3 interview. She is a State Representative elected by the people of her district in CT. The public should reject her kind of campaign tactics.
No responsible person, much less any responsible public elected official, would make this completely false accusation.
Penny Bacchiochi should be ashamed of herself and she should apologize for her actions.
Agree or disagree with David Walker on matters of policy, to know him as I do as his Democratic/mostly Obama-supporting neighbor down the street in Bridgeport is to know he’s no racist. It’s just not his way. It’s not in him.
David Walker was the treasurer of Citizens Working for a Better Bridgeport last fall when it endorsed and supported two African American candidates, Howard Gardner and Andre Baker, in the Board of Ed primary. I participated in and contributed to Citizens Working for a Better Bridgeport at the time.
From what I saw, David Walker’s decisions were not made casually; they were made painstakingly. (1) David Walker had ensured that invitations were extended to ALL candidates (Democrat, Republican, Working Families Party) to participate in interviews with the Citizens group and to answer a questionnaire that he helped the group to generate through review/revision/consensus; (2) David Walker attended a series of candidate interviews and/or scrutinized participants’ notes from the interviews he couldn’t attend; (3) David Walker and others in the group organized and publicized a public candidates forum at the Bridgeport Public Library; (4) subsequently, David Walker helped lead a group review and discussion of candidates’ experiences, statements, backgrounds, and written responses … followed by an open vote to select candidates to endorse based on the merits of the candidates, during which race was never mentioned. Not once. Is that racist?
One can only hope all parties and all voters would be as focused, fair and deliberate in intelligently considering candidates and their merits for public office in Connecticut as David Walker has shown himself to be.
Good luck, David!
Illegitimi non carborundum!
Pete Spain, on this one I will have split with you. I’m not saying David Walker is a racist but I have always questioned Walker’s involvement with blacks and the same with Citizens Working for a Better Bridgeport. Because they endorsed and supported two African American candidates, Howard Gardner and Andre Baker, in the Board of Ed primary what does that prove, they just endorsed two blacks who liked the same thing they did, the owner of the LA Clippers hires blacks but we know he doesn’t give a damn about blacks. What blacks in Bridgeport have publicly come out and support Walker and what did Howard Gardner and Andre Baker have to say publicly about Walker? I just found it strange Walker couldn’t get blacks to join Citizens Working for a Better Bridgeport and I was always asking about that and nothing ever changed.
I would vote for Nancy Wyman for governor instead of Malloy but I will vote for Nancy Wyman for lieutenant governor.
Ron,
The unfortunate matter/distraction here is whether the candidate is a racist–as insinuated by a political competitor, Bacchiochi.
That’s it.
I attempt to address that above because it’s insidious to our body politic in this city, state or country if highly experienced and capable fellow Americans running for office are slandered for being bigoted … when they are not.
I understand such bogus claims were spread to African American churches in Bridgeport about one of Finch’s competitors days before the mayoral primary. That served us all well, didn’t it, Ron? Congratulations Mr. Wood and Mr. Finch, a true duo of deceivers.
We pay an enormous price for this as Americans … because every time it goes on in the public forum, it drives highly experienced and capable candidates from seeking public office. Not only that, we take our eye off the ball–off the real important issues.
After all, why run for office … if the night before the convention or election … you’ll be maligned as a person from Mars with no supporting evidence? In this case, it’s as absurd as saying Walker is a person from Mars.
Everything else is everything else, Ron.
I know you don’t mean to compare a volunteer group of your fellow citizens trying to support honest, decent, intelligent, independent-minded candidates to the despicable (based on what I’ve read) Donald Sterling … because that would be idiotic, insulting, unfair and baseless … all of which you aren’t aiming to be.
I’m a Democrat … but I’m not a delegate, so my vote will be cast in the general in Nov. I won’t be able to split my vote. And I won’t be voting for Malloy.
Ron, why do you constantly say no blacks in Bridgeport have joined CW4BB when you have never attended any event or meeting we have sponsored and you are not on the email list of our members? Your statement about this is wrong. Much like the news 3 reporter on Chanel 3 at 6 PM repeated Penny’s statement, while a different reporter at 11 followed up the story reporting Penny did not return their phone calls, no state central Republican had any reports or confirmations anyone had received any such calls she described, the reporter called several Republican delegates and none of them had received any such calls. The first newscaster was a repeater of a statement, the second was a reporter and investigator of facts. Ron, the invitation to come find out about CW4BB and to have a sit-down with Dave Walker is and always will be open to you.
Jennifer Buchanan and Pete Spain, I like and respect both you guys and I don’t believe David Walker is a racist, I have never said or suggested he is a racist.
When I first read on OIB about Citizens Working for a Better Bridgeport I thought this was great and seeing as it was starting in the 130th district I was feeling good that finally there are people in that district who will reach out to the voters in PT Barnum Apartments and those who live in the State Street area of the district. Seeing as for years the elected officials in that district had forgotten about those voters’ issues and concerns. Now CW4BB was going to get involved in the district but as time passed the only thing CW4BB was concern about was Black Rock and Republicans. In my own way I was pushing and suggesting by asking questions about CW4BB and David Walker and asking about where are the black members. How many meetings were had in PT Barnum? CW4BB and David Walker support for Rick Torres and his views and statements about blacks caused me to really turn against CW4BB and David Walker because no one challenged or spoke out against Rick Torres’ comments about blacks. I’m just one person with my views speaking out, one person.
Interesting how Walker defends himself with another egotistical harangue about what a superior person he is. I am looking forward to people asking questions about his time at Arthur Andersen. And while yes he was gone when the scandal broke but the people of CT have the right to ask … was he there while the books were being cooked and while I doubt he had anything to do with it, he was a partner and that does reflect on his managerial skills or lack thereof.
And even giving Walker the benefit of the doubt that he isn’t racist and maybe merely misspoke, I have not seen the actual quote. His association with people like Tom Foley and the ever-changing Mr. Torres who are opposed to things like mandatory sick leave and even the very concept of a minimum wage which would help many financially underprivileged members of minority groups say a lot. Even if he wouldn’t say something racist, some of the policies he advocates certainly do nothing to help minorities who are at the bottom of the economic ladder have a better living and give their kids a shot at a better future just like anyone else in this nation.
This is the thing, Moore. You have questions about DW’s involvement with Arthur Andersen, a company with $9.3 billion in profits and 35 executives, and the Enron scandal? DW left Andersen in ’98. Enron engaged Andersen in 1986. Andersen got in trouble because David Duncan was charged with acting recklessly in issuing unqualified opinions on the 1998-2000 audits. After or just before DW left depending on the month. Very few people were involved with the scandal at Arthur Andersen.
www .aabri.com/manuscripts/11899.pdf
You have all these questions regarding DW and Andersen. Yet the BOE, with nine ‘executives’ and $250 mil under management, pays $70K for unqualified kids and fails to realize they should look ‘extra hard’ at this daycare and you have no questions about their managerial skills or lack thereof. Do you have two sets of glasses? One for people you like and one for people you dislike?
Ron,
I have invited you for coffee and conversation multiple times on OIB. My phone # is 203-259-9642. If your message gets to voice mail, leave a number and a good time to call you.
I have “found it strange” as you put it above that you have never called me to discuss the matters each of us comment upon here on OIB. Do you find it strange also?
There are a number of people in Bridgeport who currently feel unrepresented, including blacks who have been willing to meet, talk and share perspectives on where Bridgeport is and potential ways to change direction.
Is your evidence so strong (and unexpressed) about Walker, you are willing to raise the race card every time Walker’s name appears? When you are offered an opportunity to meet or at least be in contact with, multiple times, one or more people who have been part of CC4BB and you find reason to refuse, ignore or fail to act, but still pound away at the group, what does that say about you? Reflect on it. Call me. Or not. Time will tell.
Dave Moore,
If the Dave Walker response seems an “egotistical harangue about what a superior person he is” as you have described it, your claim says a lot more about you than it does about Walker.
You find it convenient to bang on Walker. This is not your first time. I happen to have had the privilege of talking with him in depth about many of the serious matters we face in Bridgeport and in Connecticut. And he seems to be a most capable person to keep our eyes on the problems and begin to bring relief that may keep us from going off the tracks in too many areas.
Why don’t you give us a paragraph or two about your credentials, work experiences, education, and community service? It would provide some balance to your accusations. And while you are at it, please explain your solutions to minorities and others who find themselves at the bottom of the economic ladder and who want their kids to have a better life. What is your solution to the state of being “financially underprivileged?” And what are you doing about it each day you wake, work, converse, sup, pay your bills, play and retire for another day? Time will tell.
This makes no sense. This is her statement, ‘people calling GOP delegates on behalf of another candidate have been suggesting that the state rep’s bi-racial family is “not the image the party wants.”‘
First thing–The GOP is doing all it can to outreach to women and minorities. We all remember Palin and there were about 30 woman GOP candidates federally and state-wide in 2012. There was also Herman Cain and any number of minority candidates. As far as the GOP and their female/minority relations go, she would have been a home run. It seems like she is ‘the image the party wants.’
2–‘people calling GOP delegates on behalf of another candidate.’ Really? People? Another candidate? Could she be any vaguer? These ‘people’ could be anyone, calling on behalf of anyone for any number of reasons. Does anyone think these anonymous callers could have been lying about who they were, who they support or what their agenda was? If Malloy (or anyone for that matter) did not want Walker (although the candidate was not named) on the ballot, this would be a good tactic. If Penny released names then that would be different. Remember, Nancy Wyman is also a candidate. As we are able to fill in the vagaries anyway we want, the statement could read ‘Democrat operatives calling GOP delegates on behalf of Nancy Wyman have been suggesting the state rep’s bi-racial family is “not the image the party wants.”‘
3–Is it possible any political contest can be about the issues? Does this nonsense really matter? People who believe this were, probably, going to vote for Penny anyway. The people who do not believe it would just be considered smart.