A high-profile restaurant owner, an alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old by employees inside the restaurant and a cover-up within the ranks of the police department that embroils former Chief AJ Perez, awaiting federal sentencing for rigging the police chief test, is playing out publicly following the arrest of John Vazzano.
Vazzano, owner of several restaurants in the Bridgeport area, was charged by the state with multiple counts including bribery of a witness.
See additional details 8 takeaways from Trumbull restaurateur’s arrest warrant (ctpost.com)
Feb. 17 News release from Office of Chief States Attorney:
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Mayor Ganim, what do you know and when did you know it?
Just read that the 16 yr old girl is a cops daughter.Still can’t understand why Vazzano would go to these lengths to protect the accused,there is a big piece of this story missing..
Definitely agreed.
Bob, what are we missing here?.. could one of the accused be a family member??…, Vazzano was a police commissioner in Trumbull, you would think he would cooperate with the investigation, not hinder it.. very confusing..
Follow the money.
What place is a favorite of Ganim’s and Testa for hosting fundraisers?
Who contributes to Ganim’s campaigns?
Looking to why this is so doesn’t matter.
Looking to why the Chief would be so interested in the outcome says it all.
And the 16 y.o. Is the daughter of a Bot Police Officer!
The moral has got to be at an all time low.
We have got to clean house!
And this clown wants his law license back just to help all of the pro bono work that is out there. Yea, ok.
Bob, it gets worse,they believed Joe’s bullshit and it looks like he may get the license back…,in way it’s good news, maybe if he gets it back he’ll go back to it and leave Bpt once and for all..
https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Ganim-s-application-for-law-license-moves-15964272.php
As a resident of Bridgeport, interested in the operation of governance process, the commitment to raising money to be repaid by taxpayers ultimately, and citizen emotion, I question the fairness, equality, and pride in level of service by City employees responsible for several recent matters. We recognize that City departments like Police, Civil Service and Health Department are temporarily without an active permanent replacement for former leaders. What is Mayor Ganim doing?
We read about pursuit of re-admission to the practice of law. We also see references to real estate buying or selling and wonder how the busiest executive finds time from his 24/7 duties to improve his wealth position and why now? Is it part of an exit strategy that he is executing without telling those he serves?
Why is he not planning and executing measures to fill Bridgeport departments with folks who know best practices, live in the community and swear to serve Bridgeport residents to the best of their ability? Will CT lawyers give credence to his promise in the future of pro bono service to the poor and least served, while he today neglects to deal with the looming issues in front of him and his political appointees currently? Can we believe that those currently in charge can successfully manage looming front page issues developing in City departments? Time will tell.
This information concerning AJ Perez is very troubling with these statements:
In a conversation overheard by a police officer, Perez allegedly tells Vazzano that if his employees are arrested, Perez would make sure it would not be in a way that would “embarrass” Vazzano.
Bridgeport Police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald told investigators he told Bridgeport Police Chief Armando Perez about the offer for a gift card and his impression that Vazzano wanted the girl to drop the complaint in exchange for the card and new job, according to the arrest warrant. Fitzgerald noted that Perez told him he didn’t want Vazzano to get “hurt.”
Lt. Christopher LaMaine also noted conversations in which Perez said he was unhappy with the investigation and he didn’t want “anything to touch ‘the guy,’” the arrest warrant states. LaMaine stated he at one point was concerned that Perez was threatening changes as a way of “influencing the investigation.” He also states the chief did not tell them to stop the investigation.
What the hell is going on here with AJ Perez, what we are seeing from Perez, Ganim and Dunn is the culture of “plausible deniability” is the ability of people, typically senior officials in a formal or informal chain of command, to deny knowledge of or responsibility for any damnable actions committed by others in an organizational hierarchy because of a lack or absence of evidence that can confirm their participation, even if they were personally involved in or at least willfully ignorant of the actions. There must be a full investigation of Perez, Ganim and Dunn. The Vazzano investigation is about a 16 YEAR OLD GIRL and a sexual assault cover up, a 16 YEAR OLD GIRL, again, where is the outrage.
Apizza-Gate continues
Testa would like to make Vazzano an offer he can’t refuse.
“Lawyers can steal more money with a briefcase than a thousand men with guns and masks.”
-Don Vito Corleone”
$1,000 gift card to Macy’s?
Not only is this guy scum but he’s cheap scumbag on top of it!
*** Seems like when it rains, it pours for poor old A.J Perez, no? ***
As a law enforcement officer and especially a chief, if AJ did anything that everyone is thinking he might have (with this case), jail would be a must, and forget about any pension offer settlement which I mentioned on the previous blog . We’re talking about a senior police official inhibiting the follow through to a lawful investigation.
No matter how he got his job!!!!
But……I will still say that because Mario delivers for the Democratic Party and he still holds power over Lamont and ever higher up the food chain, that this offense, if true, will be underestimated and mostly forgotten. As were all the other suspected and even proven incidents.
Welcome to Bridgeport AND Corrupticut!!
Cheers!!!!!
Rich, I agree with you except for the part about Mario holding power “over” Lamont.
Yes I know what you mean when you say that. All I mean in general, is that he delivers the votes to whoever needs them and that in itself wields him a lot of say so with whoever, including possibly a democratic governor or senator or congressman etc. Let’s face it, when they run for office and they may believe it could be a tough race they need the large cities to go their way and come through for them to put them over the top. Mario shows time and time again that he delivers. I wonder who will take Mario’s place in the near future?
Anyone being “groomed”?!!!!
Cheers!!
I can only imagine what Mario & Joe have had Perez “fix” over the years for various donors& inner circle friends..Joe & Mario’s reign had to take a big hit when Perez got caught and indicted.. How long can Joe stall the search for an outside search for Chief at this point? If Bpt had CC that was actually a functioning body, and not scared to rattle Joe & Mario, they should be demanding a national search at this point, but most of them have reasons to sit there and do what they’re told…
Rich, it’s true about counting Bridgeport’s numbers but Mario lost respect from the governor and the State Democrats when Joe Ganim lost at the Democrat convention and then decided primary to Lamont where Ganim and Mario get destroyed statewide and Ganim barely won his own city. They both showed the entire party that they aren’t loyal
You know Ron you are absolutely right! That completely slipped my mind!! Lol… maybe someone upstate will really go after (some of) them now. They certainly have the ammo to do it with all of the scandals. No updates from anyone though on all the other cases I guess? FBI etc.?
Cheers!!!
Gee, where’s “The Bull?” Oh right, tied up on Barr’s MAGA mission. On our dime. You must be proud John.
And that has what to do with corruption in Bridgeport??????
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; he has served in the Connecticut office since 1989. He has overseen criminal prosecutions of corrupt politicians from both parties, such as former Gov. John Rowland and Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim. He has successfully prosecuted financial fraudsters as well as mob bosses. He has worked under both Democratic and Republican U.S. attorneys in Connecticut, who have established a nonpartisan reputation for the office.
Harvey, you asked, “How long can Joe stall the search for an outside search for Chief at this point?” Joe Ganim is following in the steps of his hero, the former disgrace, 45, with his management style by not filling important positions but using “Acting” instead of people who have pass a test. Tammy Papa, the city’s acting deputy director of Health Operations, you have Eric Amado the Acting Director of Labor Relations and Eric is also the Acting Personnel Director, Eric Amado should not have to be running two department at the same time, hopefully he is recieving the saiary of both positions. It’s Eric Amado job to give the exam for a new police chief, a new Director of Labor Relations, the new Personnel Director and a new Health Director, that’s four department heads and poor Eric Amado is suppose to be the miracle worker to save Joe Ganim and his poorly management style.
Has anyone else asked themselves what has this Vazzamo been up to in Trumbull as a member of the Board of Police Commissioners?
If the Democratic First Selectman does not throw him off the board than the Democrats should throw her out of office the first chance they get.
Act now!
Bob,I read somewhere Vazzano has stepped down from his position on the board..
I believe he took a leave of absence but he did not resign. Big difference between the two.
but not to fear.
He has the same attorney that Ganim had in his first corruption trail so he has nothing to worry about.
Um, he’s the top federal prosecutor in CT last time l checked.
Still would like to know why Vazzano wouldn’t cooperate with the police investigation to begin with.. I have an idea why, but it’s purely speculation,I hope the reason comes out eventually.