Backed by family, long-time friends and party activists, veteran Judge of Probate Paul Ganim greeted roughly 100 supporters Tuesday night at a fundraiser at Vazzy’s on the Upper East Side, emphasizing the court’s “compassionate” role focused on children, seniors and families in need.
Organized by North End political leader Johanna Dorgan, at a requested $50 contribution, the room included his brother, Mayor Joe Ganim, State House members Andre Baker and Chris Rosario, State Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox and East Side City Councilwoman Maria Valle all of whom highlighted various constituencies they have referred to his court.
Paul Ganim, first elected in 1998, faces a potential August Democratic primary from Mark Bradley under investigation by the State Elections Enforcement Commission accused in a complaint of voting flagrantly in multiple city elections since 2018 while also simultaneously casting ballots in the state of Massachusetts as a registered Republican, according to records provided by respective election officials.
Probate court records, from a child custody battle in Massachusetts, also show that Bradley has established a clear residency in Massachusetts under his own signature while also enrolled in the state’s healthcare program.
Next week the 90-member Democratic Town Committee will convene at the Morton Government Center to endorse the probate position, something Paul Ganim is expected to win handily. To qualify for a primary Bradley must secure verified signatures from five percent of Democratic electors, a process that will play out about two weeks after the convention.
Mark Bradley is the brother of former State Senator Dennis Bradley convicted by a federal jury in March on several election violations stemming from his 2018 run for the legislature.
Statement from Ganim regarding the court’s work:
During my tenure, the Bridgeport Probate Court has undergone significant modernization. We were early adopters of laser-scanning technology to improve accuracy and efficiency, and we now offer remote hearings and electronic filing. The court is open full time, caseloads have grown substantially, and we hear an average of seventy-five cases each week.
Guardians and Caregivers:
Many children in our city are cared for by grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and family friends when their parents are unable to care for them. To support these families, I brought two full-time licensed clinical social workers into the court. They help connect families with substance abuse treatment, housing, job training, parenting classes, and trauma counseling for both children and parents. Many of these children have experienced neglect, abandonment, or abuse and need strong support.
When appropriate, we also arrange parental visitation with the goal of reunifying children with their parents.
Kinship Grant Fund and Respite Grant:
About twenty years ago, I helped establish the Kinship Grant Fund and the Family Respite Grant Fund to ease the financial burden on guardians—most often grandparents—raising children who have been neglected, abandoned, or abused. These families often receive no direct state or DCF financial assistance. Since then, the court has provided more than $3 million in grants to thousands of guardians, averaging about $200,000 each year for Bridgeport families. These funds help pay for clothing, school supplies, tutoring, after-school and summer programs, eyeglasses, and holiday needs.
