The Finch campaign issued this news release about the governor’s fundraising visit fronting CT Post reporter Ken Dixon’s coverage:
Malloy sings Finch’s praises at fund-raiser
Ken Dixon, Staff Writer
Published 10:55 p.m., Monday, October 24, 2011
BRIDGEPORT — Mayor Bill Finch is turning around Connecticut’s largest city and deserves a second four-year term, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy told some high-rolling Democrats Monday night.
Malloy, the former 14-year Stamford mayor, told about 100 people at a $500-a-head cocktail party that Finch is making good progress and has earned another four years.
“I’m very happy to do everything in my power to make sure that a good strong Democratic mayor is re-elected in this great Democratic city with the prospect of moving this community forward,” Malloy said in the crowded foyer of a home in the city’s Brooklawn neighborhood. “With a new superintendent here, with a new commissioner of education on the state level, I think we can do some amazing things.
“I want to be very clear that I think Bill Finch is good for Bridgeport; that he has the vision necessary; has the capability of assembling a team necessary,” Malloy said. “And now that he has a Democratic governor to work with as well as a Democratic Legislature that we can actually get Bridgeport moving again, pulling in the same direction; an eye on the prize when it comes to improving education, improving the quality of life and bringing jobs back to Bridgeport.”
Finch said any competition there may have been between Bridgeport and Stamford was probably a reflection of Malloy’s success there.
“I think that we have to confess that many of the times when Bridgeport and Stamford sort of looked at each other in the eye, it is because we were jealous of the good things you did in Stamford,” Finch said. “The governor is known around the world, literally, through the U.S. Conference of Mayors for his work and what he did in Stamford.”
Finch said it was Malloy’s administration that finalized the deal for Bridgeport to acquire part of Trumbull for a new regional high school that will accept 1,000 Bridgeport students.
“It’s the Malloy administration that has said that the children should come first; that the children and the new school should be what Bridgeport gets; and that the labor-union jobs that we are delivering that are so critically important to our economy should be started,” Finch said.
“I don’t want anyone to forget it,” he said. “And we’re going to do what we can to make sure that we turn this city around and it’s going to be because of all of you in this room helping us.”
The governor’s appearance was his first fundraising visit of the local election season for Finch. Malloy did not endorse candidates in the recent Democratic mayoral primaries in Bridgeport and New Haven.
“I guess he endorsed in some races and didn’t in others, but I didn’t really pursue it,” Finch said in an interview shortly after his arrival at the fundraiser hosted by John F. Stafstrom Jr., a former Democratic Town Committee chairman.
The event featured a business-suited crowd and servers circulating hors d’oeuvres from Woods End Delicatessen & Catering.
Last year, Finch, Town Chairman Maria Testa and the city’s delegation endorsed Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont’s unsuccessful bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
“The day after a primary we put all that to bed and start on the next thing,” Finch said. “We worked extremely hard to get Gov. Malloy elected in the general election and we’re really proud of him.”
In November, Bridgeport held up the results of the general election, keeping Malloy guessing for days on the margin of victory over Republican Tom Foley, after voting officials failed to order enough ballots for the computerized optical scanners.
About $50,000 was collected Monday from the guests, including business executives, ranking party leaders, lobbyists and political veterans including U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who bemoaned the fact that out of 100 in the Senate, he ranks 97th in seniority.
Malloy pure and simple is full of shit. He stayed away from endorsing Finch in the primary thinking maybe he would lose.
Malloy is not nor has he ever been a friend of Bridgeport. When he was mayor he fought for keeping a casino out of Bridgeport. He did not want to lose all of the cheap labor Stamford gets from the Bridgeport area. The casino comes in and the labor market for Stamford dries up thus requiring companies to pay larger wages.
I challenge Malloy to tell us what great things have happened in Bridgeport in the last four years. I also ask him how you have a balanced budget when you owe $60 million in pension payments.
These guys and politicians in general are all full of it.
Ah, Malloy. A puzzle wrapped in an enigma … and so forth. Oh Danny boy, we are so relieved to hear you think the Finchster is so swell. Since ya put it out there, why doncha hire him? And make it snappy! 🙂
Zena, if Malloy hires Finch now I will pay half of his first year’s salary.
Vote for Torres. At very least, he’ll clean the house.
Pull the wings off me now. I am leaving politics, I can’t find one elected official who has a backbone. Malloy sucking up to Finch. Fly Barf.
It is really nice Malloy is so forgiving since Finch and the DTC endorsed Lamont. That was sad. But that’s politics and if Malloy is supporting Finch now then I am certain Bridgeport will be the beneficiary, considering Finch really did not need Malloy’s endorsement to win the general election in two weeks. However, it would be to Malloy’s benefit to have a united Bridgeport bring him into a second term–DUHHHHHHHHH!!! So I expect great things for Bridgeport and funding for Steelepointe. Yes folks, that works for me and I never waste my vote!
Hi Steve: If you are certain of anything Malloy says or does at this point, I would like you to share your inside information with me. I worked under Dan for 7-plus years and that was enough of a reason for me not to vote for him. As he has shown here, he is the same POLITICIAN he has always been. I just dearly hope he is setting up a circumstance under which he takes Finch off our hands by offering him a job in Hartford, and is making it look like a love affair he just can’t quit. Although I respect your desire to change your perspective and see the good in these folks, I just don’t agree Finch has found Jesus in the past month.