An arrest warrant was issued last May for City Councilman Richard DeJesus, the Democratic-endorsed candidate for State Senate, for failing to pay $35,700 in child support accumulated over several years, according to court records. This is the same DeJesus who owes $140,000 in back taxes in personal property from his businesses. DeJesus says he had paid his ex-wife, who moved out of state, in cash and the court made clerical errors on some child support owed. He said he fulfilled the back child support obligation last summer, per court order, but would not specify the amount. OIB has asked Dejesus to provide a detailed explanation.
His lawyer in the child support matter, according to court documents: Ed Farrow who broke the tie, as the chair, at the Democratic convention two weeks ago that swayed the endorsement to his client DeJesus.
In May 2014, a warrant was issued for DeJesus who had ignored a court order regarding $35,700 delinquency in child support and medical payments stemming from a 2005 divorce agreement he was obligated to pay, according to court records.
Two weeks ago DeJesus was endorsed by delegates for the February 24 special election for State Senate following a 26-26 tie broken by his lawyer Ed Farrow who happened to serve as the convention chair that night. Former State Senator Ed Gomes disputed the tie breaker to the state Democratic Party claiming a conflict of interest but a dispute panel dismissed his claims saying in lieu of a direct benefit paid to Farrow there was no conflict. Dejesus and Gomes are running for the seat vacated by Andres Ayala, the new commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
In addition to owing $140,000 in back taxes, hauled into court for failure to pay child support, DeJesus is also under investigation for alleged election fraud stemming from his run for City Council in 2013.
On Nov. 1, 2012 a state child support enforcement officer filed an application for contempt on behalf of Dejesus’ ex-wife for Richard DeJesus’ “failure to pay support and/or child care or unreimbursed medical expenses contributions and/or provide/maintain health insurance as ordered by the court or Family Support Magistrate …”
The contempt application showed a $35,700 delinquency balance stemming from a court judgement of $150 per week in child support from 2005. So it appears DeJesus went years without paying child support, according to sources familiar with family law cases.
DeJesus was ordered to appear in court on Golden Hill Street May 16, 2013 with a warning that a warrant for his arrest may be issued for failure to appear.
According to lawyers familiar with child support cases, DeJesus would have had to file a motion with the court to modify the terms of the child support challenging the obligation.
According to court records, on May 8, 2014 a warrant was issued for DeJesus’s arrest for failing to appear before the court as ordered. The warrant included a $2,000 cash bond.
Records show Farrow entered an appearance on behalf of DeJesus last July. The court issued an order to pay a lump sum by August 28, 2014 with weekly payments. DeJesus says he’s now current on those payments, but it took a court order for him to get there.
Following his back tax disclosure, DeJesus proclaimed it was a springboard to discuss tax reform in the State Senate. Does he also now have a platform to discuss deadbeat dads?
CT Post scribe Brian Lockhart shares his take here.
See links below to court papers.
Initial court order–Family Support Magistrate
Second court order–Family Support Magistrate
When a parent agrees to support their children, then refuses to support the children, it is devastating to the children. This is the only divorced man giving cash support payments to a former spouse without a signed receipt from the wife acknowledging the cash payment I have heard of. Shameful behavior.
At what point does the DTC and the Mayor ask, no demand that DeJesus step down not only as a candidate for the State Senate, but as a city councilman? This gentleman appears to be an embarrassment to the city and lacks the capacity to represent Bridgeport in a manner that will bring honor and change to this fair city.
Bill Finch would never demand another elected official to step down. Where Joseph Ganim was a crook and John Fabrizi was an alcoholic and a drug addict, Finch is merely out of touch.
I can understand just about anyone getting behind on their bills, however if you take the amount of $35,700 and divide it by $150 per week he had not paid a dime of child support in 238 weeks or over four years. Those he hurt most were his very own children. I feel badly for his children and his ex-wife, not Richard DeJesus.
The most important issue the legislature will have to deal with is the projected $5 billion dollar deficit CT is facing over the next three years.
We have Dejesus who owes approximately $140,000 in back taxes and fell behind in child support payments for over four years, and then we have Moales who is dealing with an $8 million dollar foreclosure and was caught fraudulently overbilling the BBOE for $75,000 in daycare services he was not legally entitled to bill for, and driving an unregistered vehicle for over a year before being pulled over. These are clearly not the best individuals to send to Hartford to address historical deficits.
If the choices are Moales, DeJesus and Gomes, isn’t the choice an easy one?
WTF? What the Finch???
THIS IS SAD … NOTHING ELSE TO SAY OTHER THAN IT WAS THE DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE THAT ENDORSED. IT WAS NOT A DICTATE OF MAYOR FINCH. DO WE JUST CONTINUE TO BLAME FINCH FOR EVERYTHING??? HONESTLY, YOU JUST MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BAD FOR HIM AND SUPPORT HIM MORE. IT WAS DEJESUS WHO WAS NEGLIGENT NOT THE MAYOR. WHERE IS MARIO TESTA? HE LIKES TO TALK TO THE PRESS ABOUT GANIM, HOW ABOUT A COMMENT ABOUT DEJESUS? SUPPORT GOMES OR MOVE ON.
Come on, Stevie boy.
Bill Finch has intimated anybody but Gomes.
Well this is what he ended up with.
AND EVEN if you want to cut Finch some slack up until now, the facts are known and it would be in his best interest to ask Mr. DeJesus to step aside for the good of the city. Unless Finch feels it is far more important to send a tax cheat, deadbeat dad, fraudulent voter up to Hartford to represent our city just to make sure the next senator votes EXACTLY the way the mayor tells him to.
Steve, Richard DeJesus is 100% Mayor Finch’s candidate. All you have to do is look at those who voted for him during the nomination. He would have never received the endorsement unless Mayor Finch wanted him to be endorsed.
I don’t know a single person who “feels bad for him,” meaning Mayor Finch.
A man takes care of his children, case closed. Richard DeJesus wants to be a leader, someone who others can respect or follow, well how in the world can he do that, is this the example Richard DeJesus wants his children to know him as, someone who couldn’t pay to take care of them? At this time Richard DeJesus has some serious financial problems and he needs the time to get his in order so he should do the honorable thing and step down from his City Council position and terminate his run for the state senate.
Amen! Well said, Ron.
Double that Amen, Ron! This is another embarrassment for Bridgeport–would we, should we really tolerate being represented by a man like this? Dejesus needs to take some time and get his life in order before he proposes to help out the rest of us.
And by the way, Finch’s silence on this speaks volumes.
Ditto.
Everyone cheats on their taxes one way or another, they simply don’t admit to it. Not that I’m excusing a deadbeat Dad but how does this affect his job performance? As long as he’s not locked up and able to go to work I don’t see why this is an issue. Did he sign a morals clause? He’s city council, not the Pope.
The laws are the bottom floor of ethical behavior. The elected officials are charged with allocating tax dollars and passing statutes and laws. Is it asking too much to expect them to comply with and obey the lowest accepted civil and legal behavior? Or is he a do as I say and not as I do example we should support?
He doesn’t need to be the pope, all he needs to do is do the things most respectable Americans do, which is pay their bills and take care of their family.
You are correct to point out Richard is not the Pope, but he is De Jesus and another black eye to the City of Bridgeport.
Most excellent Joel, most excellent.
I guess old Brown Eyes has shit up to the eyeballs. Kinda clouds the vision.
Grow up Bob, you are a very small man.
So are you admitting to cheating on your taxes to the tune of $140K? You who won’t even use your own name?
Come on, brown eyes, cut the crap.
This guy does not deserve to be on the City Council and he definitely does not deserve to be a State Senator.
And if you do not believe $140K in back taxes and $40K in child support is not a serious character flaw, please start posting under your real name so we can determine what kind of sleaze you are.
So I’m a sleaze because I have a different opinion than you? Are you capable of having a conversation without throwing insults? Would you like my blood type and SSN as well? Out of respect for others reading your trash I will hold back the insults I feel you truly deserve. The next time I visit Bridgeport I’ll be sure to give you a call for a face-to-face meeting. I’d love to unleash my immoral behavior on you in person.
Bring it on, girl.
You are a sleaze because you are supporting a deadbeat dad and tax cheat because you believe everybody does it. Your words, not mine. And you are supporting the tax cheater and don’t even live in Bridgeport. Class act!!!
Bob, you don’t expect us to believe as an accountant you’ve never had a client cheat the tax collector? For a fee, you’d fix that, eh? I think Richard DeJesus should have hired you seven years ago.
Is he so small he is below brown-eye level?
And Stevie Boy,
Not that it matters to you, but Mario Testa was one of the first people to call the convention process flawed and said there was a conflict between the chair and a candidate.
And that was back when Farrow only admitted to representing DeJesus on a “few real estate matters.” Now we know Attorney Farrow was well aware of his personal shortcomings when it came to child support and obviously did not tell anyone and feels he would still be a great state senator.
The shame of Bridgeport continues.
If a man cannot pay and take care of the children he helped bring into this world and he cannot pay the taxes of the City he lives in and also serves as a city councilman, well how in the world can he serve as a state senator when he is showing us all how irresponsible he is and now we are to still vote for him, please.
City taxes on business ventures dating back to 2003 and 2006? With serious interest compounding the total? Perhaps a couple businesses sold (were there liens on them by the City?) and so the “job creator” looks more like a “job terminator” now.
Problems with an accurate address when you are running for office? I guess that can happen when family situation is at loose ends. But paying “cash” for non-deductible child support payments may be easy but not wise for more than one reason. Do you have a checkbook where a record of payments is possible? Or is it easier to use cash that may possibly come through a business, never be recorded and never taxed Federally? Anything is possible, but messing with the Feds would make this young man even less of a role model for intelligent, businesslike behavior on the City Council or the State Legislature.
Ricky, seriously think about stepping down, getting things in order like squeaky clean, work double-time on your business pursuits and earn the money to create an independence that can be respected by the voter and allows you to follow your own course when elected. How about it? Will this be your way to earn the respect of family, customers, the community and the “man in the mirror?” Time will tell.
Exactly, give us Joe Ganim and bring back ethical behavior to Bridgeport.
BOBBY BOY, Mayor Finch may have wanted DeJesus up in Hartford but I do not under any circumstances believe Mayor Finch was fully aware of the scope of DeLesus’ past behavior. If Dejesus weren’t self-absorbed, he most likely would have told the Mayor he is having serious issues that would affect his credibility. Now the Mayor’s crew as well as Mario have egg on their face. Fix it and fix it quick before it grows legs.
Steve, how do you fix it? What should they do?
If I were the Mayor and didn’t want an obstructionist to go up to Hartford, I’d make a statement apologizing for Dejesus, come up with a new candidate and call a special meeting (if that is possible). If the door is closed, pull Dejesus and let GOMES have his last hurrah if he is up to it. Between Ganim and DeJesus, does the City really need to be dealing with this crap? No offense to Ganim supporters, all eight of you. 🙂
I think Gomes should just reintroduce himself to his constituents and just prior to the election drop a bomb Finch can pay a price for this debacle if the voters cannot separate him from DeJesus and then all his other issues will be magnified and that could in fact put some wind in Ganim supporters’ sails.
Lennie, have you noticed Sharkey has also remained silent other than raising money and support for SS?
He has the nerve to say his tax default is a “springing board.” He acts like he now has some SPECIAL platform and insight. NO YOU DON’T! The people who pay their taxes are the ones with the INSIGHT. This guy gets off the hook while we live paycheck to paycheck trying to pay rent and mortgage and put food on the table. And this jerk acts like he has some special insight about TAX BURDEN. I have news for you. YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TAX BURDEN until you PAY YOUR TAXES!!!
CT Support Enforcement should have garnished his wages long before the amount became so outrageous, but apparently he finagled his way out of providing an income they could attach. The term ‘sleaze’ comes to mind here.
This guy owes $140,000 in back taxes. Does anyone know how many firefighters could be hired for this amount? What about police and teachers?
And I bet if you check his IRS reporting he probably wrote off his business taxes too.
This story is amazing. Did he report these issues when he submitted an affidavit on residency and a financial statement in the candidate screening process? Oh. I forgot, the DTC does not screen candidates for other than their political loyalty. Apparently, DeJesus lacks the moral judgement to deal with his problems and resign from the council and withdraw as a candidate. Why should he? The DTC selected him and the mayor stands by him.
What a disgrace.
Every day I read another story about disgraced politicians. Back in the day, the mayor or Mario would have a sit-down with a DeJesus or Paoletto and they would quietly leave. But these guys think they are entitled no matter how low they go. Finch, by his lack of action, can only be seen as part of the problem. Sure feels like the ship is sinking.
This mayor is so unethical he could care less about DeJesus and his problems, or this City.
The only thing this Mayor cares about is his reelection and sending someone who will do his bidding in Hartford for the next seven months, if that’s DeJesus or Satan, Finch could care less.
Finch needs to derail Joe Ganim at all costs, also the Hennessy/Moore bill HB 5886 to save the city council Finchettes!
What Joe has, is a million dollars in name recognition and Finch knows the national media will eat it up when Joe enters the race. Once Joe enters the race Finch should be puking blood, if he’s not already doing that now! Barf bag, anyone?
Among others things he’s clearly proven through his “leadership,” Finch is a very poor bettor.
He bet on DeJesus.
He bet on the takeover of the schools.
He bet on Paul Vallas.
He bet on the library referendum not being passed.
He bet on ignoring the charter and permitting city employees to effectively run the city council.
He bet on snow removal in Nemo.
He continues to bet on fluffing the budget, including punting the MBR to the state (which good ol’ Malloy and company cooperate with him on). John Marshall Lee continues to tell us … despite his admonition time will tell. Bet on JML, but don’t bet on Finch.
Finch bet on the three people who lost to the challenge slate.
Finch bet on Moales.
He bet on Jumoke.
He bet on the sex offender guy who worked at Jumoke and he appointed to the Ethics Commission.
He bet on the day-to-day manager of the Jumoke system at Dunbar to come aboard and contribute–same guy who knew the sex offender was working in Dunbar from Jan on … and didn’t do anything about it, as far as the evidence shows.
He bet on the chicken guy and the chicken guy’s girlfriend.
He bet on a new police guy to curb overtime and retain staff.
He’s betting on Dave Hennessey and Moales to unite and plow open the BOE to a charter school bonanza. Not!
Besides bicycling, I think anything Finch does or endorses should be taken with a hard lump of salt and should be bet against.
Finch is betting against us the Bridgeport voters who will surely vote against Finch, his follies, and the people whose fundraising parties he attends. We shall see.
So that’s all you’ve got, Spain?
Ahem, he bet on Stafstrom winning a city council seat. Recall, while in office Stafstrom wanted to repeal the library referendum.
For all those upset with the DeJesus candidacy and not already working for the Ed Gomes campaign, may I suggest this is the very best and most immediate way to put an end to this travesty? To help out, visit Ed’s Facebook page:
www .facebook.com/SenatorEdGomes, shoot him an email: Edgomes23rd@gmail.com or just stop by Headquarters at 1242 Stratford Avenue.
One more way to help Ed’s campaign: Message tleake@workingfamilies.org.
Oh well. I guess Ed Farrow won’t be rendering any decisions from the Superior Court bench during any Finch or Malloy administration. Or will he?
Bill Finch should publicly call on DeJesus to drop out of the race immediately. He should then publicly state he is requesting members of his administration to withhold their support, both financial and volunteer efforts, from this campaign.
That would be a pretty good starting point for Finch to retain some level of credibility.
Finch spokesperson (we are paying for this bush leaguer, really?), Brett Broesder, as reported in today’s CT Post:
Asked Wednesday if DeJesus was the kind of candidate to best represent Bridgeport, Brett Broesder, a spokesman for the mayor, said his boss does not typically comment on family matters.
And yet, Brett! Did you see on OIB, Boss Finch on the Ganim family matter???
“I can’t imagine what a terrible hardship it has been to be away from your children and your family for nearly seven years,” said Finch. “As a mayor, I work closely with the re-entry community. Anyone who has paid their dues and wishes to get involved with the party should be allowed to do so as long as they continue to be good citizens.”
Pete, your recap is excellent; however you forgot his failed $500,000 charter referendum to take away our right to vote for our BBOE members.
Thanks for that price-tag reminder, Maria. Finch has a real knack for betting the house with other people’s money, including taxpayers’.
Baffled, Andmar, others; please feel free to add to the list.
I can see why Finch feels he has so much in common with DeJesus. Finch can relate from his time as a deadbeat dad.
On a serious note, R.I.P. OIB friend Local Eyes, found dead early this morning:
blog.ctnews.com/connecticutpostings/2015/01/28/trumbull-woman-finds-body-parts-in-snow/
Joel, RIP Paul.