It was bound to happen, eight weeks from an expected Democratic primary, a website devoted to Joe Ganim’s indiscretions, financed by the reelection campaign of Mayor Bill Finch, with regular blog entries. TheTruthAboutJoeGanim.com. Check out the first installment loaded with links.
“Now that you, Joe Ganim, admit you’re guilty, can taxpayers get their money back?
· For 16 years, you–Joe Ganim–lied under oath about stealing from taxpayers.
· Now, you finally admit the jury got it right.
· Now, will you give back the $150,000+ in city pension payments you’ve received?Dear Joe Ganim,
In 2003, you were convicted of 16 felony charges and spent seven years in jail for systematically steering contracts to friends in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.For 16 years, you lied under oath about your involvement in the criminal enterprise you were running.
At your trial, “52 witnesses painted you as the mayor of an impoverished city who felt entitled to accept more than $500,000 in illegal benefits from associates in return for steering millions of dollars in contracts to them,” according to the New York Post.
But after being denied your law license, and deciding to move to Bridgeport from Easton in an attempt to take your “personal kingdom” back, you gave a weak apology, and then said “the jury got it right.”
So, now that you’ve admitted guilt–showing once and for all that you truly are the poster boy for ‘Corrupticut’–will you give back the $150,000+ in pension payments you’ve received since 2003?
Here are the facts: You took out retirement funds early, so the city has been paying you more than $11,000 a year in pension payments since 2003 with a several percentage point Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase annually, according to the New York Times.
By 2012, you were receiving $13,652 annually–or monthly checks for $1,138–from the taxpayer-paid city pension fund, according to Governing Magazine.
Today, you receive at least $14,000 annually from the city pension fund that you admittedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from.
Joe, obviously you should give back the money. It’s the least you can do after your astonishing story of greed, ripping taxpayers off by running a criminal enterprise out of the mayor’s office, and collecting more in pricey meals, rare wine, and hand-tailored clothing than most of your constituents earned.
But, from your antics, it seems that you clearly haven’t changed, and you’re continuing to live by those same cheesy one-liners … “Sometimes in life you have to grab what you can grab when you can grab it.”
Sincerely,
Be careful about nasty negative campaigning. It turns a lot of people off. Shows Finch for the bully he is. Lots of people in Bridgeport believe in second chances. This is the same old rhetoric.
How is this “nasty negative campaigning?” All this stuff is true. The fact you don’t like it doesn’t make it untrue. Joe Ganim did get a second chance. He got out of prison, didn’t he? And had the opportunity to move on with his life, didn’t he? He’s running because he lost his law license and can’t get any other job. He also misses getting a six-figure paycheck courtesy of hardworking Bridgeporters.
Politicians are all full of shit. Finch and Ganim both full of shit. All politicians do shady shit. But I go with the only one who did something for Bridgeport. And that’s Ganim.
How much did he allegedly take from the pension system? Which pension system? You people at Finch Headquarters are a bunch of lowlife shitheads. Wait until the truth about Finch and his crew comes out.
In 2013 the Chairman of Pension Plan B, Stuart Goldberg and Treasurer James Morley quit because of the actions of the city. Who was Mayor then?
m.ctpost.com/local/article/Battle-heats-up-over-Bridgeport-fire-pensions-4425174.php
FINCH.
Andy, Ganim is a convicted felon, a officer of the court who took bribes as an elected official. That doesn’t excuse Finch’s corruption, he could well end up joining Ganim and Rowland in the ranks of felonious elected officials. But don’t support Ganim and then complain about Finch, they both don’t deserve to hold public office
Just more bullshit.
WHOEVER IS RUNNING FINCH’S CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE FIRED. THIS IS NOT GOING TO HELP HIM. HE SHOULD RUN ON HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NOT THROW STONES!
concerned citizen, thank you for saying what I was thinking!!! Let’s see how things go after tonight, Bill Finch needs to start campaigning and stop telling us what we already know.
This just goes to show how scared Bill Finch is of Joe Ganim, he’s scared, scared, scared. If Joe Ganim has that much baggage this race should be a runaway for Finch but it’s not so that tells a lot about how bad Mayor Bill Finch is and why he will be out of office.
The only difference between Ganim and Finch is Finch hasn’t gotten caught yet. If Finch is so squeaky clean why hasn’t he released a “real” budget break-down to the public in the last seven years?
The Finch campaign needs to know what goes around comes around, wait until things come out about Finch and his team.
No one cares about the pension. If that’s all you’re concerned with, go take a pill, lie down on the sofa, eat some bonbons and watch a game show.
This is lowball political bullshit. The Finch camp is desperate, trying to discredit Joe Ganim. Notice how they do not have similar pages dedicated to Mary-Jane Foster, Charles Coviello or Enrique Torres.
Perhaps no pages devoted to the other candidates due to their very short rap sheets?
Lol!
Maybe because Mary-Jane Foster never committed criminal acts like Joe Ganim did, they cannot put up a website like this. That was a pretty stupid post.
Yawn yawn. Finch still has nothing to say about Ganim’s achievements and what he did for Bridgeport. Ganim was the first and only recent mayor where people felt wow something is happening in the city. People still don’t feel that way with Finch even with Pleasure Beach opening … that tells you something.
Bill Finch is laying the groundwork for Bridgeport, its citizens and businesses to thrive. This is a long-term effort with no short-term results. It’s very hard to win the popular vote when you are laying down the roadway instead of driving the fancy cars. Bridgeport citizens need to keep the faith. Transformation is happening in the business community as investment dollars flow into Bridgeport. Investors have been wary because of the perception of corruption in Bridgeport. Mayor Finch has minimized this perception and we now have investors putting their money where there mouths used to be. Job growth is a reality with Steelpointe and the Eco-industrial park. Our mayor has also parlayed important partnerships with President Obama and Governor Malloy. Remember what your mother preached: Honesty is the best policy. As Mr. Lee says: Time will tell. I will be the first one to go ballistic on Mayor Finch if he caves in and goes to the dark side of corruption. There are no false pretenses here. He has to continue the walk and do the talk or he will become the enemy of both the business community and the citizens of Bridgeport, both of whom have endured decades of false promises.
Bill Finch has been “laying the groundwork” for seven years. Time to shit or get off the pot. A 35-year tax abatement that requires no benefit to the people of the city of Bridgeport? W-R-O-N-G. It was sold to a developer for a $4000 campaign contribution. Is that your idea of groundwork?
Let’s talk about Steelpointe. Starbucks, Chipotle and the movie theater will create only a handful of jobs that pay minimum wage, hardly enough money to support one person let alone a single mother raising two or three children.
Unless and until Bill Finch attends a few anger-management classes and learns to take suggestions and criticism objectively, nothing will really be accomplished by his administration. Unless and until his administration attracts commercial and industrial investment to Bridgeport, the kind of long-term investment that creates many jobs that pay more than the Department of Social Services pays out monthly in cash assistance, food stamps and healthcare coverage, he has not accomplished anything.
We’ve eight fucking years of this self-important clown. Stop drinking the Kool-Aid, man. It’s strangling up your mind.
Yes. Finch transformed the arcade mall, Majestic theatre, and is bringing a Starbucks to Bridgeport. People will soon be relocating to Bridgeport as a result of this economic development.
What Majestic theatre? Where is it located?
Don’t you think you should praise the Arcade Mall once businesses stay there for a few years rather than the few months that have been the history of that place?
What a joke mayor Bill Finch is. His claim to fame other that telling us Joe Ganim is a criminal who stole from the city is Steelpointe and Bass Pro Shops. Quick question. Steel point is great, to finally see the waterfront start to be utilized. My question is can that development help the tax burden being put on Bridgeport residents? If you work at Bass Pro Shops can you afford a mortgage on that salary? The answers are no and no. Mayor bill finch is the current ringmaster for the city of Bpt circus. We don’t need any more ringmasters, we need someone to hold the line on taxes, make the Bpt schools system competitive with the rest of the state and a leader who cares about all neighborhoods not just the neighborhood they live in or that of his DTC committee members who vote the endorsement for him because they’re scared they or their family will lose their city job for disloyalty. What a mess we have on our hands! I feel sorry for people raising their families in such a mess. Maybe it’s time to move to the suburbs!
Those two theaters on Main Street are still rotting in the sun. Why haven’t those properties been rehabilitated?
What about downtown? Main Street east of Fairfield Avenue looks like Dresden Germany in 1945.
What about the Black Rock Bank & Trust building at 2838 Fairfield Avenue? That’s been dormant since the city kicked out the charlatan who ran the arts center.
The BridgeportKid, first, when Joseph Ganim was Mayor, Gov. Rowland gave both Bridgeport and Waterbury the funds to rehabilitate the sister theaters. Waterbury succeeded and the theater is absolutely spectacular. I have been there for Theater productions, The Russian Ballet etc. etc.
Bridgeport used the money for the arena and Harbor yard.
Do you get out much? Downtown Bridgeport, known as Bridgeport North is undergoing serious reconstruction as well as the courthouse. Both sides of Main Street are fenced off for the work. New apts. On State Street are taking shape in beautiful historic buildings. Downtown Thursday nights are exciting. the Bijou Square property lining Fairfield Avenue has a regular clientele patronizing Fruita, Beehive, Trattoria, Bagel King, Two Boots and the Bijou. Downtown Restaurants are beginning to catch on as well as successful old staples. Downtown Bridgeport for the first time has three major developers working simultaneously and are supporting the future vision of the Finch administration. The road on Fairfield Avenue will be changing making development more appealing. Steelpointe will continue with announcements. Bridgeport is going to continue on a positive path and although it has taken seven years to get the shovels in the ground you must remember, most important. Joe Ganim was a five-term Mayor. He killed the city’s reputation. Not one major developer within 100 miles will contribute to his campaign. In Ganim’s ten years we have nothing to brag about. The voters agree–Finch four more years!
I get out quite a bit, actually. The scaffolding has only been up for a few months. The buildings on Main Street, Middle Street, the Mechanics & Farmers building, have been vacant eyesores for years. Blame Joe Ganim all you want. Those properties were vacant and deteriorating when Johnny Fabs was mayor. He was too busy guzzling booze and snorting cocaine to do anything about them.
Mechanics & Farmers has been restored and the 42 apartments on McLevy Green were rented before the ribbon cutting. The apartments overlooking McLevy Hall have spectacular views! The scaffolding on Main is recent. So what? Downtown was like Baghdad after the war during 10 years of Ganim. What is the matter with you? This is what the voters see. Steelpointe, everybody everyday 150,000 cars daily talking about the great things are happening in Bridgeport. You may not want to talk about these great Finch achievements as well as Ganim’s past. But the voters do and will vote for Finch. He is the Mayor.
Finch is investing in a Steelpointe vision when the reality is other neighborhoods are decaying while he invests in this vision. The North End is not what is used to be and people are leaving Black Rock. Look at the Arcade Mall, they fixed it and it’s empty for eight years now. Look at down town north, it’s empty, Bijou Square is a revolving door and has empty store fronts. Solar panels will be put in Seaside Park. If he is the green Mayor then why aren’t there recycling bins in every downtown restaurant? The day will come when Steelpointe is ready but by that time he will have let go the other neighborhoods, it won’t take care of the tax burden.
Finch has no vision for the city. He does give the impression he enjoys the perks and privileges and the six-figure paycheck that come with holding elected office, not so much for the task of doing the business of the people of the city of Bridgeport. He was elected to represent all the people of the city of Bridgeport, not just the fat cats who make $4000 campaign contributions in exchange for 35-year tax abatements.
Downtown is an eyesore. No businesses on Middle Street, only bail bondsmen and convenience stores east of Golden Hill. The Poli and Majestic theaters stand vacant and forlorn, neglected by the Finch administration. If Bill Finch has a plan or a vision for downtown Bridgeport and Steelpointe, it’s high time he revealed it to us, the people he claims to represent. He’s been in office almost eight fucking years and has very little to show for it other than higher taxes, higher crime rates and free water taxis to Pleasure Beach.
I totally think this will educate those voters who were in diapers when Ganim was Mayor. The uncanny ability to overlook 16 felony charges is quite commendable.
Andy, Ron and Donald, again you fail Mary-Jane Foster by not addressing Ganim’s shortcomings.
Steve, why should we do Finch’s work?
Andy???
Steve, Bill Finch is the mayor so that becomes target #1 and not your agenda, Joe Ganim is Finch’s main problem along with his poor record.
bptlittleguy,
Pride is being restored to the city. Steelpointe is a huge deal. Bass Pro Shops may be a destination retail mega store, but it is by far not even close to what Steelpointe means to the city. For the next 20 years it is a positive image-building invitation to developers to look at Bridgeport on the water. Hotels and other business will expand the jobs so desperately needed in this city. Would there be high-paying jobs if Steelpointe remained vacant for 20 more years? Would developers even consider Bridgeport with a Ganim administration? No! Developers are not knocking down doors to come here yet! Finch has restored pride, opened Pleasure Beach, he is environmentally astute and in tune with the youth of America. Jobs and taxes have been the curse of our city for decades. Ganim had the luxury of Governor Weicker and President Clinton funneling money to the city. But during the most prosperous times under Clinton, while most urban areas were booming, Bridgeport was completely stagnant.
The last two landmark buildings built in Bridgeport waere the Peoples Headquarters and the RBS building under Mayor Bucci.
That was 1987-ish.
It is the year 2015, Mayor Finch has the downtown resurging with life. New apartments in the East End, new schools and libraries. A second train station. New parks and ballfields in every neighborhood for the youth. Mayor Finch has more development projects happening in this city than we have seen in decades.
What personal agenda could one possibly have to support a candidate who cannot possibly win? Development will cease. Why would anyone support a candidate who would hinder our current path toward prosperity? The wheels of Government move extremely slow. Bridgeport has not seen the magnitude of projects in nearly 70 years. This is certainly not a popularity contest. This city is fighting for its life and hope for the future.
We must support Finch and voters do need to know about Ganim.
Thanks for your opinion Steve, I appreciate it.
Hey Steve, since you’re on the Finch soapbox, can you tell me what he has done for education for our dear city?
bptlittleguy,
Since the blogosphere needs to know we are friends, I will let you tell me what Joe Ganim has done for education in this city. We need not discuss Finch has acknowledged and addressed and implemented many changes the teachers fought against. Finch has new schools being built all over the city. Harding is about to be rebuilt. The Fairchild Wheeler Magnet is spectacular. His support of charter schools would give families such as yours and your cousins’ children a choice since they have been locked out of Magnet schools. Mayor Finch supports the current superintendent of schools.
Tell me about Ganim. It is okay if you have to get a cheat sheet from his headquarters. If Ganim addressed the problems 25 years ago instead of using the board of education as a dumping ground for political patronage our schools would not have degenerated to the point the Mayor tried to get the state to take over the board. Most people have no idea who they are voting for when they vote for board of ed candidates. I am positive you are one of those people. Forgive me, I know you well!
Your turn and make it good!
Steve, Fairchild Wheeler Magnet School was developed and approved before Mayor Finch became mayor. He had absolutely nothing to do with the concept or the decision to.place it on the BBOE Capital Plan.
Leticia Colon, your turn Maria!
Well, we can see the likely pattern for the primary battle.
The Finch campaign will run a negative campaign using thetruthaboutjoeganim.com website and an ‘everything is wonderful’ message using the taxpayer-funded Bridgeportbettereveryday.com website. Blumenthal, Himes and Murphy will appear every time another fire hydrant is installed on Stratford Avenue. It will be interesting to see if the Ganim camp retaliates with negative points about Finch personally and his weak economic development record.
His weak economic development record? Ganim had a development record? No word for Mary-Jane Foster? Rick Torres?
This is low class!
QD, just hold your nose!
QD, Finch is just a caretaker, waiting for Joe Ganim to return.