City ministers Mary McBride-Lee and Lyle Hassan Jones will lead a protest Tuesday morning outside police headquarters condemning the Gomes for mayor campaign disseminating what they call “illegally obtained video footage that leaked to the public regarding the absentee ballot controversy.”
The videos represent the Gomes campaign’s central evidence to overturn the results of the Democratic primary won by Mayor Joe Ganim by 251 votes. That decision will be made by Superior Court Judge William Clark.
Surveillance video of absentee ballot drop boxes under the control of the police department to aid investigations made its way to the Gomes campaign. Other videos now in the public domain as a result of the court contest show campaign backers of both John Gomes and Joe Ganim dropping absentee ballots into four designated boxes.
State law allows handling of absentee ballots in the narrowest circumstances such as a family member, caretaker or police officer.
Several investigations are now underway.
Fellow OIB readers,
Governance requires OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT and HONEST values. Those active in competition for ballots in the primary and Election Day of November 7, 2023, for office as well as the public itself have been treated to “social media” revelations formerly less observable to them because of four videos focused on four Bridgeport locations, namely absentee ballot boxes with 24/7 ongoing observation and action triggered video.
There are no captions, and it is not Hollywood quality footage, but a story presented itself and has been complemented by a suit and court testimony that seems to indicate hundreds of ballots in total exceeding the number of people dropping a ballot in the box. One conclusion can be that stuffing did occur. But the court has yet to make its decision known to us.
And the community has learned of accusations that other parties may have mis- used absentee ballots. Where is the info from the local Police Department investigation? Has it proceeded beyond initial reporting of the possible misuse of City Fusion materials to higher authority? Where are the results of fingerprints on absentee ballot paperwork and similar evidence? If the investigation is ongoing, what will trigger some answers to the public? We, who will be called to elect a municipal leader in eight days, seek an honest comprehensive report.
Each registered voter needs to reflect in this moment on the value of the ballot under their control. That is what ownership provides. Control. You can enter your marks on a ballot for each office presented there. Candidates are asking for your support on Election Day. Adult self-reflection and self-control will direct you to be sure your ballot is present, counted appropriately, and means something for the future of this community. Time will tell.
Regarding the release to the press/public of the “leaked” BPD video of “irregularities” at ballot boxes. Well; since the “irregular”activity occurred on public property, the public owns both the video, as well as the the right and need to see it. When I proposed a citywide, public-safety video surveillance system years ago — to augment the Neighborhood Block Watch/Neighborhood Patrol program — my research, as well as my legal advisers, indicated/told me that surveillance cameras in public areas were no problem and that what they recorded of activity in public areas was useable public record…
There shouldn’t be any legal problem for the use of the “leaked video” in the Gomes lawsuit… The “protest,” in that regard, is truly idiotic/ridiculous and doesn’t reflect well on the protesters. It really looks bad, and will be counterproductive to their cause…
BAN THE AB BOXES JUDGE CLARK !
Ganim will have the Video Cameras off , if the Judge lets the Absentee Ballot Boxes remain!
Laity protesters ?
The unordained and (Laity) would like to Protest on behalf of (Wanda Geter Pataky) who took the fifth several times in court, also the Lawyers for the defense rested their case without rebuttal.
What the Laity protesters should do is have Wanda turn herself in while at the Police Station and save the Taxpayers money.
Maybe this religious protest cult, will convince her that “the truth will set her free”!
Just remember it was Ganim’s Videos that shows Wanda Geter-Pataky, stuffing seven stacks of papers into a ballot box outside the Margaret Morton Government Center.
So what are they Protesting about, turning the……….. “ Flucking Cameras OFF” ?!
Jim these AB boxes are new to this election cycle, How did Port rig their election prior> 🙂
They would add the bogus ABs on Election Day keeping track of the count. The last mail delivered by the post office was 5 &7 pm, after that the no stamp ABs would then be added.
I’m old enough to remember when the AB Box was the mailbox. The AB Boxes are not the problem. The problem is when one person can take out hundreds of AB applications. The AB Boxes just saved campaigns or operative the cost of postage that most would place on the return envelopes. Ballot stuffing has always been the problem; could it be that the ease of use of the monitored AB Boxes lulled people into a fall sense of “I won’t get caught!”??
The actual four ballot boxes may be new to the election cycle.
And four videos of hundreds or thousands mentioned previously taking pictures and providing them to the Fusion Center focused on the four ballot boxes are also new.
But the folks who were seen in action are very likely pictured for the first time on camera, (not just a selfie) in a performance that had purpose, rewards, and consequences, though the story is not yet complete. The volume of ballots pictured seem adequate to provide an election result that is manipulated. Is this spanking new performance by political activists? Or is it behavior that is outside the bounds of legal, appropriate, or practice of one vote (legally cast by the registered eligible) and reprehensible? Here comes the judge…..Time will tell.
Just returned from the gathering in front of Police Department HQ. City Councilperson Mary McBride-Lee and Lyle Hassan Jones, community activist, had about 15 persons gathered to call attention to the disappearance of visual evidence from Fusion cameras focused on four City ballot boxes previous to the Democratic primary in September. The questions most seriously raised were:
** How such visual evidence found its way into the hands of John Gomes and released to the public?
** What actions and when did the Police Department under Chief Rod Porter undertake to investigate the video evidence of alleged ballot tampering and whom have they investigated and with whom have they collaborated overall?
No comments were addressed to the “ballot tampering” issue itself that became newsworthy nationally. They inclined unfairness towards Wanda G-P and criticism of John G for not initially forwarding his ‘discovery’ to Chief Porter by distrusting a G2 appointee. With a bullhorn aimed at Chief Porter’s office the organizers promised to keep up pressure to get answers to their questions. They had no advice to those thousands of eligible and registered Bridgeport voters who usually do not vote and exercise their critical civil right. The court is likely to be heard shortly. And questions from lots of sources may get answered. As always, time will tell.