Campaign cash, cigar bar, booze bar, buffet table, as well as political supporters and operatives filled the banquet room of Vazzy’s 19th Hole at the Fairchild Wheeler municipal golf course in honor of Joe Ganim’s 56th birthday at an asking price of $500 a head. Not a bad haul for the former mayor as he resumed a birthday fundraising tradition when he served as chief executive from 1991 to April of 2003.
Numerous contributors to Ganim’s primary win reloaded for the general election with some new check writers who had supported Mayor Bill Finch financially. In a butt-covering move, a few attendees said they will be writing checks as well to the campaign of Mary-Jane Foster who raised campaign cash at a big-ticket fundraiser the same time as Ganim at the architectural offices of Antinozzi Associates across the street from her Downtown headquarters backed by business community interests.
All this in the cause of mail pieces, advertising, campaign staff, neighborhood canvassers, headquarters expenses.
Between Foster and Ganim there was a lot of fore-play going on tonight. What are the candidates’ handicaps?
You simply cannot make this shit up.
This is the same golf course another one of Ganim’s corrupt activities cost the city taxpayers a million dollars.
The operator went into default on his payments and when the city went to enforce his letter of credit they realized it had expired and no one in the Finance area knew it had expired even though the bank had sent out a notice. Maybe Mark Bergschneider was at the fundraiser tonight.
Only in B’port!
Notice how they cut off the Primary date on the lawn sign–at least he’s trying to save some money. -_-
And Stafstrom and Murphy sat across the table from one another and negotiated the deal with a wink and a nod.
It was Murphy and Marsilio.
Yes Andy, but I think Grin is smiling because there was bonding money involved in the whole mess.
If there was bonding money no body knew it. Bergschneider got his money from CRX box car Co. To do that he need to put the course up as collateral. I had the late Ed Green submit a resolution that the course could not be used for collateral. I almost won. Mike Marella voted against the proposal thus creating a tie vote and Ganim broke the tie. It is ironic he has a fundraiser at the course.
I believe John represented Bergschneider.
I am still laughing over this. But then again, what should we expect from this arrogant little prick?!
Just rubbing the taxpayers’ nose in it now that he thinks it’s in the bag.
I went to a volunteer meeting tonight at Torres’ Harborview Market and the place was mobbed. People of all colors getting on the Torres train. While Foster and Ganim focus on raising more and more money, Torres is winning the hearts of the people. Lennie likes to make it look like there are only two candidates but we have one genuine and honest fighter for Bridgeport in Torres. There is simply no doubt about it, Torres is Bridgeport’s only chance for real change. Get ready to see what Rick does with pennies vs the two machine candidates.
Well, I have not been thinking about Lennie’s persuasion, figuring he is just minding his store and being a journalist. I did wonder today if he has an endorsement. I also wonder why Foster seems to be the banner advertisement each night. How can a candidate (Foster) with almost no support outside of Finch’s loss, suddenly be so important politically? Take a look at the table in the picture. Not coffee and doughnuts, cigars and matches to burn in hell with. Okay, the last few words were all in jest, you can’t really burn in hell until after judgement day anyway.
Black Rock is not Bridgeport and the voters in Bridgeport for whatever reason will not vote for Rick Torres because they don’t feel the same way those in Black Rock feel about Torres, in fact let’s see how those voters in PT Barnum, which is in Torres’ district, feel about Torres.
Sorry, Ron. More than 50% of the people there were from PT Barnum Apartments. They are with Rick 100% and are not going to buy the BS this time (according to them). Whites, blacks and Latinos working together for Bridgeport’s only chance for Real Change. Take three minutes out of your life and educate yourself on Torres.
www .youtube.com/watch?v=9kP_ndk1yHs
Rick’s plan is the normal Republican plan, cut taxes and that will bring in new jobs. Rick said he wouldn’t cut aid to the poor, well the mayor doesn’t have the power to cut those benefits. Are any of those 50% being paid or were paid to work in his campaign? Now all of a sudden a video is supposed to change people’s minds to vote for Rick Torres who they know and now the Republican Party cares, please, that dog won’t hunt.
Ron,
Cutting taxes is one thing all the candidates can agree on. Rick Torres also advocates for secondary education. But even with an improved school system many students will fail due to lack of parental involvement.
Your efforts at lumbering Rick Torres with the sins of the national GOP are clumsy and hamfisted. Where Mary-Jane Foster and The Crook are talking the talk, Torres is walking the walk, pushing resolutions through a complacent City Council, resolutions that benefit ALL the people of the city of Bridgeport. What are you doing other than spewing hate and misinformation, blaming a local GOP mayoral candidate for the shortcomings of Mitt Romney, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Mike Huckabee and all the other angry old white men who lead the National Republican Party. Rick Torres has conservative fiscal policies and that’s a good thing. The city’s finances have been badly managed for a generation. (The Crook claims he held the line on taxes but that’s a crock of shit–the city was under state oversight during his tenure.)
You appear to be hostile by choice, willfully ignorant. Why is it you cannot stop in to Harborview Market for coffee and some conversation with Rick Torres? Are you afraid you may actually come away with a positive opinion of the man?
Don’t waste your time. Ron Mackey just doesn’t like Torres. It’s a personal thing, a grudge Mr. Mackey is disinclined to share with the class.
Derek Brown, it’s not personal, it’s business, and let’s be honest, what is there the black community has seen from the Republican Party that has changed their life? We know the ills of the Democrats but what in hell have the Republicans done to increase their membership with blacks? Ron Mackey talking to Rick Torres means nothing to the black community, that’s where my concern is. A rising tide lifts all ships, so by increasing the conditions in the black community you lift those in other communities but if you lift the standard of those in Black Rock then only those in Black Rock get the benefit.
Liar liar, pants on fire.
Hey Steve,
Isn’t it time for you to suck up to Ganim?
Derek Brown, Finch and Foster are my candidates. Why suck up to Joe? Bridgeport is 10 to 1 Democrat. Most Republicans will support Foster. Most unaffiliated will support Foster and most Finch voters will go to Foster and most people will not waste their vote. These are just the facts. A Republican will not win in Bridgeport. I agree with Ron Mackey. But I do like Torres. Foster’s campaign is taking shape.
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PC2–FOSTER is the ONLY candidate advertising on the site.
Joe is trying to save money, if you didn’t notice he’s salvaging signs by cutting off the Primary date.
Evidently people are balking at Joe Ganim’s pay-to-play lawn sign policy.
Ron,
If you are still reading this older post, you are saying what Torres also says. Lift the black and Hispanic communities up and in so doing strengthen the whole city. We cannot have peace anywhere until the ills in the black, Hispanic and white communities are addressed from the bottom up.