UPDATE: John Gomes Demoted, Details To Follow: One year into Joe Ganim’s mayoralty, staff stressors are beginning to snap leading to potential changes at the top level makeup of the administration. State Rep. Charlie Stallworth’s city position, one of Ganim’s first hires who served as co-chair of the mayor’s transition team, is tenuous. Will he stay or go?
It was in Stallworth’s East End church, on January 1, 2015, where Ganim issued his first public apology on his way to a historic comeback. Stallworth, a leader in the politically active Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, emerged as a constant Ganim campaign supporter. Ganim rewarded him with a $100,000 a year job heading up the Minority Business Resource Center.
As Ganim’s first year progressed he has taken heat from past supporters including East End District Leader Ralph Ford and former State Senator Ernie Newton who argue he has failed to hire African Americans instrumental in his comeback success that embraced his second-chance message. Stallworth, in particular, was a seen as a community bridge to Ganim for more African American hiring.
One battle centered on Ganim’s choice of Richard Thode to serve as provisional fire chief. Stallworth urged Ganim to install an African American. But Ganim, be it JG1 or currently, does not like coloring his hires. (“Who’s more qualified?”) Stallworth saw his influence with Ganim waning.
Ganim cites Stallworth, Chief Administrative Officer John Gomes, Assistant CAO Kim Staley, public safety advisor Wilbur Chapman and Labor Relations Director Janene Hawkins as blacks in key positions.
In addition, some members of the administration assert Stallworth’s an ineffective state legislator who fails to bring home the bacon. Stallworth survived a strong August Democratic primary challenge from Board of Education member Maria Pereira.
Things took on a frosty edge two weeks ago when Stallworth joined several black political leaders to condemn the city’s disciplinary action against Lieutenant Lonnie Blackwell who was demoted one rank accused of manufacturing a racist letter that caused turmoil in the Police Department. Blackwell denies the charges.
It never looks good for a $100K hire to publicly criticize his boss. Things boiled over last week. Administration sources say a frustrated Stallworth said he was quitting. Others argue he’s trying to bait Ganim into a termination as a platform for a legal battle based on free speech. Paging former Mayor Tom Bucci, a seasoned labor attorney.
Either way, this could become a public toothache for Ganim among black supporters leading to a primary if he chooses to seek reelection in three years. That’s a long time away and a lot of this depends on Ganim’s effectiveness and future hires if he makes changes. He was criticized during JG1 for lack of minority hiring but did not have a primary as an incumbent. Each reelection of JG1 resulted in nearly 80 percent of the vote with many African Americans applauding Ganim for progress in their neighborhoods.
Ganim is considering an administrative makeover.
Tensions between Gomes and Ganim have grown as well. One flashpoint centers on Gomes’ relatives ending up on the public payroll without Ganim’s sign-off. How did that happen?
Gomes served in the mayoral administration of Bill Finch, had a falling-out with Finch, lost his job, entered the race for mayor in 2011, dropped out to support Mary-Jane Foster who lost to Finch in a primary. Gomes embraced Ganim’s 2015 candidacy and was among the first batch of Ganim hires.
Gomes has butted heads with several of Ganim’s appointees. He has served as a Ganim hatchet man, something Ganim does not mind unless freelanced beyond Ganim’s comfort level.
All of this is one giant swirl that could lead to small changes, perhaps major ones depending on Ganim’s loyal meter and potential replacements.
So stay tuned.
Feb. 3, 2016 and nothing has changed. Thanks for nothing, Joe.
m.ctpost.com/news/article/Black-leaders-pressure-Ganim-on-hiring-6804998.php
First, let’s take a closer look at the photo of the first fundraiser. Let’s start with the image of Lisa Parziale. What was going through her head at that moment? Oh boy, we’re screwed! This guy is in it for the money. God, give me the strength. Look at Hector Diaz. Lennie put up a still photo. Had it been a video, you all would have been shocked at how fast Hector Diaz chugged down that 100% Tequila. Notice where I am standing between Hector Diaz and Danny Pizarro. As soon as I began my move to stop the circus early, Hector leaned his weight with his left shoulder and with Pizarro doing the same, they stopped me in my tracks. What you’re seeing in the photo is a Hector, Joel and Danny sandwich. If you have some time to spare, take a closer look at this classic OIB Blackmail picture. By the way, can anyone tell me if the woman holding three balloons is Maria Pereira?
Paging JML, was money set aside in the budget to add more staff in the mayor’s office? One thing that jumps at me is this wasn’t just a re-alignment of staff. For example, Miss Matos goes from part time to full time creating half a job more and this Special Project Coordinator is another position created. It was about time Joe Ganim made his move. I had posted a while ago that at some point Ganim was going to take action. To me, the first indication was when Ganim took all members of his staff to a three-day retreat UB to be all the better manager U can B. What Joe Ganim was saying by going on that retreat with his staff was: I know some of you are simply clueless. If after this retreat you don’t produce, get ready to retreat from your office.
Four days ago, I knew Joe Ganim was going to make his move. I was walking in front of City Hall when the mayor’s SUV was going to the underground parking. Joe Ganim was sitting in the back and Detective Garcia was driving. Loud music was coming out of the SUV and this is the music video Joe Ganim or maybe Garcia was playing:
www .youtube.com/watch?v=_9yTFurS6nk
Joel,
Thank you for your questions from the “front lines.” To my knowledge there have been NO budget revisions by the Mayor presented to the Council for approval.
Office of the Mayor budgeted $623,966 for salary of full-time employees in FY 2017. From July through October, four months of expenditure, only $175,126 was spent according to the November 23, 2016 financial report. Three times that expense results in $525,378 of projected expense for the Mayor’s office, almost $100,000 less than budgeted. Curious that taxpayers are bearing the weight of a budget that through four months has multiple departments spending personnel dollars at a lower rate than budgeted that may show as a surplus come year end? That may get spent in other ways you cannot see easily because variances for most appropriations are not calculated routinely, and why not? And Council continues to get no grants budget info routinely. Again, why not? Would it work for readers if info on which department the Mayoral appointments are being charged to as an expense was reported as well? Time will tell.
Such juicy stuff!!! Not really. Ganim will do what he has to do. It is his reputation on the line. I respect Charles Stallworth and John Gomes. But to be honest, neither pose a political threat and everyone is replaceable in the blink of an eye. It’s called reality. Sometimes people overstep, believing they have the power to do so. Ganim is the Mayor. He will do what he will do. I do not expect there to be much drama. If they are doing an amazing job and improving the city then they deserve their position. If they are mediocre and can be replaced by a more qualified individual then that will be the way to go. I hope they support the Mayor and not their own personal interests.
I do not think the black community is going to judge Ganim on the number of minorities he hires. People are taxpayers and care about quality hires. Those who do not pay taxes are not impressed with a minority making $80,000-plus while they are on food stamps.
So much drama. Everyone believes they are delivering votes. People can think for themselves. We hope. 🙂 I hope nobody loses their job, just to be clear.
Steve, you try but you are so far off base on this and disrespectful.
Steve, I made this post yesterday to show what was going on right after Ganim got elected and what the black community concerns were then.
m.ctpost.com/news/article/Black-leaders-pressure-Ganim-on-hiring-6804998.php
Steve, you said, “If they are doing an amazing job and improving the city then they deserve their position. If they are mediocre and can be replaced by a more qualified individual then that will be the way to go. I hope they support the Mayor and not their own personal interests,” so Steve the standard is they are doing an amazing job and improving the city then they deserve their position? Steve, you said, “If they are mediocre and can be replaced by a more qualified individual,” Steve, David Dunn the City Personnel Director is NOT qualified, he is serving as the “ACTING” City Personnel Director, this position gives all the City’s civil service exams and this is a TESTED position but NO exam has been given and Dunn has been in this position for over 10 years. Steve, why???
Steve, above in the article Lennie wrote it states, “One battle centered on Ganim’s choice of Richard Thode to serve as provisional fire chief. Stallworth urged Ganim to install an African American. But Ganim, be it JG1 or currently, does not like coloring his hires. (“Who’s more qualified?”) Stallworth saw his influence with Ganim waning.” There were two black candidates who were promoted ahead of Richard Thode for the position of Battalion Chief. Mayor Ganim NEVER gave these two Battalion Chiefs the courtesy of giving them a interview. I like Thode but I also like the two other candidates but Mayor Ganim showed disrespect to these two men who worked hard and studied in an effort to become the Fire Chief.
Steve, black voters came out en masse to vote for Ganim, blacks not only voted for Ganim they worked hard on his campaign and no one was more vocal and important to give Joe Ganim his second chance than Charlie Stallworth. Stallworth and the black community were very loyal to Joe Ganim. In return for their vote, support and loyalty the black community is still waiting for Mayor Ganim to show his appreciation. In politics you reward those who support you and put you in power.
Let’s not forget Mayor Joe Ganim DID NOT support Marilyn Moore and Ed Gomes for their run for the State Senate from Bridgeport. These two highly qualified black individuals still got elected by a large margin without the support of Mayor Ganim. Steve, tell me what’s wrong with this picture. There is a clear pattern that Joe Ganim takes blacks for granted. Steve, three years can’t come fast enough.
Ron Mackey, I totally get what you are saying. I completely understand your support for African Americans in the administration. Totally. By the same token, I have watched a piece of crap get elected to the most powerful position in the land. I see his top appointments being racist. I see black lives matter becoming an old story. I see Racist and KKK becoming empowered. I think people are changing and priorities are changing. I think picking your battles is important. I do not think African Americans are concerned about protecting six-digit salary employees while they are unemployed or on state assistance. I guess it is how you frame it. I think Ganim can improve on some minority issues. Overall, I look at his appointments and he has been fair. He is not hiring only white people or Jewish people or gay people or Hispanic people. He can hire who he feels is the best qualified or most supportive. I do not know David Dunn. I have never met David Dunn. Have I? I probably have but not sure. Actually now that I think about it I have met him, just never had a conversation with him. Not qualified? Not sure that is a fact. Ron, do not live three years in the future. Time goes way too fast at our age and I do not see any minority candidate or otherwise on the horizon to get excited about. Joe has been there a year. I am optimistic!
Steve, you have addressed my questions and concerns. The issue with Charlie Stallworth is not about how much he is getting paid, it’s about the lack of respect Mayor Ganim is showing all of us, the one person who gave Joe a second chance by having Joe give his “come to Jesus moment” at Stallworth’s church in front of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (the organization of black ministers) and by doing that, launched Joe Ganim to victory. Steve, there would be NO Ganim2 if it were not for Rev. Stallworth. As for David Dunn, even Phil Smith has asked the same question, when will the City give an exam for the Acting position that Dunn has been in for over 10 years. It’s okay to get rid of the one person who started Joe’s comeback but not the person who has been holding a City tested position and making more money than what Stallworth is getting paid and it’s okay for Dunn to remain in his position with no questions being asked. Steve, Hillary lost because she didn’t start soon enough to get voters out to vote for her. Well Steve, the election for 2020 started last year, that’s why Joe has been raising money for his reelection.
Ron Mackey, I take it you will not be supporting Joe Ganim? Clinton lost because of the FBI not because she didn’t get out the vote. Trump won because he got electoral votes from racists? Who knows. Who were the members of the Black Community going to vote for? Rick Torres? If Joe put a black person in a position that he replaced, does that count?
Steve, trust me, there will other Democrats running for mayor like former City Council President and former State Senator Andres Ayala, who has leadership ability and has served Bridgeport well. Steve, it’s not about one position for someone black, it’s about respecting those who put you into office. The black community can’t be bought by Ganim giving someone black a job. A coalition of black and Hispanic voters will determine whom the next Bridgeport mayor will be and Joe Ganim has already shot himself in the foot with the black community.
Steve, Senator Gomes beat Dennis Bradley by 130 votes. We gave Ed his largest plurality of all his precincts at THooker School where he beat Dennis by 133 votes. In total, Ed beat Dennis by 177 votes in the 138th district.
Mr. Mackey, you wrote “There were two black candidates who were promoted ahead of Richard Thode for the position of Battalion Chief.” Where did you get this information?
You then say “Mayor Ganim NEVER gave these two Battalion Chiefs the courtesy of giving them a interview. I like Thode but I also like the two other candidates but Mayor Ganim showed disrespect to these two men who worked hard and studied in an effort to become the Fire Chief.”
Did either of the two other “candidates” apply?
Athenian commander?
I agree, Stallworth and Gomes don’t pose a political threat to JG2. However, if the pattern continues and an opposition starts developing early, it could spell trouble for JG in the future. What’s this with the race card? Looks like Joe Ganim has people of color in key positions. Wait, don’t tell me they’re not black enough. The machine has employed enough political operatives to keep them from straying.
In pro sports, it’s easier to fire the coach than it is to replace or remove all the players. In Bridgeport politics, the mayor gets to fire and replace his staff while maintaining his position. It’s good to be king! Either way, the turmoil distracts from the current situation, which is the point of it all.
Don’t mean to be irreverent but the reverend looks an awful lot like Samuel L. Jackson. Maybe he can get a fourth job as a stand-in!
🙂
“I’m sick and tired of all the pissing and moaning around here about everybody being Disrespected! We continue to reward mediocrity and punish excellence!”
Uretha Franklin
Open, Accountable, Transparent and Honest are watchwords I have proclaimed for years as necessary for “institutional integrity.” We are not there as you may guess, because Ganim2 did not set himself up to be “accountable” in any long-term meaningful manner.
Oh, he did say STOP RAISING TAXES and then raised them significantly. A precursor to the tweeting of lies and bravado emotion of our President-elect. And he liked the building of schools while he campaigned, but has not shown leadership interest in providing funds to support staffing and programs this year. Where’s the solution to the deep woes of the public school system in the City?
John Gomes arrived in Finch’s first term at the same time as CitiStat, a system for analysis and accountability of public activities. CitiStat is still listed as a City Department with no employees of its own and with a $14,339 budget. It has spent only $976 through four months. Slow to start? Or continuing to slow as it did for years under Mayor Finch? Gomes continues as an “efficiency maven” but does not seem to announce what he is doing in terms of accountability. Why isn’t efficient and effective operation newsworthy?
And we have another Department listed in the budget, Minority Business Resource Office that was funded this year at $347,276, but only $24,445 has been spent from July-October 2016. A slow start? Or no start? What’s the story, Av Harris? Employee Stallworth is not being paid from this budget it appears. So where is his desk, what are his tasks, and what department budget claims his pay, benefits and overtime as their own?
Neither the MBRO or CitiStat budgets indicate any monthly variances despite the facts I note 1/3 of the way into the Fiscal Year 2017. Showing variances is another form of Accountability, Transparency and Honesty process. But that is not routinely done in Bridgeport. Why not? Too busy? No wonder the watchdog whizzes on the Council are unable to point out where funds budgeted actually get spent in a meaningful way. And if you can’t see it, then you also have corrupted data on which to build next year’s budget, don’t you?
But if a Mayor can be away from the City for long periods of time, and if he elects to duck major face-time opportunities with the public when he is here, and if he does not care to share and does not share his City residence where he would pay taxes if he owned the place, or auto tax if he had a personal auto, then doesn’t a public attitude, “dribble down” to infect the attitudes of others in the system? Time will tell.
Let me preface my remarks by saying, yes Steve contrary to popular beliefs, blacks are indeed happy for another black when they get a good job that will help the uplift of their family. Blacks are not jealous or unhappy when another black gets a $100,000 a year job even though they may be on food stamps. As a black man I can tell you we are happy when a Brother or Sister can grab a piece of the American Dream, evidenced by the record number of blacks who came out in two elections to elect President Obama. Following your logic, blacks would have stayed home and not voted because it wasn’t them! How ridiculous.
It was in Rev. Stallworth’s church where Mayor Ganim launched his Second Chance Tour and it was Rev. Stallworth who helped sell his Second Chance Tour to the Black community. Rev. Stallworth sold this to the Black community because I now think he believed in the embellishment and hyperbole Joe was selling and if this Second Chance Tour worked for Joe it would also work for those young men in the community, who also deserved a second chance to turn their lives around. I also now believe Rev. Stallworth thought he had the ear of the Mayor and more importantly the gratitude of the Mayor and that would help him put qualified blacks into positions of influence in city government. Neither one happened so when this happens one finally realizes you can’t trust what the other is saying or doesn’t believe in what they are saying, then money isn’t the driving force that will let him compromise his integrity.
The problem is Joe thought Rev. Stallworth was another scarecrow, you know, a person without a brain, whom he has dealt with now and during JG1. My guess is Mayor Ganim was surprised Rev. Stallworth is a black man who had and used independent thought and goodness knows that don’t fly in the face of what Joe expects and demands from blacks.
I guess the question I have is what jobs are available to qualified blacks in government. I know they are there such as fire chief. What are the others?
Donald Day, did you intentionally miss my point? The answer is yes. My neighbors are black. They are not on food stamps. They are professional. I can assure you they can give a rat’s ass if Ganim hired Ernie Newton or Tom McCarthy. They care about efficient government. Some voted for Ganim, some did not. To be honest, most of them do not know who Scott Hughes or Charlie Stallworth are. They hate Bridgeport politics. They are not interested in the black leadership. They all come from Stamford and honestly, they cannot relate to our politics.
Donald Day, may I also state I happen to like Charlie Stallworth? I have many acquaintances who absolutely adore him. I follow him on Facebook. I am not suggesting he is not qualified for his job at all. I totally agree Bridgeport needs to have a city payroll that reflects our city. The way I see it, it does. I honestly do not see many people who look like me in City Hall. I understand that you want more supervisory blacks in place, I get that. I do not know if they are putting unqualified white people in positions where a minority is more qualified. Let’s be honest, you did not vote for Joe Ganim and neither did Ron Mackey. Neither did I for that matter. We can be critical but honestly, Joe has not done an awful job in one year.
I do believe some of his closest supporters are taking advantage and doing their own thing. BTW Donald Day, I think many people, not just blacks are happy when minorities break a glass ceiling and make good. I do.
You know what a common theme found in why Trump won? People were sick and tired of the word diversity. So now we have a warped mentality about to take over the country. I think a handful of people coming out to support a job candidate because he is black is a battle not worth fighting. People get hired and fired from jobs every day. Do we even have affirmative action anymore? Do we need it? Are we really looking to fill quotas in city hall?
Now, the relationship with Stallworth and Ganim is their business. Frankly, I am a bit envious of Charlie Stallworth. As he knows, I am jealous that he gets to our gym at 5am, he has work to do in Hartford, he has an important job with the city and he is a spiritual leader. He is like five people! 🙂
Mr. Day, I only put in my two cents not intended to insult anyone. If this is truly a black issue then it is best to leave the discussion among blacks. I just wonder, when Ganim began his comeback, was there a promise to the Black community to hire black people over others? I think Joe Ganim was welcomed back by the Black community because they were told Finch was a racist and Foster was a racist and Joe was just a more likable personality, which is a fact.
Steve, please stay on one subject and not about Hillary and Trump.
Donald Day summed everything up when he said, “I also now believe Rev. Stallworth thought he had the ear of the Mayor and more importantly the gratitude of the Mayor and that would help him to put qualified blacks into positions of influence in city government. Neither one happened so when this happens one finally realizes you can’t trust what the other is saying or doesn’t believe in what they are saying, then money isn’t the driving force that will let him compromise his integrity.” Steve, trust me, once the Black community hears and understands what Don said and Stallworth is pushed out of his position just watch how fast they will turn against Mayor Ganim. Oh yes, Stallworth is being pushed out and really he’s getting fired but everybody is going to come up with some statement that both sides agreed Stallworth should leave and there are no hard feelings. Well, that’s a lie and I hope Rev. Stallworth doesn’t go along with that plan.
Steve, I have to agree with DON and RON, if it had not been for the Black Community Joe would not be Mayor today. Rev. Stallworth should be commended for standing up against injustice. Steve, if you think the BLACK Vote is not important just ask Former Mayor BILL FINCH. THANKS REV For standing up and speaking truth to power!
Ernie, if it weren’t for the Black community, Hillary Clinton would not be President today. Oh wait–she isn’t. 🙂
Ernie, in Bridgeport there is almost one guarantee. A Republican never wins an election, a Democrat loses.
Finch lost and we have Ganim. You supported him. Now you don’t. To be honest, I didn’t know Stallworth was on the hit list.
My point of what I was trying to say was simple. People like yourself go to bat for a few individuals as though they are not replaceable. Anyone else gets fired, nobody cares. But in the Black community, a person has a job on the line and everyone tries to save it. Ernie, who is going to bat for you? You also make it sound like the Black community is on the same page. Finch had support and Ganim had support. Joe had personality and his story resonated with many people. I agree, in Bridgeport if it weren’t for the Black community Joe would not be Mayor. Who would be?????????
Steve, let me make something clear to you. Just because you SUPPORT someone like we did with JOE, we have a right to disagree if we see something wrong. And I didn’t say I don’t support Joe now. If I can’t disagree with Joe when I think things are not right then did I do the right thing by supporting him?
Good point, Ernie!
Stallworth is useless. The 138th TC has been working on blocking a proposed development of an eight- and four-unit apartment in our one-family zoned neighborhood since September.
I emailed him twice about attending a forum with constituents on two separate occasions. He never so much as responded.
Senator Ed Gomes wrote a formal letter opposing this development on our behalf and attended both forums.
The Zoning Board of Appeals Hearing was last night. It was just us against the developer and Ray Rizzin and we won.
They’ll be back with another proposal, and we will be ready for them.
I would imagine in Gomes’ situation it’s less about his daughter being qualified and more about the lack of character he displayed by going behind the Mayor’s back. Would it be so hard to run hiring decisions by your boss? And yes, YOU work for HIM.
Steve, I merely addressed what you said, “I do not think the Black community is going to judge Ganim on the number of minorities he hires. People are taxpayers and care about quality hires. Those who do not pay taxes are not impressed with a minority making $80,000-plus while they are on food stamps.”
Now that other garbage you addressed in your response isn’t in my wheelhouse.
Steve, I think Mayor Ganim is just being a true Democrat.
“Do you know how many black Chiefs of Staff exist in the Senate? The whole Senate? One. Out of one hundred chances they had to hire a black chief of staff, they hired just one African American.
Tim Scott. The lone black chief of staff in the entire United States Senate works for South Carolina Republican Tim Scott. His office may be the most diverse in the entire Senate.
According to a recent study from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, of the 336 senior staff positions in the U.S. Senate, 0.9% of them are held by African Americans. That’s three people.
It’s no wonder the Senate has done so little of substance on issues that truly matter to black folk.
This is a scandal that must be immediately and proactively addressed by the Democratic Party and the United States Senate. What I know is this–when it comes to winning elections and defeating Donald Trump, these same Democrats who refuse to hire black folk for senior management will want Beyoncé, Jay Z, Oprah and Chance the Rapper to stand on stage with them. They will appear on the radio with Charlamagne, Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner to drum up black support. They will visit black colleges and hold pep rallies. They will film promo videos featuring black victims of police brutality and racial violence and trot out Mothers of the Movement all across the country, but how much do Senate Democrats truly value black folk if they don’t have a single black chief of staff? How much do Senate Democrats honestly and earnestly value African Americans if less than 1% of their senior staff members are black?
Yeah, Donald Trump’s a bigot, but Senate Democrats aren’t far behind. How far behind is Joe Ganim?
Don, all one has to do is to start here in Connecticut with our two U.S. Senators, Murphy and Blumenthal, how many blacks work in their offices here in Connecticut and in Washington DC?
Donald Day,
It pains me to agree with your post. 🙂 I agree with everything you said. Unfortunately, for our country I think things are going to get worse for the Black community before they get better. I just have this painfully sad feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Steve, I’ve been a FIGHTER all my LIFE, I can Fight for myself!
🙂 Were you referring to my comment, “who is going to bat for you?”
YESSSSSSSSS.
Okkkkkkkkkay–I’d go to bat for you.
Ernie, “We have a right to disagree if we see something wrong and I didn’t say I don’t support Joe now.” C’mon man, what’s this garbage, bro? You know as well as Mackey and I that Joe Ganim haven’t done a damned thing for the Black community in the year he’s been in office with the exception of giving a few jobs to those black scarecrows he can control with the threat of termination. Please my Brother, if you’re going to stand on the side of righteousness then do so and let the chips fall where they may, but my Brother you can’t stand in the middle of the street with hopes you won’t get hit or a vehicle (Mayor Ganim) will stop to offer you a ride.
Mayor Ganim’s hiring record with respect to the hiring of blacks is almost as abysmal as the hiring record of the US Senate. How can we continue to let these Damnacrats lead us by the nose to the detriment of our people, our situation and our right to be included just like all the whites they hire? My Brother, because you have a voice in the community, you and other voices have to keep our people aware that after 400 years we are still being treated like second-class citizens not only by the other party, but by the party of our parents and grandparents. In the Book of Matthew it says, “He that is not with me is against me.” Brother Newton, is Joe Ganim with us or against us?
DON, YOU AND MACKEY HAVE KNOWN ME ALL MY LIFE. YOU KNOW I WILL NEVER SIT BACK AND WATCH INJUSTICE HAPPEN AND NOT SPEAK UP. DON, I WOULD HOPE JOE NEVER FORGETS WHO HELPED HIM GET ELECTED. I FEEL JOE IS LISTENING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE AND THEY DON’T HAVE HIS INTEREST AT HEART! WE WORKED HARD TO PUT HIM BACK IN OFFICE, JUST TO BE TOLD WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR JUSTICE!
Ernie,
I must have missed one of the bumper stickers or signs that were used in the campaign last year, but I do not think I saw the word JUSTICE on signage or in campaign discussion. What does JUSTICE look like to Mayor Ganim? Perhaps it is getting to sit in the seat he occupied 15 years ago. Maybe it’s getting a check from the City. Perhaps it is being called Mayor and having uniformed police serving him rather than seeing them while he’s serving time. Perhaps it is the frequent hugs and high-fives exchanged by the “machine operators.”
Where did anyone get the idea you “Call Joe G for Justice?” Has he done some special legal work as a volunteer that provided some hopeful evidence? By the way what is fair or just about keeping your actual residence secret? And where is the “talk” and the “walk” about opening up genuine “second chances” for Bridgeport citizens? Mayor Finch lived the dream with taxpayer support of a 21st-century ‘Johnny Appleseed.’ Mayor Ganim2 can play the “second chance” theme well and assist others. He can also protect a whole generation in public schools now, acquire the skills, develop the abilities and become productive adults, but he has not heard that phone ring off the hook in his second chance. Don’t youth deserve a genuine first chance? Time will tell.
John, I do understand what you are saying about the Mayor. Remember, People were HOPING if they gave JOE a Second CHANCE HE WOULD DO THE SAME. I’m a witness that’s not always the case! And Bro Don, I would never raise my voice at my ELDER, lol.
Ernie, you know I know and I have nothing but love and respect for you and the over 40 years we have known each other. You’ve always stepped up to the injustices that plague our community. Always!
Having said that, who you hollering at?
This entire discussion shows the problems in Bridgeport but does not even offer a glimpse of solutions. Thousands of Bridgeporters (white, black, brown) are struggling with day-to-day issues–how to pay utility bills, how to put food on the table–but we have three people arguing over a handful of jobs paying $100,000 (give or take) and these jobs belonged to the “minority” groups in Bridgeport. Who and where are the minority leaders of Bridgeport? The present class of minority leaders have one issue, “What’s in it for me???”
Frank, who’s arguing over three people making over $100,000?
Come on Frank Gyure, let’s put you under similar opportunities. What would be your minimum price? What would you want from within?
As of 4:00pm 12/15/2016 this posting is already OLD NEWS.
Frank, three people making over $100,000 a year wasn’t an issue for anyone posting. I’m surprised that’s all you got from that which was said.
Don, that’s why I asked the question because I’ve not read anybody arguing about three people making over $100,000 a year, then the answer Frank gives is as dumb as his comment.