More than $300,000 in legal/consulting bills and counting. Over the past 12 months the city has issued pricey payments, at taxpayer expense, responding to federal inquiry including AJ Perez’s positioning as a police chief finalist in a national search.
Lawyers being lawyers, a tight lid has clamped down public awareness of mushrooming costs, who’s receiving them and why.
Until now.
City Councilwoman Maria Pereira’s dogged determination, coupled with analysis from retired Superior Court Judge Carmen Lopez, has unearthed a treasure trove of invoices, accounts of meetings and personnel involved including federal investigators.
“There is no one in Bridgeport I admire and respect more than the Honorable Carmen Lopez,” says Pereira in a shared statement to OIB readers. “I also understand the importance of the public’s interest and right to know. It is due to the trust and respect that I have for Carmen Lopez, that I have agreed to allow her to share this critical information with all of you.”
From Lopez:
Only in Bridgeport do taxpayers increase the salary of our City Attorneys while simultaneously hiring outside counsel to do the work. Apparently, Bridgeport operates under “Ganim’s Law” of municipal accounting: the outsourcing of legal services to high-priced contract attorneys increases, in direct proportion to the size of our in-house attorney budget.
Recent disclosures of legal and consulting fees paid to New York lawyers and consultants in connection with two Federal Subpoenas, one from Connecticut and another from the Southern District of New York, raise the obvious and rhetorical question: Who is minding the store?
On February 12, 2019, R. Christopher Meyer, Bridgeport’s City Attorney, unilaterally signed a retainer agreement with Attorney James R. DeVita, a white collar criminal defense attorney based in White Plains, New York. In the agreement, Attorney DeVita agrees to represent the City “in connection with an investigation (“the Investigation”) being conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” The plain language of the retainer agreement states that the City is retaining Attorney DeVita to “assist and advise it in connection with complying with a grand jury subpoena” issued to the City in connection with the “Investigation.”
The Chief City Attorney was very busy on February 12, 2019 signing retainer agreements with outside lawyers and consultants. In addition to the retainer agreement with Attorney DeVita, Attorney Meyer also signed a retainer agreement with Guidepost Solutions LLC, a New York investigations and research company. In this agreement, Attorney Meyer promised to pay this company from $375-425 per hour to “perform an independent inquiry into the City of Bridgeport’s Procurement; Contracting; and Administrative Services (the “Programs”) and other matters directly related to those Programs as determined in the sole discretion of Guidepost.”
Thanks to Council Member Maria Pereira and her dogged investigation, this fleecing of the taxpayer has been exposed and there is surely more to come. Ms. Pereira shared copies of the invoices, the purchase orders and all retainer agreements with me, with the goal of promoting the public’s right to know.
I have reviewed each and every invoice and have attached all copies of the invoices to this OIB commentary with the hope of informing OIB readers as well as members of the City Council who remain confused about their role as an independent branch of city government, and instead view themselves as useful props for the Mayor.
How can they preside over this flagrant abuse of power, and dare to refer to themselves as the representatives of the people?
These legal fees have been expended even though there is no case in active litigation, no demand for money from the City of Bridgeport has been received and no city official has been sued or threatened with suit. Nor is there any evidence that either the City or outside counsel went to court to attempt to quash either subpoena.
In a CTPOST article of February 8, 2019, Brian Lockhart reported that the City of Bridgeport had been served with a Federal Subpoena. The article states that Mayor Ganim declined to comment on the subpoena, “but added that his departments have clearly been instructed to provide any information requested as part of the FBI’s work.”
While advising the CTPOST of his promises to cooperate with the investigation on February 8, the invoices tell another story.
Three (3) days later, on February 11, 2019, Mayor Ganim held a meeting in his office with Attorney DeVita and Chief of Police Perez, together with City Attorney Meyer and Deputy City Attorney Bohannon. Attorney DeVita billed the City $1,487.50 for that meeting.
The next day, February 12, 2019, was Guidepost Solutions, LLC turn to meet with the Mayor. Mr. Joseph Jaffe, lead investigator for Guideposts was in attendance. Also present were the Chief and the Deputy City Attorney, and of course, Mark Anastasi. Also present were the Mayor’s Director of Governmental Accountability, Mr. Ed Adams, and Mayor’s Aide T. Gaudett.
Also in attendance was none other than the President of the City Council, Ms. Aidee Nieves. According to the notes of work performed at the meeting, Mr. Jaffe states that the parties met to “discuss Objections, Review Information availability, Finalize Engagement Agreement.”
The invoices provide evidence that the President of the City Council was in on the take-off of this scheme.
Unbeknownst to anyone outside of the Mayor’s inner circle, the City was served with a second subpoena on July 17, 2019, five months following the issuance of the subpoena seeking records on the City’s procurement and contracting services.
This information was discovered after Ms. Pereira obtained a copy of a second Guidepost Solutions, LLC retainer agreement signed and accepted by John Bohannon, Deputy City Attorney and Attorney James R. DeVita on August 1, 2019.
The seven (7) page agreement was made available to OIB readers in a recent article posted by Lennie Grimaldi. The agreement is printed on Guidepost Solution letterhead and identifies the subject matter as “City of Bridgeport advs. United States (US Attorney SDNY, US Attorney D. CT) Response to Subpoena dated July 17, 2019.”
The effective date of this agreement is July 31, 2019. Fees are $425 per hour.
Unlike the February 12, 2019 retainer agreement between the City and Guidepost, this agreement represents that the “Law Offices of James R. DeVita (JDV) has retained Guidepost Solutions” to provide services identified only as (the “Engagement”) in connection with the issuance of a second subpoena.
On July 18, 2019, the day after the subpoena was issued, City Hall was burning up the phone lines to the tune of $1955.00 in three telephone conversations between Attorney DeVita and the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Dan Shamas, as well as conversations with Mark Anastasi, Attorney Bruce Maffeo and the Office of the US Attorney. These phone conversations, coupled with a “review of the subpoena” consumed four hours and thirty six minutes of billable hours.
On July 31, 2019, a meeting was held in the NY office of Guidepost Solutions. Attorney DeVita billed $1,317.00 for that meeting; Guidepost Solutions billed $1,740.00 for the same meeting.
The billing records establish that the first order of business in this new “Engagement” was an August 5, 2019 one hour conference call with R. Frost, attorney for Chief AJ Perez. There is also a charge for a one hour conference call with F. Paoletti, attorney for David Dunn. Attorney DeVita and Guideposts have billed the Bridgeport taxpayer for conference calls with many others, including D. Grudberg and B. Maffeo. They have also billed for interactions with Precision Discovery, a NY legal firm specializing in digital forensics, data collection and preservation. According to their web-site, they provide “End-to-End Discovery Solutions.”
This is only a snapshot of the invoices that the City of Bridgeport has been paying for services provided in secret and away from the taxpayers’ view. What is clear and unambiguous is that Mark Anastasi is the go-to guy in this matter. It is inconceivable that the taxpayer has paid so much money to outside counsel to talk to Mark Anastasi and to lawyers representing city officials.
How can this happen right under the nose of the City Council and as the story is being reported by Brian Lockhart and Lennie Grimaldi, the only response heard from the President of the City Council, Ms. Nieves is a lament that “Somebody should have made me aware.”
In a February 11, 2020 CTPOST article entitled, “Why has Bridgeport paid a consulting firm $152,000?” Ms. Nieves admitted that she supported bringing in Guidepost Solutions. However, she alleges that she did not know that the firm was also being used for legal matters.
On February 13, 2020, in another CTPOST article covering this issue, Ms. Nieves is quoted as saying “This payment does not make me feel warm and fuzzy. I expect to meet with the mayor and Chris Meyer to discuss the new contracted services (Guidepost) are performing, within the details that can be shared with me.”
Wait a minute; what does that mean?
As OIB has reported, Council member Pereira filed a resolution on the Guidepost issue and it was referred to the Contracts Committee. The contracts committee was scheduled to discuss this at its March 10th meeting. The meeting was cancelled due to an expected lack of a quorum on that date. The members of the City Council will be attending a taxpayer-funded junket in Washington DC.
Notwithstanding the urgency surrounding these new disclosures, the President of the City Council has indicated that March 16, 2020, might be a good date to get a briefing on this issue. That is, if, it is convenient to the Mayor, Mark Anastasi and other city officials who will be brought in to schmooze the City Council.
Here are a few questions that require immediate answers before March 16, 2020:
1. Is anyone going to seriously argue that the taxpayers of the City of Bridgeport should be responsible for paying the legal fees of municipal employees who may be charged with a crime?
2. Were any of the subpoenaed documents public records?
3. Has the City been threatened with a civil suit?
4. Why does the City need to hire Jackson Lewis, an employment firm? What is their role on behalf of the City?
5. In light of the fact that the retainer agreement with Attorney DeVita refers solely to the subpoena issued by the US attorney for the District of Connecticut, is there a second retainer agreement with him covering the second subpoena issued by the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York on July 17, 2019?
6. Why do we need outside counsel to merely respond to a subpoena? Is there no legal capacity in our City Attorney’s Office to handle this type of matter?
7. Unless the City of Bridgeport will be charged criminally, why are we hiring a criminal defense lawyer to represent the City?
8. What did the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Dan Shamus know and when did he know it? Why was he the first person that Attorney DeVita spoke to on the day following the issuance of the second subpoena?
There is much talk these days at the national level about an entrenched bureaucracy, sometimes referred to as the “deep state” that controls the country.
This latest scheme hatched by the City Attorney’s Office, an entrenched bureaucracy, lends credence to the notion that a “deep state” subject to no election and lacking any accountability to the taxpayer is alive and well in the Park City.
Stay tuned, we taxpayers have not paid the last invoice!
Links to invoices:
Nice editorial in today’s Connecticut Post by Maria P.
As I have stated on numerous occasions imagine if we had a few more Maria‘s on the council. Shedding light on what she sees and reports publicly will make a lot more people think about what’s going on in Bridgeport and give them insight as to why the city is and has been in such dire straits. The only way that I compare what a person such as Maria is doing, is to highlight what others in her position will never do. I continually mention the fact that there are certain Council members such as Mario’s bartender, who would never ever do anything but follow orders. Yes yes I know he’s but one of MANY but nonetheless a great example. How can anybody expect proper and honest decision making to take place when persons are “appointed and or anointed” to positions of authority in the City when they are completely beholding to a back room person such as Mario et al.
I said it here yesterday, people will be worried. —and she’s just getting started.
In history, THERE ARE examples of people rebelling against their masters and turning their lives around completely and going on to be successful, after deposing rulers!!
Go Maria! —And anyone who has what it takes to stand with her.
Cheers!!!!!
Rich, what are you talking about when you said, “In history, THERE ARE examples of people rebelling against their masters and turning their around completely and going on to be successful, after despoing rulers!!”?
Throughout history including ancient history, governments monarchies and dictatorships were overthrown from within And not necessarily from a peoples revolution. Sometimes there were people within those ruling entities who at one point may have had loyalty to their rulers- (bosses), figured out that it might be best for all to overthrow those rulers. History encompasses many diverse people’s. Not just the ones we may be personally connected to. GET IT?!!!!!!!!! Good!
Rich, you didn’t have to go to ancient history, governments monarchies and dictatorships were overthrown from within, you can start right here in America were both political parties denied blacks the rights by law. It took a 42 year old black woman, Rosa Parks, to challenge the law of blacks giving their seat on buses to whites. That was the start of the Montgomery Bus Boycott that lasted for 381 days and cause great financial problems for the bus company but blacks organize car pools to get to work and those were white women who needed those blacks to work for them. The key word was to “organize” that’s not happening in Bridgeport, just showing people how laws and people are holding back is not enough for change, it takes those who are respected and are willing to fight and lose and to be punish for their peaceful rebellion.
Yes Ron thank you for your comments we are all very appreciative for this information but I was refering to corruption not racial inequality or discrimination. Perhaps if Bridgeport ever has honest leadership then the issues which you care most about can then be addressed. As you we’ll know nothing will ever improve without that. Cheers!!!!!
This thread is a powerful indicator that our City “train” has run off the tracks and the wheels are spinning. Please read the OP-ED by Maria Pereira in today’s CT Post as background also from a conscientious “lifetime learner”. It is a role that many more citizen, taxpayer voters should take up for their fiscal and moral environment health.
Comments from OIB, the OP-ED this morning and the intro above give a fuller view of the numerous issues leaking from our City Hall and Police HQ. Why were the subpoenas, each of which came to the City before the primary and the election in 2019, kept as private, secret, away from public scrutiny? Was it because Ganim2 was not the “second chance” hero he seemed to some in 2015, and would be vulnerable to public Federal scrutiny? Was our weak civil governance structure so absent of oversight and checks and balance that secrecy could be maintained, while public funds were applied to deal defensively? Perhaps the City and Police did not have adequate “public relations power” to get the word out?
Or maybe the lie was revealed attributed to Ganim1 in his 2015 run for a “second chance” that he had absolutely no regrets or remorse for the actions in his first term for which he claimed innocence, but for which he served seven years? Are we ready to place a Board of Finance, bi-partisan, fiscally expert and unconflicted personally into City governance structure? Time will tell.
In my opinion, “TIME HAS ALREADY TOLD THE TALE (many times over) … The tell tale signs and proof was in the pudding years ago. This is a stale repeat of the old adage, “ABUSE OF POWER COMES AS NO SURPRISE” In the immediate instance, the apparent corrupt intent and abuse is to hide incompetence. It appears to be coupled with numerous violations of oaths of office. It’s what could be called a 21st Century “Trumpism”. Lies upon lies and deep conceits that deceits of public trust are a slam dunk. Gullible is as gullible does*. Unfortunately, many tax paying residents who were not foolish enough to vote for a repeat performance of this political circus are the repeat victims of what appears to be theft in broad daylight. And to think that some openly stated that “Marilyn Moore was not black enough…”* to represent Bridgeport. Who or what does Ganim represent now? Taxpayers are treated like the carpet, directly under their noses and walked all over. There needs to be a full -on State and Federal Probe with a “Court Mandated” board of Finance…let the chips fall where they belong.
Office of Governor Ned Lamont
State Capitol- 210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
Local phone number (Hartford area): 860-566-4840 Toll-free: 800-406-1527
TDD: 860-524-7397
Federal Justice Department- CT. website.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/contact
How sweet the sound. “Billable Hours”
It appears that the city attorney is using Guidepost for consultation services.
Do they have a contract that has been approved by the City Council?
If Guidepost was hired as outside counsel their billing would reference a docket number.
Maria and Judge Lopez should be thanked for their skills and their commitment on behalf of Bridgeport taxpayers.
Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the other members of the city council.
Well said Robert Hubany, but it leaves one to wonder why the majority of the CC would vote on something when they don’t have all the facts and figures? We can excoriate Mayor Ganim and Mario or the City Attorney’s, but the fault lies in those council members that rubber stamp issues that come before it without doing their due diligence in finding out the facts. I don’t particularly like Maria, but she is an invaluable asset in keeping the public aware of the malfeasance of some of the City Council members!
Donald Day, By way of an attempted answer to your question: Do you remember my comments of recent weeks on Physics. Momentum: a body at rest remains at rest, absent an outside force; a body in motion tends to remain in motion in the same direction (until friction or another force reduces its motion.)
That being the case, it causes me to wonder how a long term reader and poster of comments like you, does not instantly acknowledge that City Council members are not elected for their reading, mathematics or fiscal skills or experience.( As a matter of fact when a Council member happens to be a professional CPA, we should be joyous with the comprehension possible going forward.) They are elected with support from a political body that is silent on what it considers fair or equal treatment under the rule of law. It has no public openness, accountability or transparency. DTC leaves no trace in print or public media of its existence, does it?
You read comments from one or more past City Council Presidents on OIB. They represent different periods and even perhaps different Charters in the history of the City. One thing is fairly certain: City Council members have been on a powerless descent from a position of being the second body of City governance. They are part of what has caused the City to crash in too many areas when we address meeting the needs of all citizens. For the most part they believe in their high office even when fewer than 30% of their neighbors have placed them there. So, very little humility is present as in frequently wrong, but never in doubt in front of a taxpaying citizen. Empathy for the many who are having financial and service issues relative to City responsibility is mostly lacking. Too much is broken relative to governance, but no one has the curiosity to make it better, to question or to fix it.
Rarely can you get all the facts and figures for the 100% decision. But we get nowhere near 50% informed approval in the City. Just vote approval!! After all, what can go wrong? How do Federal subpoenas distract you, personally? Why all the lawyers? And who is paying for this party?
I sign off with TIME WILL TELL because I am curious, humble, empathic and honest personally. I also am eternally hopeful. In the meantime I attempt to inform and speak truth to power. Time will tell.
OIB poster makes news.
Marshall Marcus reprimanded by Trumbull’s Ethnic Commission.
And he refused to appear before the commission. What’s that all about?
Sorry, that’s NOT on Bridgeport.
I did not attend last night’s meeting on the advice of counsel. I did attend the previous meeting.
All I will say that my wife and I suffered years of bullying and threats by Herbst when he was First Selectman. The Commission is comprised of a majority appointed by him.
I saw no reason to subject my self to hours of listening to Herbst.
The Commission found I did not violate the specific state statute as charged by Herbst.
Herbst didn’t like my comments about him in a private social media group.
That is all I have to say about the matter.
Thank you Judge Lopez&Maria,You two ladies are incredible..Hoping this all ends with a few indictments…I would bet,Joe,Anastassi etc,are scrambling,shredding files,and getting their “stories” straight….Meanwhile most of the others on the CC are waiting for direction from Joe and Anastassi,hoping this doesn’t interfere with their Wash DC, taxpayer funded,vacation…..Joe,once a thief always a thief,love to see this SOB get indicted again..
Wow
I’m getting to know what PTSD must feel like. Come on Joe, we knocked heads for ten years while serving together, but when we worked together for the good of the City, it was good. Don’t go down that road again. I’m aware that the Mayor doesn’t have the quality of CC members, and Administration professionals that he had in my tenure,but this is scary. Back in my years on the CC, most of us insisted on knowing what was going on, and just a sniff of something off the rails turned us into councilpeople who make Maria look tame. About Maria looking tame, that’s figuratively speaking. She’s a one-woman army. It’s almost tortuous for me to go back into that chamber after all the years I spent there, but I have to force myself to sit and watch the members of the City Council in action. I still maintain that the onus rests on the CC, maybe not all members since there are some newbies, but the shame of it is that the newbies will never learn to be effective councilmembers with the inaffective ones as their only source of example. Unless information reaches the public, it will only get worse. Lennie’s great, Brian Lockhart is an incredible reporter, but he can only do what his editor will allow. Go guys, try anyway, let the voters know who they voted for.
Great job, Maria and Carmen! This documentation of exorbitantly-compensated, external legal advice secured by the supposedly highly-qualified (certainly highly-paid), over-staffed, City legal department — for the purpose of addressing incompetence and gross mismanagement of City “hiring” and “purchasing” policy, which has led to illegal practices in various city departments and the illegal hiring of incompetent department “leadership” (among many other questionable management practices throughout City government) — provides a signal and pathway for state and federal oversight activity, as well as civil action, directed at addressing incompetent/delinquent practices by our City Hall leadership and its department heads (several of the later of which should certainly “roll”…), and removing the latter, as necessary and appropriate… Truly; there is gross incompetence/negligence/delinquency throughout the hierarchy of Bridgeport city government.
Now; whether or not there is action taken by the state and federal government on behalf of Bridgeport will be telling — especially during an election year… It is my contention — but certainly not my hope/preference — that the state and federal government will not want to stir any sort of political disruption/restiveness during a big election year… But this would be the perfect timing for Bridgeport to have such political insurrection within the electorate inspired from within (our City Council) and without (the State’s Attorney’s Office/Governor, as well as our federal representation, the latter in resonance with current FBI activity…).
Will anything come of this latest expose of municipal incompetence/negligence/delinquency — MALPRACTICE — by Bridgeport city government and its “legal team?” Doubtful. Not in an “election year”. The big guys in the state and federal government that could push things around within their purview to make the political playing-field level for Bridgeport’s internal and external political purposes don’t want to upset the “regional”/state apple-cart by catalyzing real reform and change in Bridgeport.
The Connecticut/Fairfield County oligarchy, including Greenwich near-billionaire Senator Blumenthal and Greenwich millionaire Jim Himes, as well as Greenwich millionaire Governor Ned Lamont, and their wealthy, privileged, down-county/suburban base, wants Bridgeport exactly where it is — in a figurative “barefoot and pregnant” state, where it can be exploited, abused, and ignored for the advantage of its neighbors and down-county overseers…
So; great work, Judge Lopez and Councilwoman Pereira… You’ve created a great opening for Bridgeport’s political, and ultimate socioeconomic renaissance — but can the Bridgeport electorate be stimulated to appropriate reaction via genuine attention and oversight activity from the state and federal government (via our Connecticut Oligarchy)? It is doubtful — but maybe you are the team that can cajole/shame the appropriate parties into strong, appropriate, effective action on Bridgeport’s behalf…
Federal subpoenas were sent to the City on two occasions in a mayoral election contest year it appears from news on OIB in this past week. To me it seems strange that I am the only reader questioning the fact that the City leaders have been basically mute regarding notice of the subpoenas, the hiring of outside consultants and counsel, and the hiring by more than one City employee of personal representation.
Why was no notice available of the Federal subpoena action while a municipal campaign was ongoing? Does anyone think that public notice of Federal questions on top of reported investigations on scrap metal, and the continuing “smell of smoke suggesting fire” emanating from multiple matters to do with the Police Department, is neither noticed nor of concern to the taxpaying public?? Why isn’t Mayor Ganim strutting about town like iconic Mayor of New York, Ed Koch declaring, “How am I doing? How am I doing?” Too much violence in the neighborhoods and schools? Too much silence from the two City Halls despite multiple City employed public information staff? Perhaps a new employee benefit to explore by Labor Relations is Group Legal insurance? Would there be a clause limiting pre-existing conditions for City employees? Time will tell.
JML, all labor issues involving City personnel have to go to the City’s Labor Relations Office before going to Hamilton Burger a.k.a. (also-known-as) Mark Anastasi, was there a complaint made to Labor Relations concrning A.J. Perez’s positioning as a police chief finalist in a national search?
As for the City Council members, there main concern is to get reelected so they will do what they are told because they don’t want Mario finding someone to primary them. As far as doing the business of the City, PLEASE, they want to be in those photo-op with Mayor Ganim or Police Chief Perez or any other high ranking Democrat, as for doing the City’s business and asking hard questions, well, Hamilton Burger will take care of that for the City Council because they have no independent legal attorney to advise them that has no connection to the City’s Attorney Office.
This is the biggest circus in the Country at this point. From what I hear in the rumblings the entire police department has zero confidence in Perez. Ganim and Perez have been stabbing them in the back from day one even after they endorsed them. I wouldn’t associate the hardworking men and women with them, they are their own separate entity at this point.
Please. The biggest circus???
Did you forget who is President?
Today he refutes all experts in the field of viruses and other tells people it is far less than 1% minutes ate and you have to do is sta at home and it cures itself.
He is the Ringmaster of the Greatest Show on Earth.
The attorney representing the city in a federal criminal investigation consulted last year with lawyers for the police chief and municipal civil service director David Dunn. I said this was going to happen and if the Feds are reading OIB, please investigate David Dunn and his handling of Civil Service office with respect to hiring for the fire and the police department’s. In fact Ron Mackey and I have been saying for years that David Dunn was manipulating the Civil Service process to the detriment of everyone that depended upon a fair Civil Service process.
I know he was doing illegal and nefarious activities as it’s Director! Bridgeport went over thirty years hiring women and when he was unceremoniously given the position no other women were hired. Black’s have been in every class since our original lawsuit in 1976, yet under David Dunn a class was put on without any Black’s. Feds, please we need a level playing field again and we need you to remove David Dunn’s thumb off the scale of justice!
By the City Charter, the Police Chief Fire Chief and the City Personnel Director are all nationwidel tested positions, the Police Chief and Fire Chief positions have had a nationwide search for those positions but no nationwide search has been done for the City Personnel Director position which David Dunn has held for 12 years as the “Acting” Personnel Director. David Dunn will not call for a nationwide search for the position that he holds and Mayor Bill Finch, Mayor Joe Ganim and the City Council during all of those years have NEVER said anything about complying with the City Charter in calling for a nationwide search for the City Personnel Director. Well, now look at the problems that the City has with keeping David Dunn in his “Acting” position.
He is acting just like half the positions in DC are acting. That way if he doesn’t act right he’s gone. 45 doesn’t have anything onGanim
Well articulated and effective on the Judges part and well complimented by Maria’s fierce advocacy!
Nothing new with that
What’s new is some of the press are paying more attention as they see the interesting story here!
And a little encouraging, the comments made here.
Exactly Bob, and that’s most of what I mean when I continually support what Maria is doing. I’ve always maintained that if there were more Maria’s around the press would eventually assist in getting the dirt out to the public. It took her actions of penning an editorial with Judge Lopez’s assistance to make them take notice. Thankfully they published it. If the other media entities get involved things could get really cooking.
Cheers!
Bob, we all have a track record and a past, yes, people change from their questionable past and sayings, some for the good and some for the worse. We all have a reputation, good or bad and especially if you are in the public eye, well, Maria has a very reputation in doing research and making it public but she also has a reputation of doing things her way and not having the ability to make changes as elected BBOE member and now in her very short time as a City Council member because she can not form a coalition of 50% plus one to vote and items to make changes. Now that has nothing to do with providing good information to the public. Retired Superior Court Judge Carmen Lopez reputation of being respected, honest, straight talking, a fighter, always looking out for the taxpayers and a great legal mind and public advocate. In order to make change in Bridgeport and to get away from business as usual Carmen Lopez must be in the forefront of that change and elections are the only way to make that change. In the past Democrat primary and general election Carmen Lopez name was nowhere to be found, Carmen Lopez was not a candidate for mayor and she was not even on anybody’s slate for any position especially the City Attorney.
Just get pissed thinking about how much $$ Joe/Mario have taken/ stole from us. Whether it was the first go round when Joe set up a nice little enterprise for himself and his inner circle by forcing developers to “pay to play”, and now this time, Joe using the taxpayers money like its his own personal bank acct, paying lawyers hundreds of thousands dollars to defend his friends. Trying to get the Feds off them. It sickens me.
Harvey, you and others constantly complain about Mayor Ganim and Mario yet when you had a chance to vote him out, you and others would have rather complain about what Senator Moore didn’t do right rather than vote his ass out of office! As if Ganim/Testa would suddenly go from bad actors to Good guy’s. You and others got caught up in the Maria hates Moore campaign and now you and others want to complain about how flucked up Mayor Ganim and Mario are, but they are what they’ve always been, flucked up, bad actors who would rather use Bridgeport for their devices rather than uplift the city. You Got What You Voted or Didn’t Vote For, Bad Actors Without an Ounce of Contrition. Four more years, four more years, four more years! Say that five Moore times then you and others will realize how flucked up you really were. Thanks Maria!
Don, it’s interesting how some people on OIB complain about we always bring up race all the time but it’s okay for the national media to talked about race as the Democrats go through with primary to select a Democrat to run for President this coming November. It’s news that a black Congressman, James Clyburn from South Carolina makes a statement that he’s supporting Joe Biden for President and that one statement from Mr. Clyburn has changed the entire race for the Democratic Party for the candidate for President. Maybe race does matter but not in Bridgeport CT.
Don,please just stop with this narrative..We been through this 1000 times for christ sake,your girl Marilyn QUIT the race after not knowing how to run a campaign,she DIDN;T get the signatures or paperwork done on time..Now end this stupid shit.
Don,please just stop with this narrative..We been through this 1000 times for christ sake,your girl Marilyn QUIT the race after not knowing how to run a campaign,she DIDN;T get the signatures or paperwork done on time..Now end this stupid shit.
Damn Harvey I didn’t know it bothered you so much or that you was keeping track of the times (1000) that I’ve broached this subject. At any rate you couldn’t have articulated it any better, you would have rather have a Mayor that lied, stole and cheated the residents of Bridgeport instead of a honest, caring Black woman who couldn’t run a campaign! Got it, but I’m not going to relent on my reminding you and others that You Got What You Deserved, a Liar, Thief and a Cheater. Any questions?
Don, Harvey makes my point that race matters, in fact things have gotten so bad with Harvey that he has put christ into his comment. Don, race is bad with Harvey that he rather have rich white man who stole taxpayers money and serve time in federal prison, a man who lied so much that he can’t get his law license back that was taken from by the State instead of a black woman who has never been involve with the law about anything who is a elected State Senator who did something that NO ONE has ever done and that was to beat the wonder boy Joe Ganim at the voting polls by over 300 votes. Don, Harvey can easily over look what Joe Ganim did but Marilyn Moore committed the worse crime ever by not getting enough signatures to get on the ballot for the general election, let’s see, white steals taxpayers money and goes to jail and the black woman didn’t get enough signatures, stolen money versus signatures. Harvey, you and Maria got exactly what you wanted, Mario Testa and Joe Ganim for 4 more years so ask christ what happen.