Tickets, ticket, tickets? Hey, this isn’t a Metro North train ride, but if you want to keep the political gravy train running you must raise money. It’s a municipal election cycle and why waste any time larding up the campaign warchest, all in the name of good government, AKA mayoral access, consulting work and job preservation. I’m wondering how many tickets Town Committee and Yahooy are good for?
Please join Robert Berchem, Edward Marcus, Dennis Murphy, John Stafstrom and friends of Mayor Bill Finch
for a reception on
Thursday, January 27th, 2011
5:00 PM – 7:00 PMAt the home of
John Stafstrom and Dennis Murphy
420 Brooklawn Avenue
Bridgeport, ConnecticutFRIEND: $250
SPONSOR: $500
PATRON: $1,000
FINCH FOR MAYOR MAY ACCEPT UP TO $1,000 PER INDIVIDUAL
FINCH FOR MAYOR MAY ACCEPT UP TO $1,500 PER POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
PERSONAL OR PAC CHECKS PAYABLE TO “FINCH FOR MAYOR”
Please respond to finchformayor@gmail.com
OIB will give equal fundraising promotion to mayoral candidates John Gomes, Charlie Coviello or any additional entries. Something tells me we’ll have a few more candidates. Robert Berchem is an attorney whose law firm receives business from the city, Edward Marcus is the former Democratic State Party chair, and newlyweds John Stafstrom and Dennis Murpphy know how to throw a fun party. Stafstrom’s law firm Pullman and Comley is bond counsel to the city. And when you receive city work you pay respect to the incumbent. Translation: open up your wallets!
So how many you in for? Maybe I’ll crash. No, Leonard, you must pay! Rats, in the old days I got in for free!
*** Save your money and beware of smiling faces & false promises. Also if you do attend don’t forget to wear white, no? Special guess, “VILLAGE PEOPLE” *** Don’t be tardy for the party! ***
OK, I’m a newbie here and need things explained. Now total confusion has set in. Stafstrom who backed Malloy to the max and helped Caruso find his way to Hartford is throwing a fundraiser for Finch who backed Lamont and is Caruso’s mortal enemy. Can someone break this down for this interested non-insider please? I thought Finch was a Testacrat who is Stafstrom’s mortal enemy. Politics make strange bedfellows I agree.
It appears to me that Caruso’s job is a function of Stafstrom’s support for Finch. The Stafstrom/Malloy and Stafstrom/Finch bonds are stronger than any Malloy/Caruso, Finch/Lamont, or Finch/Testa bond.
It would be incorrect to say town committee and yahooy were competing to offer me free tickets (while paying the Friend fee, too) for the upcoming event.
Although …
OIB Rumor Mill, Fan Club edition:
town committee remains steadfast in his decision to become President of a fan club named in my honor.
thank you, dude, from the bottom of my heart to the top of my aluminum foil helmet!
(wink and a grin)
What does this mean for Mary-Jane Foster? I thought Stafstrom was the maestro behind her potential candidacy? Does this mean both the machine and the mini-machine are behind Finch? Very interesting indeed.
BPT 1 makes a valid point. I’ve learned politics is not always about what you’re told. Sometimes it’s about what you observe and perceive and eventually come to understand. As others have noted, Stafstrom has shown an ability to hit from both sides of the plate. Any baseball manager would find a place for him on their team. He might end up MJF’s political maestro–isn’t that what this blog is all about? Remember, he’s throwing a party, he’s not making a campaign-long commitment.
Another metaphor for hitting from both sides of the plate is talking out of both sides of your mouth or playing both sides of the fence. Stafstrom is not a team player. Say what you will about Mario, but he is loyal to those loyal to him. Stafstrom is loyal only to himself.
BPT 1 // Jan 13, 2011 at 6:40 am
To your posting
In an understanding of the nature of political transactions versus political relationships, John Stafstrom has to do what he’s gotta do since he is key to the transactions that bring his law firm to the table as bond counsel to the City.
Additionally, there is the potential for a lot of City money to go around in the form of transactions to those who are in attendance at this fund-raiser.
It won’t be the ordinary folk who get to the trough … I mean the table.
I’m very sure Mary-Jane Foster understands what must be done by Stafstrom.
Additionally, I don’t expect she will be compromised in any way by not attending this event as her intent as a mayoral candidate is to replace Bill Finch. Just as John Gomes wants to replace Finch.
But whatever the machine is doing in January is not necessarily what the machine will be doing in Feb, March, April … September.
Once Mary-Jane Foster officially declares her candidacy, you may see some machine adjustments. It would be worth the wait to see if this happens.
Bridgeport’s political transactions and political relationships are like no other.
As for me and my candidate, anyone else who wants to join in the effort to replace Bill Finch and bring some dignity back to Bridgeport City government should be applauded.
I would also look forward, as you might also, to the discussions among those candidates focused on giving this City new life … as opposed to those particular candidates focused on the enhancement of their personal checking account.
Lennie to answer your question, I will be buying ZERO, NADA, NO, NONE ZILCH Tickets to this affair.
My contribution to this nefarious band of philistines???
U CATZ!!! (how’s the spelling Ray?)
[Ray says: you’re getting better! The correct spelling is U CAZZ’. Remember in Italian, Z is pronounced TS.]
What is Bill Finch’s favorite video game? PAC-MAN! Check his PAC out at “People for Excellence in Government.” Follow the Money!!!
I wonder this group, so committed. Would they create a job for Mr. Finch if he loses? They undoubtedly have the financial power to do it. As Mojo has stated in the past beware of “smiling faces.”
They are so afraid of the minority/Bpt majority that they bed down with each other. Sick people. The grip of corruption is loosening so they jump in the sack with each other. Finch did nothing for three years and now he is all over the place. Deals are being cut and enemies line up in fashion to keep the minority out of city hall. Finch will be fine either way as the BRBC has a job waiting for him and he can go back to Hartford at a quarter of the pressure.
You are correct that the majority of Bridgeport is non-white. If Finch and Foster split what there is of the white vote, the win goes to Gomes. They are not stupid. It is in the machine’s best interests to unite behind one candidate. And whoever that candidate is will deliver more of the same.
If Finch and Foster split the “white” vote, Gomes still wouldn’t win.
Paul Kersey // Jan 13, 2011 at 10:06 am
To your posting
I wonder how you see the grip of corruption loosening in Bridgeport. I see it having an all-out fling as this Mayor gets ready to decamp 999 Broad Street.
And perhaps you think it because they want to “keep the minority out of city hall,” but it isn’t. You and I know that the minority has done a good job of keeping themselves out of City Hall because there has been no willingness to unite and work with single purpose to elect someone of color in this City.
I have had the opportunity to see an intelligent, more than qualified, candidate from the minority community emerge and it is the members of the minority/Bpt majority community who are hesitating … once again.
Paul Kersey aka The Vigilante: The only thing that keeps a minority out of city hall is the petty bickering that takes place between minority groups. If the Hispanics and the blacks worked together there is no question a minority (majority) would occupy the mayor’s chair.
“The only thing …”. Wow. I’ma go out and hug a brother!!!
Hector you can be a wiseass all you want, it is a free country. You know I am right, you and your family have fought the good fight for years. You have fought this fight with other Hispanics who were jealous or wanted what you all had. Sometimes you won and sometimes you lost.
I will give you an example of what I mean. When Santa Ayala primaried Lisa Parziale for registrar of voters 90%, I will repeat that, 90% of the Spanish surnames on the voters list did not come out to vote in our district. Santa won our district in spite of the heavy Hispanic registration that did not vote.
Awhile back someone pegged Lake Forest Guy as a Finch cabinet member, so the credibility of his negative postings go down the drain like the puppies that administration flushed. So does the person who pegged me as vigilante. I don’t know nor have ever met Bob Keeley. But I do know a fix when I see one and this fix is in to keep the minority out of city hall. Maybe if Obama would come to dinner he could explain to the fair city what miracles are all about. As a minority I know I believe in miracles.
Paul Kersey–
My posts are not as negative as they are realistic. It is not the fact of Gomes’ race, just his positions and the fact that many see his mayoral run is out of spite. Tisdale for Mayor!
*** She was endorsed by the Bpt DTC, no? Most of the time that’s all you need in our local elections! Besides only an outsider or a person who bleeds Bpt like Fabrizi would want to be the next Mayor during these poor economic times & political finger-pointing. ROV is not as easy as people would think, it’s time to stop hating & start thinking of voting in a new way, back to basics. Opinions are not true or false, they’re just opinions, no? *** HERE WE GO! ***
Paul Kersey please read below as this is the write-up for your fictional name, it has nothing to do with Keeley: From Death Wish 4
Architect/vigilante Paul Kersey takes on the members of a vicious Los Angeles drug cartel to stop the flow of drugs after his girlfriend’s daughter dies from an overdose.
You can believe all you want that forces are afoot to keep a minority out of city hall but that’s pure and utter bullshit. The worst enemy the minority has is jealousy and envy. Why would this city as a whole vote for Obama in such great numbers and not vote for a minority mayor? Please don’t give me the white power structure bullshit.
TC
A poster named vigilante posted a rant about Keeley, you called me Paul Kersey aka Vigilante. Two separate posters. As for anything you write on here your credibility is none as you spew venom on a daily basis and when you are called out on it during one of your many wrong rants, you disappear.
Paul Kersey; You come on here using a vigilante’s name and when you get called on it you don’t like it. The same goes for what you claim is a concerted effort by the powers that be to keep a minority out of city hall. Pure Baloney and I think I explained why. As far as disappearing when challenged I think you should take a look back on these posts and see where I disappeared. Tell me where I have been wrong many times and show me what you consider a rant. Can’t do it, can you.
You may want to consider a different handle seeing that you don’t want to identify yourself when I called you a vigilante it was in reference to your handle and not what someone else posted using the name vigilante.
My God, TC, don’t encourage him! He already changes handles every other week!
I did not want to be associated with the person named vigilante on here who trashed Mr Keeley. Plain and simple. As for being a Charles Bronson fan, guilty as charged.
Didn’t Finch recently diss Murphy and refuse to extend his contract working with the unions? Now he and John throw him a fundraiser? Strange bedfellows is right. By the way, Murphy is more qualified than any of the goons in Labor Relations. That’s probably why he was let go. Qualified people are a big threat to this administration.