In two months a new City Council will be seated with at least four new members, including East End activist Wanda Simmons who brings lingering health implications to consider when (it’s an open question) the 20-person legislative body resumes in-person meetings.
Simmons has become something of a lightning rod two months before oath of office. The disclosure of her covid battle turned from sympathy to some places scorn when news surfaced of her lack of vaccination while openly campaigning potentially infecting crowds of people. The revelation came while she was recovering in the hospital.
Simmons says vaccination is a choice, she’s against it. But what choice did voters have when coming into contact with her?
It’s not like she announced I’m campaigning against vaccination. Hypocritical for someone who demands transparency from those she opposes. On September primary night a tight crowd of political operatives filled a room awaiting the absentee ballot count in the Margaret Morton government center, Simmons learned she had run ahead of incumbent Eneida Martinez whom she’s replacing on the council.
Simmons wore a mask, as she was required to do in the public space, coming within close proximity to dozens of campaigners, many of them elected officials. Days later she tested positive for covid.
Simmons, who often cites biblical references, has a history of playing victim when her actions come into question. It’s always someone else’s fault. In this case the media portrayal of her hypocrisy.
In the adjoining room primary night Upper East Side councilwoman Maria Pereira learned of her mighty absentee ballot output over her two opponents, as well as walk-in vote, carrying with her 138th District running mate Michele Small over incumbent Samia Suliman.
In the council chambers districts 138 and 139 sit side by side.
Here’s a looming question: who’ll sit next to Simmons when council meetings resume in person without feeling some health trepidation? Vaccination is effective, but not foolproof. It can return. Simmons can receive it again and potentially spread it again.
Simmons’ presumed district peer Ernie Newton, who still has a general election to win, will likely be one of them. Newton has been a leading voice in his community urging vaccination.
What about Pereira and Small who’ll also be in close proximity? Campaign gladiators Pereira and Simmons, who’ve not always been buds, bonded temporarily because they had common enemies in the East End.
What’s the solution: a hybrid Zoom, in-person session? Sequestering? Incubation?
Simmons is holding her ground about vaccination. She recently posted this on her Facebook page:
I have natural immunity.. I don’t need this vaccine.. I Wii NOT be shamed, bullied, harassed and mandated!!! I have had talks with a nurse FORCED to keep her job… I can’t disclose her name but I got her story and I am going to fight like hell against this agenda!!!
Fine, how often did she make this declaration in advance of her illness? How many of her would-be constituents knew prior to and not after?
What else will she hide as a member of the City Council?
Lennie……
Is readership so low that you need to print false stories about Maria P? to gain interest.
Maria and Wanda do NOT get along. There was NO temporary bonding. Maria did not go into or make calls to the East End this past election cycle.
Wanda is a Charter School advocate. When Maria P was on the BOE, Wanda started an on-line petition to get Maria removed (because Maria opposed tax dollars being diverted to Charter schools,.
BTW>>>>>Maria and her running mate had already won at the polls. The AB count was merely icing on the cake.
Marshall, did Maria Pereira write this for you? You seem to receive all your talking points from her. I know they won at the polls and posted numbers primary night to reflect that. You’re telling me Maria didn’t want both Ernie Newton and Eneida Martinez taken out? Maria helping Victoria Majewski by extension helps her running mate Simmons. Maria’s closest political ally John Ricci, who got his ass kicked primary night, also wanted them taken out. Maria doesn’t have to donate to candidates, if she chooses not, because Ricci can do it. She brings him to the table. Victoria was a key talking point for Maria to a number of political operatives, including calls she made for a key endorsement Victoria did not receive. Are you now going to tell me Maria didn’t work against Aidee Nieves and Maria Valle as well? She wanted them to lose too. Ricci said all kinds of shit against Nieves on the campaign trail and now that Ricci is trying to gain back his standing with Mayor Joe Ganim he’s telling people he will fund raise for Nieves for a future office. No shame, right? Marshall, spare me your sanctimonious spewing lies on behalf of Maria Pereira. Marshall, since you’re her water boy, why don’t you ask Pereira if she’ll sit next to Wanda Simmons during in-person sessions and report back.
Maria/Marcus. 🙂 considering, the white girl never had a shot, Wanda was the only viable candidate to poacher a win, and Martinez was weakened by what took place at Keystone, She was the intended target. Maria stopping to take a picture of Wanda and Victoria sign was a clear sign Maria wanted Wanda to take out Martinez. Moses of the people was never looking back to see who was nipping at his heels. Welcome to Port politics.
P.S Speaking of Waterboy and snakes. . 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVLvkqfTRVQ
Don’t think this will be an issue,Joe doesn’t seem to want to go back to in person meetings. Better for him to stay home in Easton and continue the Zoom meetings…
Harvey,
Your observation, “Joe doesn’t want to go back to in person meetings” seems right on target. It smells of suppression of voices from the people, but even more it looks to restrict the ears of the people from hearing while present the voices of their representatives.
Ganim2, any comment for us that might be helpful? What facts from the Health authorities on which to hang a public hat?? ARP committees responding to opportunity to use COVID funds in 2022, 2023, and 2024 from the Feds: ZOOM meetings at this time.
A change of Zoning policy and practice upcoming that has been careful, but it has been COVID time, and many have missed the nuances that would change real estate usage like that of Remington Woods? What is value of this property today? Is it fully remediated today? What is value of other sizable City owned real property assets like Majestic Theater, Barnum Museum, etc? Though these are not tax producing, they figure into economic development. Does each CC representative have a handle on these and other values of capital property owned and in development?
BOE has reduced the voices of the public ever more so since new rules with tactics of shutting down regular meetings and then calling special meetings where voices are not heard? And CC change from 5 minute public speaking sessions to 3 minute sessions had a goal of opening up to more speakers. Praiseworthy goal to me. Has it worked on ZOOM? Not to my understanding. Just gives more time to CC members, to not hear public message, and not be seen in their seats patiently listening. Is this suppression of voter or public voice? Time will tell.
Wanda Simmons, you couldn’t let sleeping dogs lie, you will find that people who weren’t interested in this election will start to get involved, and can count me in that group. A hard head makes a soft ass. You fit right into what Tucker Carlson is looking for his program on FOX news, a black woman who’s against vaccines.
If someone has “Natural immunity”, then how did she end up in the hospital because she had COVID? Vaccines may have risks but being unvaccinated also has risks – We all have had Polio vaccine etc and survived – and if were ever bitten by a snake with venom I would take the antidote no questions asked.
We have a virus that has killed 500,000 americans – its patriotic to get the vaccine so others don’t die by accomplishing herd immunity – and if you choose otherwise – take the heat
Marshall, I’ll be the first to admit Lennie don’t know much, but he’s right on point with his post to you. Lennie, I’ll stop you when you’re wrong!
Everyone knows Moxie soda kills the Vaccine!
Wanda Simmons,”I have natural immunity.. I don’t need this vaccine.. I Wii NOT be shamed, bullied, harassed and mandated!!! I have had talks with a nurse FORCED to keep her job… I can’t disclose her name but I got her story and I am going to fight like hell against this agenda!!!” The Bridgeport City Council now has a immediate dilemma with a council member who is not been vaccinated and who could potentially be infecting people around her. The revelation came while she was recovering in the hospital. Simmons is basing her decision on one person, a nurse, not on any medical study or research. What does the city council do, you have a duly elected member who is publicly making it know that she WILL NOT get vaccined. Wanda Simmons is demonstrating to the voters that she is NOT CONCERN about others.
Marcus, I don’t know what you are talking about. You confirmed Lennie’s piece about Maria. Unless he changed it. He does have editorial rights, and he uses it 🙂
If anything it is a hit piece on Wanda. Do you not see the picture. 🙂 Do you want to chime for Wanda as you diss my ESL class? 🙂
Tom, Wanda’s going to take the heat, being a Democrat, and then some. As you can see Lennie’s hit piece. However, your hit “piece comment”, may not be fair. The Polio vaccine is a one-time shot to eradicate it. This is a very different virus. While you get natural immunity after you recover from catching the virus as your body builds up antibodies to fights it off, it wanes off. Just like the vaccine. Which is a mutating virus, rendering the need to get revaccinated, hence the “booster shot”
As of now Wands is no better or worse off than those on council who had taken the vaccine. Some might say better than those who did and are 65 and older that didn’t get booster shot. Maybe Lennie should ask who on the council is 65 and older that didn’t get revaccinated?
Sure if you were ever bitten by a snake with venom you would take the antidote no questions asked. You and everyone else, including Wands, But when was the last time you preemptively took snake venom antidotes? I am sure Wanda took whatever treatment, with very few questions that the Hospital gave her, just like everyone who had been giving a prescription of some sort of medication to treat an illness. She surely didn’t rely solely on God or her natural body’s immunity’s ability when she admitted herself to the hospital.
To JML’s point. It’s called editorial rights. 🙂 But to be fair, I have been hearing about the development of Remington Woods for years, In our current time, most don’t care to listen, they just want to hear their own voice speak. To be fair I barely listen myself, well, occasionally, some stop to smell the roses, that have a perspective at times 🙂
To Lennis’s point, would it have to make a difference in the election if Wanda went around “preaching”, to Comrade Ron’s point, the R’s, white supremacy, Foxnews, Tucker Carlson line? 🙂 Hell yeah, Wanda only beat Martinez by 13 votes, 7 in reality.
Since Martines didn’t put in the work to get on the November, general election ballot it’s a moot point, even with Wanda’s (Republican, white supremacy, Foxnews, Tucker Carlson vaccination stances) I can’t see that white girl (Victoria) beating Wanda. 🙂
Wanda can proclaim to be a Satanist while Victoria walks across on top of a flooded Newfield Park, and that white girl still won’t win on the East End. 🙂
P.S I share Wanda’s understanding of her conspiracy theory about the government and vaccinations. It was the main reason I got mine. Shit, I guess it’s all about perspective, people 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od3pfRGIBnE
Presently, the CC can only be described in terms of a paucity of leadership, with an abundance of “sheep” and a couple of “lone wolves” to keep them nervous and restless… And, sadly, with the line-up of returning and new CC members, this will again be the description of the membership of the CC… Only now we’ll have a higher, overall level of irrationality among the membership…
Happy Bicentennial, Bridgeport!