Things are getting a little testy between the campaign camps. Tuesday night “liar” was tossed around with some regularity at a mayoral debate in the North End between Mayor Bill Finch and Mary-Jane Foster. Please, can we all just get along? No way, there’s no fun in that! Keep those accusations flying, baby!
This is what happens when you promise a $600 tax cut you know you cannot deliver, as candidate Finch did four years ago. It handcuffs your credibility … on the budget, on taxes, on city services, on reducing the city’s fleet of take-home vehicles. In the last two mayoral forums Foster has poked Finch with photographs of city vehicles parked in front of homes of city employees, as an example of how Finch fibbed about reducing take-home vehicles to just himself, the police chief and fire chief. Marie Hoffman, a veteran Democratic party loyalist, local party treasurer and city employee who works for Labor Relations chief Larry Osborne accused by Foster of having a take-home vehicle, came to Finch’s defense in chivalrous spirit, shouting Foster a liar from the audience. Tit for tat.
State Senator Ed Gomes, a Foster supporter who has no love for Finch, was also at the forum questioning Finch’s position on a mayoral-appointed Board of Education. The mayor says he’s still weighing appointed-versus-elected board policy once the reconstituted board returns to home rule. One reason Gomes does not like Finch, he says, is because Finch says one thing and does another. Talk to Eddie and he’ll growl “Finch is a liar.”
For three and a half years the mayor proclaimed city schools were improving each year and then one day the mayor trumpeted schools were a disaster. Gee, that’s a mighty quick segue from improvement to disaster. Finch doesn’t leave himself a lot of wiggle room on some positions he takes.
During the debate Finch was fiddling with his phone, according to several debate watchers. Foster Campaign Manager Jason Bartlett claims Finch’s chief strategist Adam Wood was texting the mayor with response tips. Hey, maybe we can organize a debate between Bartlett and Wood with Finch and Foster texting the answers.
Lots of growling gonna happen over the next 20 days and probably beyond between Finch and Foster. They will face off again in a forum Thursday morning at Housatonic Community College populated by the business community.
We really should win this primary; don’t you think? Finch/Testa is bad. Plain and simple bad.
Wood and Finch were probably tweeting one another during the debate. What a bunch of nit-twits!
No mention in the CT Post this morning about Finch only able to stay for 45 minutes for the debate. The debate was supposed to be from 6:00 to 7:30. Was the heat in the room too much?
This is unbelievable. Finch is called a liar more than once and all he can do is make an Alfred E. Neuman “What, me worry?” smirk.
www .ctpost.com/default/article/Mariocracy-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with-in-1340518.php
Looks like Finch and his Penny Loafer Gang from People for Excellence in Government are Liaring, oops, I meant Lawyering Up! Even the Trumbull Republicans are getting into the fray about the PAC-Men and PAC-Women. What’s next?
Heard a media alert has been sent out by Foster campaign! Lennie? Lennie?? Bueller??? Anyone??? … but Finch!
*** MUST FOR MJF CAMPAIGN CAMP TO SHOW; SENIORS ANNUAL CITY PICNIC 12-NOON WESTBEACH THURSDAY 9/8/11. ALSO, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH KICKOFF, FRIDAY 9/9/11 5:30pm MCLEVY GREEN. *** WORK THE VOTERS! ***
Absolutely a must!!!!!!!!!
Please make sure this is on the schedule!!! PAGING JASON. An opportunity to brag about the BEA endorsement. Maybe hit downtown and head also to Terra Brasilus on North Ave. Great food nice people and voters!!!
Whose idea was it to have a campaign rally … I mean senior picnic on the day every other town is commemorating 9/11? This picnic was strategically planned a week before the primary. Too bad the judge changed the date. A lot can happen in two weeks.
*** REMINDER BASSICK HIGH REUNION-CLASSES ’71, ’72, ’73, ’74. CAPTAIN’S COVE 9/10/11, 7pm/$20. *** GREEN & WHITE PARTY ***
Glad to see John from BR back posting. Will you update us with numbers on the machine at BR on September 27?
Is this right? Three of the four employees in the Labor Relations office are members of the Democratic Town Committee. The ‘liar, liar’ protester at last night’s candidate forum is one of those three and she is the DTC treasurer?
Is this also right? One of those three is also a city council member/President of the City Council and is District leader for his district. Really? So let me get this straight, those three deal with the city employee union issues; the suspensions; the union contract violations; the arbitration process?
Really? No conflicts? Fair? Transparent? No political pressure? Really?
Apparently you missed my earlier posting this morning. Marie is the secretary in Labor Relations as well as the treasurer of the DTC and best buds with Mario. Her husband is Adam who is the director of the City’s IT dept. Adam hired and then promoted Mark Lazarus, Shurley’s son. You remember Shurley who works in the mayor’s office?
Tom McCarthy is deputy director of Labor Relations, president of the City Council and member of the DTC. Larry Osborne is the director and member of the DTC. Phil White also works in the office and is a member of the Monroe DTC and friend of Andy Nunn. Deva is the secretary and her mother is Deb Caviness, Finch’s minority business director.
Let’s see, is that everyone? I believe it is. No one gets hired on the basis of qualifications. It’s all who’s ass you kiss.
Time to end the sycophants’ rule of city hall. They do not live in Bridgeport. Marie was ludicrous and came across as a lunatic. I know Shurley–pronounced SHURRRLAAAAAY. She has survived many administrations and I really like her. If you want to know any details going on anywhere in city hall, Shuuurlay would be your source. Mary-Jane Mary-Jane Mary-Jane!!! One term Bill is surrounded by the sharks of his own creation. Keep your enemies close Bill. Very close and watch your back!
Shurrlaaayy is just as devious as the rest of them. She will say anything to whoever is winning the race to keep her job. Perhaps she will retire soon.
Bill Finch is a liar and a crook. Mary and Godiva can go fish.
The Bridgeport Kid, you need to leave those two men alone.
If Mary and Godiva were really women, they would know Christian Louboutin shoes are passe and the real “Gotta Have” FMPs are made by Brian Atwood … 🙂
Marie Hoffman, the way she acts around city hall you’d think she was the Labor Relations Director. Marie, “news flash” you’re not all that, just another thing that’s wrong with Bridgeport City Hall. Thanks for exposing yourself to the next mayor MJF. Marie, do you live in Bridgeport? Don’t forget David Dunn was in Labor Relations also, and was golden handshaked as the provisional Civil Service Director. Dunn gets all the retirement benefits as a tested director. He also hired his daughter on as summer help, because he couldn’t find any Bridgeport kids to do the work … his words. He lives in Stratford.