Looks like Lisa Wilson-Foley has a John Rowland problem

Saturday, April 28, 2012
Time: 2:35 PM

It's been a tough couple of days for Lisa Wilson-Foley...and she has no one to blame but herself. The Republican candidate in the 5CD problems stated a few days ago when the Register-Citizen reported that back in 2010, the former governor and convicted felon offered to assist Mark Greenberg's Congressional campaign, and "he be paid through the candidate’s nonprofit animal shelter."
Chris Cooper, director of communications for the Greenberg campaign, confirmed in an email that Rowland and Greenberg discussed the possibility in the candidate’s 2010 campaign “prior to Mark deciding to run for any office.” [...] “The initial contact came when Mark first expressed interest in politics — months before he decided to run for any office,” Cooper wrote on behalf of the campaign, responding to an emailed inquiry. “Never having been involved in politics before — a mutual friend put Mark and John together for Mark to get a better understanding of what running for public office was all about.” According to Cooper’s response in the email, Rowland proposed being paid through the Simon Foundation, the nonprofit animal shelter Greenberg operates with his wife, Linda. Greenberg “turned down the proposal,” Cooper said in the email. Rowland did not return messages left seeking comment.
It gets better... Yesterday the Register-Citizen reported that convicted felon John Rowland had a "private business relationship" with Lisa Wilson-Foley's husband.
When asked if that business relationship, during which Rowland worked with Apple Rehab in “consulting capacity,” ended prior to the start of Wilson-Foley’s congressional campaign, Healy replied “I cannot say that for certainty. I don’t know what the timeline was,” though he did say the relationship is not currently active.
This morning, 5th CD Republican candidate Mike Clark announced that he intends to file a complaint with the FEC regarding Lisa Wilson-Foley's relationship with the former governor. Oh, did I mention that Clark was also a former FBI agent who assisted in putting convicted felon Rowland behind bars...
“During my 22 years as an FBI Special Agent, I investigated and fought corruption in municipal and state government. With a team of agents and prosecutors, I worked to put politicians behind bars who used taxpayer dollars for personal interest, including former Governor John Rowland. I am dismayed that Lisa Wilson-Foley appears to have turned towards the very corruption I fought by welcoming assistance from the formerly-jailed ex-Governor. An alliance between a Congressional candidate and a convicted felon who was found to have deceived the residents of Connecticut from the state’s highest office is mind-boggling. This does more than raise eyebrows – it calls into question the very integrity of Wilson-Foley’s campaign, particularly as evidence continues to surface regarding Rowland’s past attempts to receive campaign money from other candidates through illicit means. My investigations ensured that Connecticut citizens have increased transparency and accountability from their elected officials. I call on Lisa Wilson-Foley personally to immediately provide the transparency required of a public servant. Lisa Wilson-Foley must publicly disclose any and all agreements between Brian Foley, his associated businesses, and John Rowland. She must disclose all agreements between herself, her campaign, Apple Rehab and any member of the Rowland family. These disclosures must include all dates and amounts of payments, as well as full explanations for any non-disclosure to this point. Further, I have instructed my staff to file a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission, seeking its investigation regarding this alleged activity. Credibility and character cannot be overlooked in this race. In light of these questionable circumstances, condoning Wilson-Foley’s candidacy will only serve to hand the Fifth District seat to the Democrats.”
By mid-morning, the wheels came off the Wilson-Foley bus as other Republicans piled on. Fellow 5CD Republican candidate Andrew Roraback jumped on the bandwagon demanding answers from Wilson-Foley's camp regarding Rowland's role in the campaign.
Republican congressional candidate Andrew Roraback said he is sending a letter to his opponent, Lisa Wilson-Foley, asking that she release all information regarding the relationship between her campaign, the physical rehabilitation business owned by her husband, and former Gov. John Rowland. [...] “What we are asking her to do is to make herself available to the press and interested citizens to fully disclose all the details of the relationship that she and her husband have and have had with former Gov. Rowland,” Roraback said. “We’re asking her to do that because this campaign needs to be about the incredibly difficult and challenging issues facing our nation, and what we as candidates are offering as solutions.”
By afternoon, all hell broke loose.
Meanwhile state Republican party Chairman Jerry Labriola said he wants to meet with the Wilson-Foley campaign soon to discuss the matter. ” I intend to have a discussion with Lisa’s campaign in the next day or two to get a fuller understanding of the matter,” he said this afternoon. [...] Another Republican in the race, Afghanistan war veteran Justin Bernier, also raised issues about former governor’s role. “Republicans must be the party of truth and transparency — not the party of payoffs,” he said in an email. “Every campaign has a moral and legal responsibility to report who is being paid on their campaign.”
Get the popcorn ready as the trainwreck continues...I wonder if the Danbury GOP are having endorsement remorse right about now.

Mark Boughton skips CT Film Festival opening night to talk politics on live local access TV

Thursday, April 26, 2012
Time: 2:03 PM

Mayor Boughton is a real piece of work!
UPDATE 9:00 PM: I must give credit where credit is do and I’m glad to update my readership that Mayor Boughton did the right thing and showed up at the opening night festivities at the film festival. While I do applaud the city’s top elected offical in stepping up and making his presence known, my opinion regarding his lack of fully promoting one of the state’s largest festivals remains unchanged. The city of Danbury must do a better job in promoting the CT Film Festival as it’s a win-win for the downtown area. I’ll elaborate on this topic in a later post. Last week, Danbury's fearless dictator mayor agreed to appear on the local access show The Marty Heiser Show on Comcast Cable (full disclosure: I served as producer, director and guest host of the Marty Heiser Show, formerly know as Ideas at Work and Beyond, from 2006-2011). There's just one problem...tonight just happens to be the opening night of The Connecticut Film Festival, one of the largest film festivals in the state that has a direct and positive impact on a downtown Danbury that's in desperate need to revitalization. With the opening night's festivities include Matthew Modine's film "Jesus Was A Commie" as well as a screening and panel discussion of the movie Confidence Game, one has to wonder why Boughton would skip fully attending all the event's festivities for answering soft-ball political questions on a right-leaning TV show...well past statements from Boughton provide a clue. Boughton's disdain for the festival can be charted back to last year when the CT Film Exe. Director Tom Carruthers hinted that he would move the event due to the lack of support from the city.
Less than a day after the Connecticut Film Festival called this year's event a wrap, the event's founder said he's talking with other places about serving as host city for the main program. "We can't produce the main event in Danbury if the city isn't supporting it," film festival Executive Director Tom Carruthers said Monday. "At the end of the day, I think the city is missing an opportunity to leverage what we've put together."
Here's how Boughton reacted to Carruthers statement:
Mayor Mark Boughton said if Carruthers wants to move the main event that's his choice, but the city can no longer provide financial backing. "The fact is the city put $180,000 into the festival in the past three years and we saw a diminished attendance," Boughton said. "If someone else wants to put up the same resources, God bless them.
It's one thing not to put up financial backing for the festival (which was an unwise move given the positive economic impact the event has on the downtown area), it's another thing for the mayor to fail to acknowledge the event's existence both online and during his public appearances. For example, here's Boughton during this month's City Council meeting reading his list of acknowledgements and events happening in Danbury for April...note how he fails to acknowledge the BIGGEST FILM EVENT IN THE STATE that happens to be in Danbury. Since Boughton thinks going on a political show with a fellow Republican who will ask him softball questions is a good thing, since the show is a LIVE call in show, why don't you give the mayor a piece of your mind about skipping the festival for political purposes. While your at it, here's a list of questions you can also ask the mayor (since he refuses to come on the show while I'm on the set).
  • During your budget presentation last year, you promised not to give pay raises to non-union employees YET in you failed to announce in your budget proposal this year (a proposal that includes large property tax increases as well as increases to water and sewer rates) you plan to give an estimated 100,000 dollars in huge pay raises to non-union employees that are retroactive to January of this year. How can you justify this pay increase that directly contradicts something you said you would not do?
    • It's very apparent that your policy of no new night clubs on Ives Street has had a drastic negative impact on that section of downtown with several business being forced to close it's doors on Ives Street in the last year alone. Given that in at least the last two years business owners and the public have demanded that the city lift the restrictions on Ives Street, your policy is still in place. Why won't you lift the restriction that could be done today?
    • Why do you keep misleading the public regarding Danbury bond rating?
    • Why did you dissolve the ad-hoc committee that was set up to fixed the numerous problems with the parade ordinance although you promised members of the council that you would allow an ad-hoc committee look into the problem with the ordinance only to dissolve the committee before they had a chance to meet?
    • Given your comments UNDER OATH in your Danbury 11 deposition, will you finally admit that you LIED regarding the city's role in the raid at Kennedy park back in 2006?
    • What was your real role in the firefighter's lawsuit?
    • Do you plan to dip into the fund balance for the third year in a row to balance the budget because of your failed attempt to sell city owned land
    Make sure to call into the Marty Heiser show TONIGHT at 9PM. Phone number 438.2003 OR 792.4101.

Jason Bartlett forms exploratory committee for State Senate

Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Time: 11:04 AM

Today, former State Rep. Jason Bartlett announced that he's formed an exploratory committee for the 24th State Senate seat currently occupied by birther extremist Mike McLachlan. PRESS RELEASE:
Today, former State Representative Jason Bartlett launched his website Bartlett2012.com and announced that he has created an exploratory committee to run for the State Senate in the 24th District. In personalized letters to the four town committees of Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield and Sherman, Bartlett asked for their support and cited his legislative record of accomplishment on issues such as education, healthcare and growing jobs for greater Danbury. Rep. Bartlett stated that he looked forward to sharing his vision for the future and contrasting his priorities with those of the extremist incumbent. “I think the people of Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield and Sherman deserve to have a Senator who will advocate for what’s right for our children, our community and our taxpayers to make a difference in the lives of working class people across the State of Connecticut." A Danbury resident and former Bethel businessman, Bartlett looks forward to meeting voters outside of his former district and reintroduce himself to those he had the opportunity to represent. "I will use this exploratory period to reacquaint myself with the issues and meet the residents of New Fairfield and Sherman before making a final decision on whether to run,” Bartlett said. “But, it is clear so far from talking to people throughout the district that they feel the current incumbent is an radical who has used his time in office to advocate for issues outside the mainstream of the 24th State Senate District, especially in the State’s greatest time of need.”

Boughton the arrogant strikes AGAIN

Monday, April 23, 2012
Time: 1:04 PM

The following posting from our fearless dictator leader should give you clue when it comes to how this mayor feels about the opinions of the public.
Classy, real classy... Let me make this clear, the mayor and members of the city council have NO SAY over the funding of the Head Start program, that responsibility lies in the hands of the Board of Education (BOE), a separate independent elected body.
[City] Council members stressed that while they were happy to see so many residents come to the meeting on Monday, they have little control over how the education board spends its money.
Even if they City Council gives an additional 195,000 dollars to make up for the decrease in funding of Head Start as proposed by the BOE, there is no guarentee that the BOE will use the additional funding for Head Start...in fact, given the BOE's history, I can guarantee you that any additional funds provide to them from the council would NOT go towards fully funding the program. For example...
Council minority leader Tom Saadi noted after the meeting that as recently as eight years ago, the council provided the school system with an additional $500,000 after school advocates voiced concerns that they couldn't buy new textbooks. The money, Saadi said, was never actually used for textbooks and funded other programs. "Even if we decided to give the Board of Education another $195,000 there is no guarantee they will use it for Head Start," Saadi said.
Also, you need not look further to the decision by the City Council last year to directly provide funds for Freshmen sports (something I strongly supported) as opposed to giving additional funds to the BOE to reinstate the program . Sept 8 2011:
The Danbury City Council agreed to give a $57,000 sum left over from the Danbury Board of Education's budget from 2010-2011, to a parent's group to make sure the high school would have freshmen sports. [...] When Danbury Mayor asked school administrators to consider using that surplus to pay for freshmen sports, the Board of Education divided on the issue. Roughly half supporting freshmen sports, and the rest suggesting numerous other uses for the money. To avoid the education board entirely, Boughton said he could give the money to Save Our Sports, which can only raise money for one purpose, to pay for freshmen sports.
To make a long story short, Boughton knows that he has just about ZERO control over the funding of headstart given that the control of the funding is under the BOE and NOT the City Council...and the newly elected Republicans on the BOE have made it crystal clear that they want to fully defund Head Start within three years.
Some board members have proposed cutting back the funding during the next three years to fully phase out the school system's support for the program.
I'll have more on the arrogant one who doesn't "have to listen" to the opinions of the public when it comes to the budget later. ...smh.

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On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.

The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.

Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.

Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.

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