The Connecticut Observer

Who is Mary Ann Doran?

2012-01-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

Over the years when in conversations about local politics in Danbury, from time to time someone utters the name Mary Ann Doran...and usually it's not in a good way.

I first heard the name Mary Ann Doran as a freshman journalism student at Western Connecticut State University back in 1987 and for those who know the history of the city, that particular year was a rather turbulent political time for the city. From her role in the revelation of a FBI investigation into political corruption in the city, her role in the infamous late night altercation/encounter at City Hall that involved herself, the Danbury Police Department, then Mayor Jim Dyer, Doran, Common Council President Constance McManus, and then Democratic Town Committee member Joan Soderstorm, and other items that will take forever to catalog in a single post, whenever you opened a copy of the News-Times during that summer and fall of 87, Doran's name always seemed to be at the center of controversy. Even today, many activists who I talk to don't have many pleasant things to say about Doran's past activities and are still dismayed that the current Registrar of Voters is allowed to step foot in City Hall, let alone be given an elected position by a mayor.

A few nights ago, I had a conversation with someone about Doran and the person wondered if anyone in the media dug into her political past. Although twenty-five years ago is a lifetime in political terms, I'll never forget numerous journalism classes devoted to the media coverage of the Dyer controversy and one of the most amazing write-ups from the News-Times centered on Doran's past and activities at City Hall.

This multi-week investigation by the News-Times into Doran, reported by Gina Brisgone, Ruth Lockwood, Valerie Roth, and Steven G. Vegh and written by Steven G. Vegh in the News-Times, July 24, 1987, is still talked about some journalism professors who still praise the quality of reporting from the News-Times during the Dyer scandal. The following piece is required reading for those who want to learn about the current Registrar of Voters who is still highly active in local politics.

DANBURY NEWS-TIMES: JULY 24 1987.

DANBURY - Two months ago, Mary Ann Doran was chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, an aide in Mayor James Dyer's office and one of the city's most influential politicians.

Doran, 37, controlled virtually all appointments to city commissions, according to City Hall and Democratic sources.

"Mary Ann is wielding power through all the commissions," said one source who knows Doran and Dyer. "Who suggested all the names to the mayor for appointments? Mary Ann. All those people owe favors to Mary Ann."

She acquired her power because she was a top achiever in a party that unabashedly defends patronage. Her 21-year party career, which started before she graduated from Danbury High School in 1966, has excluded virtually all other interests. Democratic insiders say she has never held a full-time job.

Doran won influential Democratic patrons, such as Norman Buzaid, the town committee chairman in the early 1970s who later became a Superior Court judge; Joseph Burke, a long-time Democratic activist; and Dyer. Their interests were her interests; and they rewarded her with part-time jobs in the state Capitol, private business and City Hall.

Their aid to her was unflagging, saving her reputation and career more than once as she blurred the boundaries of financial and political propriety.

Doran's late-night resignation June 1 from her part-time post in the mayor's office and her announcement that the FBO was investigating corruption by Dyer was, therefore, an audacious step. The FBI confirmed a Danbury investigation, but has refused to specify what it is scrutinizing.

By revealing the FBI probe, Doran triggered a flood of rumors that continue to immerse the city and have complicated what had been Dyer's likely renomination. Dyer has a re-election committee and so is an official candidate under state law, but has not announced his plans.

Doran said that if, as party chairman, she didn't distance herself from Dyer by resigning, the result of the FBI investigation could embarrass Democraitc candidates in the coming city election.

But sources interviewed during a seven week News-Times investigation said Doran herself has been a potential source of embarrassment for the party.

Almost all spoke on the condition that their names not be used. They cited fears that their businesses and jobs, or their standing in the Democratic party, could suffer if they angered Doran.

According to those sources, Doran shirked responsibility while a clerk at the state Capitol, mishandled funds while a deputy sheriff and campaigned against Roy Costa, the Democrats' mayoral candidate in 1977.

Doran also suggested and accepted a $200 cash campaign contribution from city Planning Director Leonard Sedney in 1983 that was never noted in finance reports filed by either the town committee or Dyer's campaign, as required by state law, sources said. Sedney refused to comment on the donation, which exceeded the legal $50 limit on cash contributions.

Doran offered to be interviewed for this article last Friday, but agreed to postpone the meeting until this week, However, she canceled an interview set for yesterday and said she would be unavailable until next week.

Doran also questioned the importance of events a decade old, and suggested that the current FBI probe centers on authentic, important illegalities.

Doran questioned Dyer's perception of her, as well.

"All I can say is, why did he hire me if I was a bad person? Why did he keep me there if I had done so many bad things?" she asked.

Many people in and outside the party say they strongly doubt that Dyer was ignorant of anything Doran did politically before or after she joined his City Hall staff in 1980. A nit-picking, hands-on mayor, Dyer was Doran's close political partner.

But Dyer said he knew nothing about Doran's tarnished past until Sedney told him in April about the 1983 contribution. Other acquaintances told him what they knew only after he and Doran broke relations following the June 1 debacle, Dyer said. He said they never told him anything about Doran earlier because they assumed he already knew.

"I can't believe what's happening. Everything's coming out now about her," Dyer said. "It's like I was blind. Nobody ever told me. WHen she became the town committee chair, I should have told her she couldn't work for me. I should have recognized the potential for the conflict, and I didn't."

The Democratic Town Committee elected Doran chairman in 1982. Frank Klecha and Theodore Goldstein, her two predecessors, said DOran earned the post by working hard and making friends in the party, not through any political power-broker.

Dyer agreed, saying Doran alone was responsible for her rise to chairman.

"I don't know if I thought it was a good idea, but I certainly didn't discourage it, and that's the mistake I made," he said.

Doran was still a student at Danbury High School when she began working for the Democratic Party in the 1960s. A devoted worker, she became the protege of Buzaid, who in turn, acted as her political godfather, even after she joined the town committee in 1974.

The relationship paid tangle benefits in 1975 when Buzaid successfully pressed stat Sen. Wayne Baker, a Danbury Democrat, to give Doran a job as clerk on the state legislature's Public Personnel and Military Affairs committee, of which Baker was chairman.

State records show that Doran worked part-time fore four months during the 1975 legislative session averaging 25 hours a week and earning somewhat less than the standard $4,000 salary for clerks.

As the committee clerk, Doran should have been the lead employee among the committee's clerical staff. Yet "nine times out of 10, Mary Ann didn't show up" for her clerking duties, said a long-time acquaintance of Doran.

Several former committee members said they can't recall Doran having any role.

"I don't remember Mary Ann, to tell the truth," said John J. Tiffany II, who was the ranking state representative on the committee.

Alan J. Mazzola, another committee member, couldn't remember Doran either. But he agreed with several former committee members who said a secretary, Pauline Larson, was their staff keystone.

"I was doing most of the work, I will grant you," Larson said. "Mary Ann probably could have put a little more time."

Baker refused to comment on Doran's legislative role. Other Democrats, however, said hat thy 1976, Baker and Nicholas Motto, a state representative who co-chaired the committee, were so angry with Doran's truancy that they promoted Larson to clerk. Doran was dropped to secretary, where she continued as a no-show, the long-time acquaintance said.

Before Doran landed her legislative post, she campaigned for Gloria Rice Clarke, a Greenwich lawyer who was elected Fairfield County sheriff in November 1974.

Seven months later, Clarke favored Doran by appointing her as a deputy sheriff. Deputies generally act as intermediaries between legal opponents by serving legal papers, auctioning foreclosed properties and collecting money won by plaintiffs in lawsuits. Doran started working July 1, 1975, and left on Dec. 31, 1976.

It was the money collections that brought Doran, and the local Democratic Party, to the verge of scandal, according to Burke and Harold Rosen, a Democratic stalwart whose wife, JOyce, was an assistant Democratic registrar of voters int he Thrid Ward in the 1970s.

Rosen said he began hearing complaints in 1975 or 1976 from creditors who said Doran owed them nearly $7,000 she had collected from auctions and foreclosures.

"Collections were a big problem, disbursement of funds: how it was disbursed, how fast it was disbursed," Rosen said. "That was the only thing Mary Ann was guilty of, slowness in disbursing. A thousand things could have happened between the closing and the time it (the money) was disbursed."

Several sources said the creditors who were owned money held by Doran were ready to file formal complaints against her about the time Burke moved to rescue her.

"Mary Ann never cam to me," he said. "It was other people who told me."

Alarmed at the reports, Burke said he first sought aid from a well-connected lawyer who called Sheriff Clarke. But Burke said he was told that Doran would have to solve the problem herself.

So he turned to Buzaid. "I went to Norman about it, and Norman was about to go on the bench (as judge)," he said. Buzaid wrote out a check for $1,200. THe check was made out to me, and he and I went to CityTrust and cashed it. … (The problem) got sward off," Burke said.

The check was drawn on Buzaid's personal funds and made out by Jimetta Sanaha, Buzaid's legal secretary, who now is the assistant city clerk, Burke said.

Burke said he exchanged the cash for a ban check made available to Doran. He gave the check directly to Doran.

Her response? "She wasn't grateful, and she was pissed off at Norman for sticking his nose in it," Burke said.

Burke was active for decades in Democratic politics and campaigned actively for the late Gov. Ella Grasso and the late U.S. Sen. Thomas Dodd, as wells for U.S. Rep. Wilbur Mills, D-Ark., in his brief candidacy for president in 1972.

"He was very active in Connecticut and Massachusetts. I always found him to be very honorable in all his dealing with me," Mills said of Burke from his Washington, D.C., law office.

Burke, a former Newtown resident who now lives in Florida, said eh became good friends with both Doran and Dyer in the 1970s through the state Young Democrats organization. He said he aided Doran and Dyer in setting up a Young Democrats branch in Newtown.

Both Burke and Rosen said they were willing to speak about Doran's past because they are no longer active in local politics and they were dismayed that Doran accused Dyer of being the target of an FBI probe into corruption.

Buzaid and Samaha refused to comment on the incident.

Clarke denied knowledge of any impropriety and said she suggested that Doran resign from the sheriff's office because Doran was not thrilled with he post and should leave to open the job to someone with more enthusiasm.

Danbury Superior Court documents show the personal financial problems plauged Doran in the next couple of years.

In August 1978, the Connecticut National Bank sued her because she had never made good on $2,150 worth of bad checks she had deposited into her account at the bank.

Records show that Doran wrote three bad checks between December 1977 and February 1978, and that the bank filed suit six months later because she still had not paid them off.

In December 1979, Superior Court Judge Joseph CHernauskas agreed with the bank and ordered DOran to pay the $2,150, plus $41.80 in court costs.

Six months later, Doran was sued by the Danbury Savings & Loadn Association for failing to pay a $1,205.46 loan she had taken out in March 1978.

Doran decided to represent herself in the suit, and in September 1980, Superior Court Judge Howard J. Moraghan ordered her to pay $1,435.11, including interest, in monthly installments of $100. He also said Doran would have to pay $55.40 in court costs.

When Doran left the sheriff's department, Burke, then a real estate agent and mortgage broker, hired her to work in his office on Danbury-Newtown Road.

Burke said his offer was attractive to Doran because she could do political work while on the job. That work focused on promoting George Massoud as the Democrats' 1977 mayoral candidate.

When Roy Costa, a Democratic Common Council member, upset Massoud by winning the party's candidacy in a primary election, Doran and developer Nicholas Attick devoted themselves to Costa's downfall in the general election, Burke said.

Boughton, a Republican, was elected mayor in 1977.

"She and Nick and I worked together on that fiasco," he said. "Whatever he (Attick) did, she had a hand in, too, because I was helping them too." Burke said they aided Boughton's campaign to snuff out any impetus held by Costa's supporters, who came from outside the town committee.

Anonymous letters circulated during the campaign suggested that Costa was a womanizer, and Costa was investigated by a private detective. Burke said he did not know the source of the letters.

Attick later pleaded no contest to violating state election law during that campaign and paid a $200 fine.

The Democrats not only lost the mayorship but 17 out of the council's 21 seats in that election.

In the aftermath, Democratic Town Committee members charged Doran with working for Republican candidates and disloyalty to the party. A panel was scheduled to review the charges and consider dumping Doran from the party.

Doran acknowledged that she campaigned for Kathy Sofia, a Republican candidate who won a Common Council seat, but denied working against Costa.

The loyalty hearing was canceled and never rescheduled soon after The News-Times reported that several women in the party said their lives were being threatened if they testified against Doran. One of the women said at the time that an unknown phone caller said she wouldn't be safe in her car is she spoke against Doran.

Public advices for keeping Doran on the town committee included Dyer, then representative for the state's 110th House District. Dyer said last month that he defended Doran because few Democrats were blameless in the Republicans' sweeping win and because forgetting the past was crucial to Democratic unity.

Led by a union of Doran and Dyer, Democrats regained all the top elective posts and most Common Council seats in the 1979 election. Dyer, as the new mayor, rewarded Doran in early 1980 with a part-time job in his office, where she remained until last month.

Doran had no academic degrees or experience working in city government, and her job was variously described as conference coordinator, constituent liaison or mayoral aide. Dyer said she was valuable to him in several ways.

"By having her here, I at least thought I'd know what she was up to" he said. "It would also give me direct linkage to the party. I'm still a Democrat and I still have to go through the nominating process and, eventually, the electorate.

She also "was a hard worker," Dyer said. Doran dealt with complaints from city residents, "and constituent work isn't the easiest," he said.

But as Dyer's aide, Doran had more than prestige - she also controlled all appointments to city boards and commissions, according to City Hall and Democratic sources.

Dyer agree that Doran handled appointments to the city's 161 commission seats. "That was part of her job - to find people to serve, including Republicans," he said.

But he denied giving her carte blanche to pick whomever she wanted, and said he always talked with Doran about appointments.

"I still was the appointing authority. There were people she wanted that I didn't appoint because I wanted my own people," he said.

Other sources, however, said Doran wielded commission appointments as favors or rewards to Democrats who pleased her. Appointees who didn't do what she wanted - support her choices for party nominations, contribute to party campaigns - were threatened with losing their seats, those sources said.

A Democrat who is a former commission chairman said Doran boasted to her that she controlled all appointments.

"In almost any commission that has any influence, that has any power, you'll find the same group involved; loyal Democrats who, shall I say, take orders," the ex-commission chairman added.

Often, she said, there is an unspoken understanding with appointees.

"All these people, to a certain extent, are required to be in fundraisers, selling raffle tickets. … Nobody says you have to, but you understand when the letters (correspondence from Dyer) stop coming in and your appointment stops at the end of the year," she said.

Fourteen of the 22 current members of the Planning Commission, Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals contributed a total of $3,345 to the Democrats in the municipal campaigns of 1983 and 1985 and in the first six months of 1987. Of that total, $320 went to Dyer's campaign committees and $3,025 went to Democratic Town Committee coffers.

Zoning Commission member John Leopold said he felt committee pressure to conform after state Rep. Lynn Taborsak was not renominated by the party last year. She forces a primary and won to become the Democratic candidate in the state's 109th House District.

Leopold, who is the chairman of the Western Connecticut State University History Department, and he told a Third Ward town committee member last summer that he supported Taborsak. The member reacted with surprise, and "sarcastically wished me good luck," Leopold said.

"It's a matter of how you read the person's statement," Leopold said. "I read it as a threat, without a doubt, a veiled threat: 'You don't play ball with us, we don't play ball with you.' "

Leopold said he does not yet know if he will be renominated to the Zoning Commission.

Among the papers Doran left in her former mayoral office was a stack of correspondence from people indicating that she solicited contributions for the party. Dyer said he was surprised to discover those papers, as well town committee files.

"She had far more political material here than she should have," Dyer said. HE said he ahd instructed Doran to limit her politicking from City Hall to "the barest minimum."

But sources said Doran's lobbying extended to trying to influence directly the recommendations of city planners and votes of commission members on zoning requests from specific businessmen.

They said Doran lobbied Wayne Skelly numerous times when he was chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals in 1982 and 1983 to look favorably on zoning variances requested by the Kovacs family.

The 1983 case involved land near exit 8 on Interstate 84 that Rober and Paul Kovacs proposed for a gas station. The 1983 case involved side yard setback for Frank Kovacs' office on Newtown Road, and ex-ZBA member said.

Skelly opposed both proposal, but before the ZBA took action on the requests, Doran tried to change his mind. "Give this guy (Kovacs) a hand, he's been loyal to the party," Doran told Skelly, according to the former ZBA member.

The Exit 8 proposal was withdrawn after the ZBA referred the Kovacs brothers to the Zoning Commission. The Newtown Road request first was denied by the ZBA, then approved with restrictions.

Dyer said he sometimes lobbies commissions when projects, such as a Toys 'R' Us store proposed for Backus Avenue, could cause problems for the city. He said such lobbying is part of his job as Danbury's top elected leader. Doran, he said, had no standing to do with same.

"She abused her position and did it under my name. I'd told Mary Ann to stay out of it," Dyer said.

Dyer said ZBA members Sally Estefan and Phyllis Garavel suggested that Doran lobbied the board members to support an appeal by Attick. Attick wanted to overturn a zoning permit granted to Edward Lashins for land next to lakefront property Attick owned and planned to develop.

Dyer said he confronted Doran. "She said she felt Nick was getting unfair treatment," he said. "I told her she shouldn't be interfering in such matters."

The ZBA members, including Garavel and Estafan, denied or said they could not remember being called by Doran prior to their vote on the appeal.

X-mas test

2008-12-17T15:39:00.000-08:00

src="http://creativity-online.com/work/player/viral_player.php?seed=e2430b0f"
bgcolor="#FFFFFF" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"
pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"
flashvars="file=http://creativity-online.com/work/player/playlist.php?s=e2430b0f&nextUrl=http://creativity-online.com/work/view.php%26seed=e2430b0f&max-results=50&showdigits=true&autostart=true&shuffle=false&cache=http://creativity-online.com/work/&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcreativity-online.com%2Fwork%2Fview%3Fseed%3De2430b0f&category=Latest&tags=visual%2C+Europe%2C+U.K.&;share=no&showfsbutton=true&MMredirectURL=http://creativity-online.com%2Fwork%2Fview.php%3Fseed%3De2430b0f&WebService=http://webservices.visualplant.net/Core/PUT/XML&bwstreams=100,1000&bwfile=http://creativity-online.com/work/player/100k.jpg&enablejs=true&javascriptid=vp_embed&autostart=true&showinfobutton=false&showminiimage=true&showcontrols=true&showlogo=true&linkfromdisplay=false" allowscriptaccess="always" align="left" height="384" width="619">

HD test

2008-11-29T10:01:00.000-08:00

censure test

2008-11-13T15:30:00.000-08:00

Polling place test

2008-11-03T18:23:00.001-08:00

J Andersen test

2008-11-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

M. Mount test

2008-10-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

Enough is enough

2008-03-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

At some point in time, you have to stand up and say enough is enough.

Here we go again.

Take a look a the comments from the News-Times article on the case of Tereza Pereira

This cockroach judge needs to be tossed off the bench and the illegals need to get the boot without hesitation sans their anchor larvae. This case may set a precedent that could devastate this country. Somebody needs to find out who appointed this imbecile judge.

[...]

Illegals who squirt out "anchor babies" should not be rewarded with citizenship. This should be appealed all the way to the Supreme Court. We need to revise the laws so that these illegals who breeds like rodents don't get their offspring made US Citizens. This judge should be removed from the bench. He obviously has no respect for the law.

The venom in the comment section of the News-Times has been an eyesore since it's creation and and contributed to people around the county looking at Danbury as the armpit of Connecticut as well as alerted such hate-monitoring organizations as the Southern Poverty Law Center to keep an eye on the anti-immigrant activity in the area. Faced with the overwhelming evidence that the comment section is nothing more than a breeding ground for a small minority of xenophobes to flood the board with inflammatory comments, it's apparent that the time has come for residents to speak out and request that the newspaper seriously consider scrapping the commenting service altogether and revert back to the older "forums" format of the past.

Let's go back and take a look at some of the News-Times most offensive comments to date.

July 27 2007: Threats against immigrant rights supporters and politicians:

DisNoir36, your statements and attitude make it quite obvious that you have not felt any of the repercussions/effects of the unmitigated flow of Illegals into the American work force. You must be very well insulated in your career and not need to compete against these cutthroats. Many of us on the other hand have been severely affected.

[...]

If as you say “Rell just perpetuated the existence of an underclass by denying them an opportunity to get quality higher education and move up…” is true; then I say good! Good let them be relegated to mowing our lawns, serving and cleaning our tables at restaurants. Why should we educate them so that they can further debase our way of life? The children of those who have come here Legally receive the benefits as they should. These others should do what it takes to become residents the right way not expect to be excepted into our society simple because they were adept at scurrying across our borders like rats or took advantage of being allowed to enter the country on a Visitors Visa to become a squatter.

And, before anybody make a crack about not choosing where they were born. Very Very Few of these kids were born there the majority of them were spirited across the border in the same manor as their parents arrived there and are just as Illegal as they are!

“I seriously wonder what will happen with all you haters if this immigration bill does pass. Somehow I doubt the hatred will simply dissipate once the question of 'legality' is removed from the equation.”

I predict violence, lots of well deserved violence. Violence; toward the Illegals and unfortunately violence toward some Legal citizens who are mistaken for Illegals. And I sincerely hope, violence against “our legislators”/government for selling out The People to the interests of the uber-capitalists and lining their pockets with the ill-gotten gains of it all.

July 16th 2007: News-Times article on Ridgefield's plan for a dog park.

They should make parks for other animals to play in, too: Brazilians, Ecuadorans, Dominicans- pretty much anyone of negroid ancestry. Keep the public safe!!

Jun 11 2007: Comment posted in response to editorial:

Danbury would be a nice place to live if there weren't so many niggers and spics.

August 11 2007: Comment to the Santos family immigration article in which someone impersonates 17 year old female family member Rayany Santos:

Hi everyone - thanks for all the support. It's really not as bad as the newspaper makes it out. I just go along with them because they said they needed a real "sob" story. They said people would probably send me money and stuff.

Anyhow, I'm having a great time on my own. I can stay out and party and have all my boyfriends over! It's the coolest! I don't miss my brothers at all. They were lame. They would always put boogers in my hair and fart and stuff - yuck!

Well, now that I'm on my own I'm looking for an older guy to take care of me. If there are any guys out there who want to get together give me a call! (17 is legal in CT ya know!) I love to party and I'm totally easy!

Love - XOXOXO

April 29 2007: Comment regarding anti-immigration forum held at Western. TAKE NOTE OF THE NAME (hint, spell it backwards).

Posted by: Reggi_Nytrid Sat, Apr 28 2007
I have to admit that I'm surprised by the levels of hatred and racism displayed on these boards. I thought people in CT were a little bit more enlightened than that.
Also, who is this boredwithbs character? Is he nuts or what? And what kind of a name is aidsfromatoiletseat? I find that very offensive.

March 25 2007: Comments in response to sex offender notification article:

They should also insert a side note warning how the city can't keep the spics out. These animals care about following laws about as much as sex offenders.

Oh course, I saved the best for last...

From April 27, 2007, here's my post on the murder of Vanderli Augusto Rodrigues and the pain his family's reaction to when they read the comments in the News-Times comment regarding his death.

Although people received their information about the stabbing of Vanderli Augusto Rodrigues from the News-Times, you really realize how limited the mainstream media is when it comes to reporting on issues in the immigrant community (as well as how insensitive they are when it comes to allowing hate-mongers to post racist comments) once you read the Emanuela Lima's write-up on the murder in this week's Tribuna newspaper.

Her piece chronicles the impact the murder had on everyone effected by this tragedy as well as the outrage from the community over the disgusting, hate-filled, racist comments that were posted on the News-Times website. The paper has been widely criticized for doing a horrible job in monitoring their comments section and many in the media who I know are astonished that the paper hasn't apologized for the unfortunate incident).
All Vanderli Augusto Rodrigues wanted to do in United States was to work hard and save enough money to buy his own house and give his parents a more comfortable life Brazil.

In the early morning hours of April 15, Rodrigues’ plans were cut short, literally – he was murdered with a single stab wound to the chest in the kitchen of the one-bedroom apartment he shared with other five men. Only one of the roommates was not at the apartment when the murder occurred, shortly before 2:11am; the other four told Danbury police they were asleep.

They were awakened by the sound of a thud when Rodrigues’s body hit the floor and realized soon after, that Laudimilson Teixeira, one of the roommates, was gone.

[...]

“THIS IS ABOUT A HUMAN BEING”

On April 16, the medical examiner’s office in Farmington asked that a family member identify the victim’s body. Adriana said her mother had been in a state of complete emotional shock and was unable to do so, “I had to go – it was the worst experience of my life.”

When Adriana returned home and logged on to her computer to check for news on the arraignment, she was shocked by the comments posted by on-line readers at the News-Times website in response to articles about the murder, “How can people not see that this is about a human being? How can they be so disrespectful?”

She was referring to the nature of the comments related to her uncle’s undocumented status, such as “The bottom line here is that if these illegals were not here this death would not have occurred” or “They should have the funeral in front of the INS building and see if anyone comes.”

Elke Probst, is the owner of the Belmont Circle property where Graças resides, was also taken back by some of the comments. “I just hope people are able to place themselves in this family’s shoes and give them the support they need by rallying together as a community” said Probst.
At this point, the editors of the News-Times should contact the members of Rodrigues' family and apologize to them as they had to endure the disgusting comments that weren't deleted from their site. To allow the bottom-feeding racists to spout their hatred freely is a disgrace and brings shame to the city as a whole. The News-Times has a responsibility to remove hate-speech from their site and it's apparent that they have a serious problem monitoring themselves. They should get rid of the comments altogether and keep the chatter from readers in the forums.

January 21 2008: Comment regarding the death of Rene Perez. An immigrant who was allegedly beaten and left on a desolate road to die by the hands of a police officer.

An outraged reader forwarded me this truly disgusting comment from the News-Times board. The comment was in response to the story on a homeless immigrant who was allegedly beaten and dumped on the road for dead by a police officer.

Now lets break down this "comment" and expose the ugly.

1. The username of the comment is "el ilegal borracho." Now, we'll just assume that the person who made this remark isn't the brightest person on his street so we'll give him/her a pass on the incorrect spelling of the word illegal. The Urban Dictionary defines the word "borracho" as the following:
Mexican or Chicano slang for a drunkard.

2. The address of the user is "Bedford/Mount Kisco/Guatland." For those who don't know, the term "guat" is defined as the following:
A racist name for any individual of Guatemalan heritage.

Basically, calling someone a "guat" is the same as the term "nigger" or "spic".

3. The comment speaks for itself:
Dirty racial police men hate us immigrunts. we just come to U.S. for better licor. Lazy americans have too much licor so we come to help drink. drity selfish americans need to help us when we drunk.

4. The photo used by the jerk who made this comment is Rene Perez, THE PERSON AT THE CENTER OF THE ARTICLE WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY BEATEN AND DUMPED ON THE STREET FOR DEAD BY THE POLICE.

5. Finally, the IP address is from Danbury so it's safe to assume that the person who made this comment is indeed from Danbury.
• This comment has been on the News-Times board since Saturday.

• This comment has probably been read by the Perez family who are still in a state of mourning.

• This comment should have been removed instantly.

• Comments like this reinforce the belief among many in this state that Danbury is the armpit of Connecticut.

• Local embarrassments such as Joel Urice and Pauline Basso probably think this is a joke.

• Thank the News-Times for not monitoring their message boards good enough. At some point they should consider removing the comment feature all together and save the "comments" for their forum section.

• Thank the mayor for creating an racially insensitive environment where this type of nonsense goes on openly a daily basis and idiots like Elise Marciano can give the impression that she has common sense (with or without the sheet).

test 5

2008-02-15T12:21:00.000-08:00

Town	Precinct Name
Plainfield	2 Central Village Fire Station
Andover	Andover Town Hall
Ansonia	Ansonia Middle School Ward 4
Middletown	Bielefield School-Gym District 13
Norwalk	Brookside School - Voting District 142A
Colchester	Colchester Town Hall
Bridgeport	Columbus School
Ellington	Crystal Lake School
Stonington	Deans Mill School
Southington	Derynoski Elementary School
Madison	District 2 (North)
Bridgeport	Dunbar School 139-2
East Hampton	East Hampton High School
West Hartford	Edward Morley School 3-2
Enfield	Enfield Street School - District II
Essex	Essex Town Hall 2
Wallingford	Evarts G Stevens School
Fairfield	Fairfield Senior Center Dist. 1
Lebanon	Fire Saftey Complex
New Britain	First Church Of Christ District 10
New Britain	Gaffney School District 4
Waterbury	Gilmartin School
New Britain	Graham Apartments District 5-1
Bristol	Greene-Hills School Dist. 3
Greenwich	Greenwich High School 7A
New Haven	Hall Of Records Ward 7
Newtown	Head O Meadow School Cafetorium Dist.3
Watertown	Heminway Park School
Orange	High Plains Community Center
New Milford	Hill & Plain School
Branford	Indian Neck School - 0
Branford	Indian Neck School - 1
Milford	Island View Clinic Room Distrcit 2-3
Newington	John Paterson School ---District---6
Killingly	Killingly Public Library 1 Dist 1
Waterbury	Kingsbury School
Norwich	Knights Of Columbus
Durham	Korn School
Litchfield	Litchfield Fire House 4
Bridgeport	Luis Munoz Marin School 137-1
East Haven	Momauguin School 2
Middletown	Moody School Gym-District 4
Morris	Morris Community Hall
New Haven	Nathan Hale School Ward 18
New Britain	New Britain Senior Center District 5
Wethersfield	Pitkin Community Center
North Haven	Ridge Road Elementary School
New Britain	Roosevelt Middle School District 3
Bridgeport	Roosevelt School 131-2
Ansonia	Saint Anthonys Church Ward 1
New Britain	School Apartments District 5-2
Wethersfield	Silas Deane Middle School
East Hartford	Silver Lane School
Middletown	South District Firehouse-District 10
Branford	St. Therese's Church - Voting District 2
Torrington	Torringford School 2
West Hartford	Whiting Lane School 2-1
New Haven	Wilbur Cross High School Ward 10
Bridgeport	Wilbur Cross School 135-2
Ridgefield	Yanity Gym
South Windsor	South Windsor High School-Lobby
Fairfield	North Stratfield School Dist. 7
North Stonington	New Town Hall
Bridgeport	Read Middle School 136-3
Burlington	Town Hall
Bristol	Mountainview School Dist. 1
Willington	The Town Office Building
Scotland	Firehouse/Community Center
New Britain	Vance School District 1
East Hartford	Silver Lane School
Stratford	Bunnell High School 122

New Test

2008-01-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

testing...

2008-01-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

Online Videos by Veoh.com

VEOH player

2007-12-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

Online Videos by Veoh.com

testing

2007-10-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

The case against Tom Bennett

2007-10-22T01:01:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked me what ever happened to your mission to have Comcast discipline Tom Bennett, co-host (and Vice President of Elise "deer in headlights" Marciano's anti-immigrant organization) John McGowan for comments made on the BigT's Talk and Variety show.

Since it's been a while since I've commented on Danbury's biggest bigot, I thought it would be useful to recap Bennett's greatest hits.

First, lets go back and take a look at Comcast's local access rules and regulations...

From the Comcast Community Access Channel 23, Rules and regulations (effective 9.23.04).

Section C: (Community Access Producer Responsibilities), paragraph five.

The Community Access Producer must adhere to all of the Community Access rules and guidelines stated herein and is responsible for ensuring that the program and the individuals involved in the production adhere to the rules and policies as set forth in this document.

Section E: Program Content: numbers 3-5.

3. No libelous, slanderous or illegal material.

4. No obscene material, sexually explicit conduct, or material soliciting or promoting unlawful conduct.

5. No material which incites violent or harmful acts on other persons.

Page 20: Definition of Obscene or indecent material.

Any material in a program and/or presentation which would subject the producers, suppliers thereof and/or the company to prosecution or penalty under local, state, or federal law for the presentation of obscene or indecent material.

Section K: Violations, penalties, and appeals.

In order to effectively enforce all Community Rules, a penalty system for violations has been established. Violations of the rules will result in restrictions being imposed on Community Access producers who are responsible for the actions of their talent and crew members. Comcast will issue warnings and/or suspensions for either major or minor violations, and will do so verbally and/or in writing stating the nature of the violation and the penalty imposed.

1. Major violations of the rules governing Community Access will result in an immediate 90-day suspension of use of the Community Access facilities.

Now...here's a recap of Bennett violating his contract.

Violation 1, 5/04/07: Material soliciting or promoting unlawful conduct: "I think there should be snipers in the windows"

Violation 2, 05.11.07: Sexually explicit language: Would you allow an adult to talk to YOUR DAUGHTER like this?
Tom Bennett: Why would you okay a girl...why would you okay another girl eating another girl or another girl sexing another girl? [...] How would you approve that?

15 year old caller: Excus...

Bennett: How would you approve a man sucking another man's p-? How would you approve that?

15 year old caller: Excuse me, excused me, by the way I'm 15 so I appreciate that you don't say those things.

Bennett: Hey I have a doctor right here with me. I'm talking medical terms. I'm talking medical terms here. You called me, I didn't call you.

15 year old caller: That's not medical terms.

Bennett: "penis" is not a medical term?

Violation 3, 5/18/07: Obscene material, material soliciting or promoting unlawful conduct, incite violent or harmful acts on other persons: Bennett and co-hosts (including Elise Marciano's anti-immigrant group Vice President John McGowan) call for people to shoot members of the immigrant community.

Now, remember, this is just a small sample of the over-the-top hate-speech Bennett, McGowan, and the coward behind the camera named "Bones" said on the air...I haven't the time or energy to post more of his garbage from the last three years.

Now, remember, this is just a small sample of the over-the-top hate-speech Bennett, McGowan, and the coward behind the camera named "Bones" said on the air. During this whole time, Bennett issues a laundry list of racial slurs and threats against me online. Here's a transcript of an exchange I had with the bigot on Youtube clip his sexually explicit conversation with a 15 year-old.

bigtprd
As anyone can see and hear, it was a setup by ctblogger. Also I did not call her she called the show telling the screener she was over eighteen. No rules have been broken, all within guidelines and approved. There is a nob called on off they put them on TVs. Ctblogger thank you for our ratings have gone up 30%.

[...]

ctblogger
1. Your so-called "screener" never ask for anyone age.

2. I don't have to "set" you up. You have no problem putting your foot in your mouth without my help.

3. She called the show yet it was YOU who used the term "eating" which is inappropriate at any age.

4. There is a contract which Comcast requires you to sign and you choose to ignore.

5. Comcast does not keep ratings.

6. Your disgusting.

[...]

TheGeckoNinja
isnt the appropriate term "having oral sex"? instead of "eating out"?

[...]

bigtprd
Yeah, Oral sex is kewl, But I do so like using eating out, It has more effect, like it is discusting, filthy, shameful, rotten, I could go on.

[...]

bigtprd
You really believe I'm racist? well I'm not. Just because an asshole say's it does not mean it's true. Nogger has the skin problem. You just don't want it that way. Because he is black he wants to be Al sharpton. And Knowing that should wake you up.

[...]

bigtprd
And nig you don't get it. I don't give a shit ass hole. Your a fucking scumbag that will get his turn. Gee, and I'm being kewl, Not even upset. And your a peice of shit. Now you must think were friends calling me Tom. You slime, you don't know me. Oh, by the way Comcast has many more letters of love the big T then your hate shit. Call Dave he'll tell you, LOL. And your day's also.

[...]

ctblogger
No Tom, the only asshole is you and your use of profane, indecent language on Comcast WILL come to an end. The public in Danbury have spoken in force to Comcast and your days on public access will come to an end due to your own fat mouth.

[...]

bigtprd
You gonna stop me here to nogger, or is that niglor,

[...]

bigtprd
Get it straight moron! We are from from being buddy or buddy's. scare you! why are you in the dark? Hey they can see you. oh, when you smile.

[...]

bigtprd
I can only hope that it will happen. I win no matter what. I'm none of what yopu claim you moron. If any of you out here do not use any type of profanty do as you will. The ones that use any type of profanity think before you condem Me. I use profanity in a tasteful way to make a point. Watch on google and then make your own decision. Don't be a follower of evil which ctblogger is.

[...]

ctblogger
"I use profanity in a tasteful way to make a point."

Thanks for admitting the obvious...that you use profanity against the rules and regulations of Comcast.

You should stop with the messages while you're ahead..you're digging a hole for yourself.

[...]

bigtprd
I have nothing to loose. I can go on for the rest of my life. What do you have? I have done that frigan show and if it is over then so be it. I will go on! And sooner or latter we meet some were, oh well! I get I what I want. And you will get what ever.

[...]

ctblogger
And sooner or latter we meet some were, oh well!

Is that suppose to "scare" me or something..too funny.

Keep digging that hole buddy...

[...]

bigtprd
You are for Homo's and illegal Immigrants and that is the only reason you are attacking me with lies. Your black and you think that is going to get you somewhere by using your racist bull crap. Let me tell you spook man, it won't. Again I say, I have had 28 wonderful years on our talkshow. If it comes to a stop, oh well, I'll be a happy camper. But, you'll still be black with a attitude towards whites.

[...]

ctblogger
"Let me tell you spook man"

-nuff said.

While defending his use of profanity on Comcast, while dishing out the laundry list of racial slurs and threats, Bennett jumps on his television show and continues his foul-mouthed racial rant (I thought the racial slur "spook" went out of fashion in the 60s).

I asked readers to complain to Comcast about the material on Bennett's show and on June 13th, the cable company issued the Big(o)T the following written warning:

Knowing that this type of programming was inappropriate for the nine o'clock time slot, and that Bennett would ultimately ignore the warning, during the summer, I went before the cable advisory board and requested that the members deem Bennett's show "adult programming" and move the show from the current time-slot to some time after 10 P.M., which is called the safe harbor zone.

After presenting video clips from Bennett's show, the board agreed that Bennett's show was adult content and advised Comcast to move his show to a later time slot.

After a month, Comcast still allowed Bennett's show to be broadcast at the 9 P.M. time slot. Upon reading on my situation, The Fairfield Weekly did an article on the entire matter and exposed Bennett's hate-speech to the entire state.

After the article was released, Comcast pulled the plug on Bennett's live show, moved his brand of broadcasting to 11:30 P.M., took away Bennett's privilege to take live calls in real time, and basically destroyed the essence of his show.

Now, that's basically brings us up to date on what I've covered on Bennett to date. After his show was moved, Bennett had a hissy fit and quit the show. Bennett's anti-immigrant whack pack friends McGowan, and James "the host with the most LIES" Yorks filled in and, along with Lynn Waller and Al "don't allow this person to teach your kids" Bruhn, whined about Bennett's show being moved and uttered a laundry list and lies and half truths (we'll deal with the anti-immigrant insanity of Waller at a later time).

Here's a small sample of Waller's comments. It's important to note that Waller is a member of the cable advisory board and the ONLY member who defended Bennett.

Again, I'll comment on Waller at a different time...let's stick to Bennett.

Thinking twice about things, Bennett made a return to the air with what he considered "a vengeance" but with many other considered "a threat" against my life, Bennett ignores the fact that he received a written warning, which stated that one more violation would result in a 90 day suspension and violates his contract yet again.

The next week, Bennett goes one step further in his madness, and ignoring the fact that he received a written warning, which stated that one more violation would result in a 90 day suspension, Bennett once again advocated members of the immigrant community be killed.

Now, I decide to take the high road and inform the Danbury police department of Bennett's remarks and take legal action. Now, I'm not going to talk about any possible legal action against Bennett, his defenders, or defaming comments made about me at this point for obvious reasons so lets move on.

Bennett's threats continued for weeks with claims of suing the cable advisory board, and Comcast for what only he considered a "violation of his civil rights" and went to the next scheduled cable advisory board meeting to bulling the members to advise Comcast to move his show back to it's 9:00 time slot.

Not letting Bennett off the hook, for legal reasons, I informed the board in advance that I would be presenting Bennett's recent remarks and take the necessary steps to have Comcast suspend Bennett for 90 days.

For your viewing pleasure, here's Bennett making a complete ass of himself, and your truly tearing Bennett and McGowan to shreds.

Round 1: Tom Bennett makes himself look like a fool.

Round 2: John McGowan looks like a bigger fool.

Round 3: Yours truly debunking Bennett's misinformaiton (NOTE: Don't worry, there was an undercover officer who was a heartbeat from throwing Bennett to the ground and arresting him if he place one finger on me).

Boughton-Galante draft post

2007-10-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

Coincidence?

Hartford Courant 10.12.07

Indicted Danbury garbage executive James Galante was arrested Friday
on charges related to making nearly $40,000 in illegal campaign contributions to
state Senators Louis DeLuca and David Cappiello, as well as Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton.

[...]

In cases of bundled donations, individual contributors typically exceed the
legal $1,000 contribution limit by passing money through third parties. In
Galante's case, he is accused of contributing $15,000 each to DeLuca and
Cappiello in 2002 and $8,000 to Boughton in
2003. People familiar with the case said he passed the money in $1,000
increments through employees of his various trash businesses, their family
members or their friends.

Boughton acknowledged Friday that one of his political actions committees,
People Over Politics, got money from associates of Galante in 2003.

Sources said that eight, $1,000 checks from
either Galante employees, friends or associates were donated to People Over
Politics on Oct. 26, 2003. Some of them were then style="font-weight:bold;">reimbursed or told that the donations would help
Galante's trash hauling business, which is based in Danbury.

You can view the People over Politics PAC, which has the contributions in
question by clicking here. As you read the report, there are only eight people who gave
the maximum 1,000 dollars and their names, as well as the record date of the
contribution, are listed below (take note of the name DiNardo):

(Name, Date of contribution)

Shirley Giglio: 10.26.03

Paul DiNardo: 10.26.03

Joe Walkovich: 10.26.03

Frank Russo: 10.26.03

Susan Seri: 10.26.03

Anthony DiNardo: 10.26.03

Jackie DiNardo: 10.30.03

Robert DiNardo: 10.23.03

You're with me here...okay, lets continue.

Let's now take a look at Mayor Boughton's re-election report for the April 2003 and take note the the following people who gave 1,000 around the same time period.

(Name, Date of contribution)
Maria Rullo: 01.15.03

Nina DiNardo: 01.14.03

Joe Walkovich: 01.18.03

Susan Seri: 01.15.03

Paul DiNardo: 1.17.03

Coincidence?

The only person that has nothing in common with those listed in the October
statement is Maria Rullo...until you look a bit closer.

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the
District of Connecticut, announced that MARIA "Mary" RULLO, age 45, [...]
waived indictment and pleaded guilty today before Senior United States District
Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to one felony count of filing a false tax
return.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, RULLO
failed to report alimony income on personal tax returns she filed with the
Internal Revenue Service. During the course of an investigation, the IRS
obtained an affidavit signed by RULLO in 2003 in which she stated she received
$40,000 in alimony, an amount that she omitted from her tax return for that
year.

RULLO has agreed to pay $34,436 to the IRS for material omissions to her returns
filed for the 2001 through 2004 tax years.

Judge Burns has scheduled sentencing for October 19, 2007, at which time RULLO
faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years and a fine of up to
$100,000.

RULLO was released on a $25,000 non-surety bond and was ordered not to have any
direct or indirect contact with the defendants and witnesses named in United
States v. Ianniello, et al, Case Number 3:06cr161(EBB).

Lets take a look at Case Number 3:06cr161, United States v. Ianniello, et al. and
see which witness and defendants Rullo should have no direct or indirect contact with.

The defendant Matthew Ianniello is the 86 year old former acting
boss of the Genovese Organized Crime Family. Save for a period of
approximately six years in the 1990s when he was incarcerated on racketeering
charges, Mr. Ianniello has for decades served the Genovese family well as one of
its top “earners.” At this late junction in his career, Mr. Ianniello faces in
this case a term of incarceration of 24 to 30 months and a fine of $4,000 to
$40,000. For the reasons that follow, the government respectfully submits that a
sentence at the high end of this range – to be served concurrent to a 15 month
sentence recently imposed in another district – is appropriate.

BACKGROUND
On December 20, 2006, the defendant pleaded guilty to
Count Two of the Indictment, which charges that he and others engaged in a
racketeering conspiracy designed to control Connecticut’s refuse industry,
and Count Sixty-Two, which charges him with conspiring to defraud the United
States Revenue Service (IRS). See 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) (Racketeering Conspiracy)
and 18 U.S.C. § 371 ("Klein conspiracy"). The defendant faces a maximum term of
incarceration of twenty years on Count Two and a maximum term of incarceration
of five years on Count Sixty-Two.

In this case, the government conducted eleven months of court-authorized
wiretaps on a number of telephones connected to James Galante, owner of
approximately twenty-nine carting-related entities in southwestern
Connecticut. (PSR at ¶ 15) The wiretaps ran from August 2004 to July 2005,
at which point law enforcement officials executed over thirty-five search
warrants, including searches of Mr. Ianniello’s residence and Mr. Galante’s
office. Agents seized thousands of boxes of documents, including a sheet of
paper from Galante’s office that listed a series of quarterly payments made by
Galante to the defendant between August 2001 and April 2005. The payments
stopped after the government executed the aforementioned searches in July 2005.
With respect to the search of Mr. Ianniello’s residence, the Connecticut FBI
seized approximately $130,680 in cash. In addition to the wiretaps and searches,
agents interviewed many witnesses connected to the case.

This Court authorized wiretaps on phones utilized by, among others, Galante,
Richard Galietti (Galante’s lead salesman), Christopher Rayner (accountant to
defendants Milo and Galante), Ciro Viento (Galante’s operations manager), and
Richard Caccavale (Galante employee).

To date, Viento and Caccavale have pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy
charged in Count Two; the other listed defendants await
trial.

Coincidence?

testing

2007-08-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

Number Office Party Candidate Total
01A Mayor R Mark D. Boughton 8022 ***
01B Mayor D Dean E. Esposito 5803

02A Treasurer R Daniel P. Jowdy 7128 ***
02B Treasurer D Mike McGetrick 5938

03A City Clerk R Jean Yaglenski Natale 6446 ***
03B City Clerk D Eileen S. Coladarci 6071

04A Town Clerk R Joseph L. Scozzafava 5821
04B Town Clerk D Lori A. Kaback 7151 ***
04C Town Clerk I Robert G. Oravetz 137

05A Councilmen-at-Large R Robert T. Riley 5785 ***
05B Councilmen-at-Large D Alfred E. Cipriani 5710
05C Councilmen-at-Large I Richard J. Leinert 214
06A Councilmen-at-Large R Ted A. Cutsumpas 6015 ***
06B Councilmen-at-Large D Renata DaSilva Amaral 5061
06C Councilmen-at-Large I Gary J. Driscoll 498
07A Councilmen-at-Large R Pauline Repko Basso 6414 ***
07B Councilmen-at-Large D Sherri Neptune 5027
07C Councilmen-at-Large I John L. Dietter 242
08A Councilmen-at-Large R Gregg William Seabury 6461 ***
08B Councilmen-at-Large D Ingrid A. Espinosa 4830
08C Councilmen-at-Large I Margaret A. Dyer 571
09A Councilmen-at-Large R Shailesh 'Shay' Nagarsheth 5267
09B Councilmen-at-Large D Lynn H. Taborsak 6458 ***
09C Councilmen-at-Large I Kevin G. Nolan 546
10A Councilmen-at-Large R Mary Gianfranceschi Saracino 5740 ***
10B Councilmen-at-Large D Adolfo Pena 5003
10C Councilmen-at-Large I Marcia M. Ennis 292
11A Councilmen-at-Large R Colleen A. Stanley 5815 ***
11B Councilmen-at-Large D Patricia Matta-Wrobel 4822
11C Councilmen-at-Large I

12A Councilmen Ward 1 R Louise A. McMahon 1081 ***
12B Councilmen Ward 1 D Jack G. Gillotte 918
13A Councilmen Ward 1 R Vincent P. Nolan Jr. 1207 ***
13B Councilmen Ward 1 D Lawrence J. Jansons 739

12A Councilmen Ward 2 R James H. Johnson 947 ***
12B Councilmen Ward 2 D Henrique Antonio 727
13A Councilmen Ward 2 R Charles J. Trombetta 1030 ***
13B Councilmen Ward 2 D Zachary Scott Rapp 810

12A Councilmen Ward 3 R Joe Cavo 1153 ***
12B Councilmen Ward 3 D James M. Kelly 1072
13A Councilmen Ward 3 R Michael J. Calandrino 1108 ***
13B Councilmen Ward 3 D Donald R. Hensley 876

12A Councilmen Ward 4 R Mary M. Cronin 439
12B Councilmen Ward 4 D Thomas J. Saadi 909 ***
13A Councilmen Ward 4 R William R. Cortese, Jr. 471
13B Councilmen Ward 4 D John J. Esposito 761 ***

12A Councilmen Ward 5 R Scott Lewis Demuth 505
12B Councilmen Ward 5 D Frederick L. Visconti, Jr. 831 ***
13A Councilmen Ward 5 R Linda J. Ossenfort 563
13B Councilmen Ward 5 D Duane E. Perkins 761 ***

12A Councilmen Ward 6 R Christopher Alan Sanzeni 617
12B Councilmen Ward 6 D Paul T. Rotello 770 ***
13A Councilmen Ward 6 R Joel B. Urice 637
13B Councilmen Ward 6 D Benjamin Chianese 727 ***

12A Councilmen Ward 7 R Mary E. Teicholz 934 ***
12B Councilmen Ward 7 D Ellen K. VanDyke Bell 817
13A Councilmen Ward 7 R N. Jane Diggs 948 ***
13B Councilmen Ward 7 D Christine Louise Halfar 745

14A Board of Education R Sandra Garcia 5288
14B Board of Education D Kathleen M. Molinaro 6172 ***
14C Board of Education I Catherine V. DiBuono 444
15A Board of Education R Joel P. Garofalo 5809 ***
15B Board of Education D Joan W. Hodge 5516 ***
15C Board of Education I Dustin A. Ziegler 441
16A Board of Education R Walter F. Perkowski 5083
16B Board of Education D Robert J. Taborsak 6302 ***
16C Board of Education I Beverly A. Nickerson 454
17A Board of Education R Eileen W. Alberts 5982 ***
17B Board of Education D
17C Board of Education I Rudi Grolich 399
18A Board of Education R Scott Anthony Clayton 5411
18B Board of Education D
18C Board of Education I Dawn Christine Nolan 724

19A Zoning Commission R Donald E. Kennedy 5578 ***
19B Zoning Commission D Juan A. Sanchez 4435
19C Zoning Commission I Petros K. Filippakos 361
20A Zoning Commission R Ted Farah 5295 ***
20B Zoning Commission D Theodore J. Haddad, Jr. 5679 ***
20C Zoning Commission I K.T. Shartouni 311
21A Zoning Commission R Gary A. Dufel 4843
21B Zoning Commission D Anthony G. DiCaprio 5476 ***
21C Zoning Commission I Michael C. Romano 593
22A Zoning Commission R Helen M. Hoffstaetter 5333 ***
22B Zoning Commission D Richard Roos Jr. 4875
22C Zoning Commission I Calvin R. Dow 389
23A Zoning Commission R Christine E. Cuhsnick 5182
23B Zoning Commission D Theresa A. Buzaid 5763 ***
23C Zoning Commission I Donald W. Grandieri 486
24A Zoning Commission R Patrick G. Johnson 5019
24B Zoning Commission D Richard Paul Jowdy 5883 ***
24C Zoning Commission I Michael F. Van Tassel 434
25A Zoning Commission R Jack Harold Knapp, Jr. 5531 ***
25B Zoning Commission D
25C Zoning Commission I Lenore H. Scott 512
26A Zoning Commission R Robert C. Melillo 5664 ***
26B Zoning Commission D
26C Zoning Commission I George Lubus 516
27A Zoning Commission R Kurt M. Kleis 5030
27B Zoning Commission D
27C Zoning Commission I Winton C. Nickerson 465

28A Zoning Commission Alternate R Robert P. Urban 5060
28B Zoning Commission Alternate D Steven P. Miller 4558
28C Zoning Commission Alternate I Wilton A. Nickerson 373
29A Zoning Commission Alternate R Victoria A. Hickey 5496 ***
29B Zoning Commission Alternate D Jean M. Anderson 4946 ***
29C Zoning Commission Alternate I Ivy Beth Handsman 530
30A Zoning Commission Alternate R Joseph Notaro Jr. 5653 ***
30B Zoning Commission Alternate D
30C Zoning Commission Alternate I Gary Grandieri 508

31A Constables R Michael Safranek 5001 ***
31B Constables D Francis J. Kieras 4776 ***
31C Constables I Richard J. Gillich 354
32A Constables R Dianne C. Zielinski 5359 ***
32B Constables D Paul D. Estefan 5215 ***
32C Constables I Paul William Woods 499
33A Constables R Robert E. Zarbock 4640
33B Constables D Michael J. Esposito 5807 ***
33C Constables I

1-Y Question 1 YES 4609 ***
1-N Question 1 NO 2230
2-Y Question 2 YES 4835 ***
2-N Question 2 NO 1838
3-Y Question 3 YES 4851 ***
3-N Question 3 NO 1849
4-Y Question 4 YES 5279 ***
4-N Question 4 No 1483

test audio post

2007-06-20T12:26:00.001-07:00

I'm getting very concerned over the coverage regarding the...

BigT test

2007-05-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Audio test

2006-12-29T14:54:00.000-08:00

College Dems Kickoff test

2006-09-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

With the midterm elections less than eight weeks away, The Connecticut College Democrats held their organizational kickoff event at the University of Hartford. In an attempt to rally young people to get involved in the election process, students from different colleges and universities across Connecticut came together in an impressive show of solidarity and support for the Democratic Party.

The crowd of over 100 was treated to some of the best speeches to date from the various progressive candidates running for federal and state office.

Those in attendance include the following:

Chris Murphy: candidate 5th Congressional District.
Joe Courtney: candidate 2nd Congressional District.
Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz.
State Comptroller Nancy Wyman.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.
State Treasurer Denise Nappier.

Using their words wisely, each of the candidates running for federal office highlighted on a different topic or concerns which younger generation will be forced to address in the foreseeable future.

Discussing the out-of-control debt the Bush administration is accumulating for the next generation, Ned Lamont used his time to speak out against the rising cost of the war, the effect our present actions will have on the world for decades to come. Lamont also brought up the record-number of people who came out to register before the primary and why it’s so important for young people to get their friends to register to vote.

Fresh from his national Democratic rebuttal to Bush’s weekly address to the nation, Chris Murphy took to the stage and was clearly honored with the show of support from the young crowd.

Technically still a Young Dem himself, Murphy made a point of emphasizing the need for students to get involved in campaigns by volunteering their time towards door knocking, phone banking and helping out in other aspects of the "ground game."

Using Nancy Johnson’s latest attack ad, which Murphy described as "something out of Battlestar Galatica," Murphy also drove home the point that the Republicans will do everything in their power to shamelessly smear Democrats at all costs. Based in that analysis, Murphy again stressed the need for the young people to assist in helping the Democrats win the ground game.

Of all the candidates who spoke, Joe Courtney made the biggest impression on the audience and really hit the nail on the head with his detailed analysis of the Republican majority. Calling the Republican-controlled Congress "asleep at the wheel," Courtney energized the crowd with his passionate speech addressing why it’s critical for the Democratic Party take back control of Congress and bring a sense of check and balance back to Washington.

After the speeches, various workshops were held by the Young Dems to help train students in different aspects of volunteering for campaigns. One of the workshops was on blogging and it was the first time I ever addressed a crowd on the topic. Hopefully I didn’t put anyone to sleep.

Thanks to the College Democrats for inviting me. It was very encouraging to see so many young people eager to get involved in the political process. After leaving the event, not have a great sense that the Democratic Party has a great future in Connecticut.

Self-hatred: by G. Sheyner Waterbury Rep-Am 8.15.06

2006-09-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

Originally posted at http://gfunkslounge.blogspot.com/2006/08/self-hatred.html

I am now a self-hating blogger, so I'm writing this with a heavy conscience. I have no respect for myself for writing this, nor for you for reading this. And it's all Ned Lamont's fault.

Last Tuesday, my fine publication sent me to Mr. Lamont's campaign headquarters in Meriden, Ct., to await the results of the Democratic primary and write a few color graphs about the party. I had a blast slithering from other members of the old-school media herd and chasing down Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and other notable demagogues for perfunctory quotes. At about 10:30 p.m., Joe Lieberman conceded and the thousands of Lamont fans, staffers and political supporters sequestered at the Sheraton hotel were ecstatic.

Lamont's victory was a victory for the liberal bloggers, his most avid constituency. But even before the results were in, the bloggers' heads were swelling inside their dusty baseball hats. Old-schoolers like myself, distinguished by ties and objectivity, started walking into the "blogger media room" (Yes. they had their own room!) to interview them, needlessly inflating their egos. At one point, they closed the door for a special session on how to deal with media attention.

It didn't help that the Rev. Jesse Jackson and U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters came by to stroke them further. In Jackson's case, it's significant that an old-school newspaperman (myself) asked the demagogue reverend all the questions while the giddy bloggers stook star-struck off to the side, taking photos and feeling important.

Later, when Lieberman was conceding on TV, they were hollering, chanting and throwing bottle caps at the screen. When Waters came to kiss their asses, they started chanting "Maxine!" New media. We're all going to hell.

Every major paper wrote about these idiots the next day. Here is my meager effort. It has no personal opinions, I got paid to do it and I was wearing a tie while typing it up. Maybe I'm not like them, after all.

(I'm the small blue figure on the right, with a tie)

Bloggers credited with role in Lamont victory on Tuesday

Thursday, August 10, 2006

BY GENNADY SHEYNER

Copyright © 2006 Republican-American

At about half past midnight Wednesday, a group of writers sequestered in a room at Meriden's Four Points Sheraton hotel received an unexpected visit from a jubilant U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

The group, most in their late 20s and 30s and wearing jeans and T-shirts, were at the hotel for two reasons: to track the progress of primary night on their blogs, and to cheer on their candidate, Ned Lamont. An hour after the Greenwich businessman accepted the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, dozens of them still lingered around the hotel, drinking beer, cheering and typing away on their laptops when Waters came in.

"Do you know what you have done?" Waters, a Lamont supporter, asked the crowd. "You have upset the status quo for real!

"Blogging has got to be THE thing," she continued to a rowdy ovation. "You have shown the world how much power you have just blogging. You're going to change the world!"

Like many political and media observers, Waters credited the bloggers -- short for Web loggers -- with helping Lamont snag the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate from three-term incumbent Joe Lieberman. Since Lamont declared his candidacy in February, dozens of liberal blogs, or informal online journals, rallied behind his candidacy, urging readers to volunteer and donate money to his campaign.

Thus, when Lamont accepted the Democratic nomination Tuesday, many of the bloggers present at the Sheraton saw it as a personal victory.

Other politicians also are noticing the growing influence of blogs. A bloggers' convention in Las Vegas in June attracted a flock of established politicians, including Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, who in 2004 became the first politician to be propelled to national stardom by the Internet.

But while experts generally agree that blogs are useful vehicles for rallying volunteers and sparking debate, some are skeptical about their ability to elect candidates or cause significant change.

"It takes more than just the bloggers themselves," said Michael Morrell, a University of Connecticut professor who focuses on the effects of direct democratic participation. "But they can be a catalyst that can start a reaction among the grassroots that can impact an election.

"If there wasn't a general sense of frustration, a general sense of desire for something different in the general population of Democrats in Connecticut," he continued, "the fact that a group of bloggers is trying to push for change probably wouldn't have made a great difference."

The goal of most bloggers, however, is not to start revolutions but merely to express their opinions. Gabe Rosenberg, 30, said his blog, connecticutpolitics.blogspot.com, offers him and his nine fellow blog members a chance to discuss politics candidly and without any pretense of objectivity. It is this quality that separates blogs from "mainstream media" such as newspapers, news magazines and broadcast news.

"We admit that we're editorializing," Rosenberg said. "The mainstream media writes straight news, but they can still spin it based on what they include in or exclude from their stories. We are very upfront with our opinions in our stories."

Matt Browner-Hamlin, 24, didn't care if his colleagues didn't exactly behave like journalists. Browner-Hamlim, who posts on teambio.org and baltimoregroupblog.com, said the major difference between bloggers and mainstream reporters is passion.

Because most bloggers work for free and by choice, they have to genuinely like what they're doing.

"I don't get paid," said Browner-Hamlin of Westport. "I do this in my free time. For me, this is a hobby and an addiction."

But while more voices may mean more support and more involvement, they also mean more potential for unofficial statements that can backfire, said Howard L. Reiter, who heads the political science department at University of Connecticut.

For instance, one pro-Lamont blogger posted a doctored photo of Lieberman looking like a minstrel in blackface. When the Lamont campaign found out about the photo, they asked that it be removed.

"It's a risk," Reiter said. "Sometimes a candidate can be embarrassed by unofficial support."

Jim Dean believes the risk is well worth taking.

Dean, who chairs the political action group Democracy for America and is the brother of Howard Dean, said the Internet was a critical tool in organizing about 700 grassroots organizations behind Lamont.

"Our supporters are avid, vociferous and energetic," Dean said. "They are the kind of new blood we need to promote our debate."

The energy was on display more than an hour after Lamont's victory speech.

While most reporters had already left the Sheraton, bloggers were still partying and discussing future plans inside their media room.

Adam Green, who blogs on huffingtonpost.com, said the excitement will not die down any time soon.

"Tonight, on the blogs, Ned-mentum really begins," he said.

Test photos

2006-05-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

Malloy test

2006-05-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

Lamont test

2006-04-04T22:55:00.000-07:00

New file

2006-03-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

test3

2006-03-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

test2

2006-03-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

test

2005-12-21T14:06:00.000-08:00

Gov. Rell undecided on signing Cocaine Bill

2005-05-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

From The Haven Register