YOUR WORD IS YOUR BOND...EXCEPT IN HARTFORD POLITICS

Does anyone in Hartford politics understand the words honesty and integrity?

Monday night I was surprised to find myself having dinner with rJo Winch and her mother Prenzina Holloway, Jan Appellof,Sean Arena and a couple others. Surprisingly, the conversation was cordial and I thought I saw a side of Councilwoman Winch that I might be able to work with.

One of the people who had thrown his name in for the vacant Council seat was also there, A.J. Sierra. Councilwoman Winch was talking about the need for new ideas and we needed to stop recycling people through City Hall. She had promised her support to Sierra and was not going to support anyone else.

It was strange agreeing with her on her ideas for the future of Hartford, and to also be in agreement with Jan Appellof and Sean Arena made me feel that maybe people had seen the light and that Hartford's corruption and scandals might just be leading to a new beginning. I actually thought that the following night, maybe, just maybe, the Council would make a good decision and select the right person to fill the Council vacancy.

During the conversation it was also discussed about the potential "baggage" at least two of the other candidates might be bringing to City Hall. The conversation focused on a food stamp fraud investigation that has become pretty much common knowledge in which one of the individuals is believed to be involved. I usually prefer to deal in facts and documents, so Tuesday I tried to confirm whether the allegations were factual.

It didn't take long to confirm the facts through sources in and out of law enforcement. One law enforcement source confirmed the investigation was ongoing and confirmed the facts as I laid them out as to what I knew although they wouldn't provide any additional information.

I then received a call from an attorney who also had first hand knowledge of the investigation due to the fact that they were representing a "co-operating witness" in a current Federal Investigation involving a potential Council candidate. The attorney also confirmed the basic facts of the investigation that involved the laundering of food stamps through some of Hartford's "bodegas".

Essentially individuals receiving food stamps could find someone that would pay cash for them at a fraction of the face value of the stamps. The money and the receipts from the food stamps would then be "laundered" through sham LLC's (Limited Liability Corporations)set up by an attorney and the profits were then passed through.

The attorney said he could not say with 100% certainty that criminal charges would be brought, but he felt the odds are pretty good that Federal charges would be filed.

I relayed this information to several Council people and it didn't really seem to phase any of them, except one. I guess when it comes to Hartford's image, corruption and possible criminal activity isn't a problem. Only one of the Council people I spoke with, Dr. Deutsch, actually seemed to pay attention and in the end voted against the replacement nominee.

Councilman Ritter said he asked about it and the nominee said the allegations were untrue. Would I expect anything else from Hartford's political circle? Perez said his allegations were untrue and apparently a jury thought different. Hector Robles says his allegations were untrue and everything was settled. The recently released IAD report paints a much different picture.Councilwoman Airey-Wilson claims her arrest was bogus, as the clock ticks down on her date to accept the State's plea deal arrangement. So honesty when it comes to less than flattering allegations of potential criminal wrongdoing is not a strong suit of Hartford's politicians.

So after having dinner with the Councilwoman and seeing and hearing her give her word to Mr. Sierra to support him, I felt good that maybe the right thing would be done the following night.

Imagine my surprise when the final vote was called and an individual potentially caught up in a Federal food stamp fraud investigation received the support of the very same Councilwoman that less than 24 hours earlier had spoke of change and getting the right people involved in politics. The horse trading was obvious and it quickly became apparent that nothing is done for what is best for Hartford, everything is done on how individuals can benefit from the system.

November 2011 is only 14 months away and the opportunity to put the right people in place can be ours, not the horse traders we have sitting on the Council now.