With a little over a month to go until the municipal election, it seems like hostilities in the Registrar of Voter's Office may be close to the boiling point.
It is no secret that the three Registrars, a Democrat, a Republican and a Working Family Party member seem to have a problem working together. It apparently started when WFP Registrar of Voters Urania Petit successfully won election as the first third party registrar in the state.
The Republican and Democrat registrars had enjoyed the sole control of the Registrars Office for years, and the WFP upset the balance of power.Not just in Hartford, but in most towns the Registrar of Voters Office is considered the last bastion of political patronage.
Since being elected, Petit has considered herself an outsider in the office, and she testified to that at last years budget hearings before the Council. Although technically all three share equal responsibility in power, that is not the case in Hartford.
On several occasions lately the Democratic Registrar, Olga Vazquez, has resorted to calling the Hartford Police to complain about the actions of others in the office, and in most instances her complaints were against Petit. No criminal actions have been found though, and other than political babysitting, no other action has been taken by police in regards to the Democratic registrars complaints.
(Hartford) - Hartford Police Detectives have obtained arrest warrants for two suspects involved in the July 1, 2011 murder of Angel Luis Gomez, which took place at 226 Martin Street Hartford, Connecticut. This investigation was conducted in a cooperative effort between the Hartford Police Major Crimes Division and the Shooting Task Force. The suspects have been identified as Jose A. Rivera, and Kahari Martin, both of Hartford. Rivera’s arrest warrant charges him with Murder and Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Martin’s arrest warrant charges him with Accessory to Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder. Both are currently incarcerated for an unrelated shooting incident and firearm charges. Rivera and Martin will be arrested on the outstanding warrants at their respective court appearances during the month of October. The Hartford Police Department Major Crimes Division is asking anyone with information about this incident to contact HPD Major Crimes Division Sergeant Brandon O’Brien at (860) 757-4089.
It looks like Mayor Segarra has possibly opened Pandora's box with the Rudewicz Report, so the next question is, what now?
Can the fact that former Assistant Chief Neil Dryfe removed IAD files from the Department just "go away"? Does Mayor Segarra intend to pursue this for the integrity of the Department or will it just be swept under the political carpet with all of the other dirt? How can the public possibly have confidence in IAD knowing that all you have to do is get an Assistant Chief to remove your case file and the investigation goes away?
Will the State's Attorney begin an investigation into why and how this happened, or is it more of the good old boy network taking care of their own? Who was the subject of the investigations Dryfe removed and what were the allegations?
And Mayor, now that the end goal has been achieved of Chief Roberts retirement, where do you go from here. Are you going to reward any members of the current Command staff for essentially undermining the Department and Chief Roberts and being part of the overall implosion of the Chief's Office? Or will you look at those who have actually consistently stepped up and done the right things?
Mayor, just read a couple of Lt. Tedeschi's memo's while he was the Department Advocate. That should tell you all you need to know about his integrity. That should also tell you why he is no longer the Advocate. He spoke out on what was ethical and right, even when it wasn't popular.
Mayor, look at Lt. Sigersmith. If the Command Staff had listened to him when he suggested some shooting initiatives last winter, it wouldn't have taken the Governor to start the Shooting Task Force. And as you are well aware, the Shooting Task Force is making you look pretty good right now to just about everyone. Lt. Sigersmith is overseeing that operation and is more than competent.I was impressed one night when I was talking to Lt Sigersmith and we were standing in the North Meadows, he looked at the downtown skyline and stated what a beautiful City Hartford was and it had so much potential. Not a bad mindset for someone to run the Department.
The list can go on, Lt. Rodriguez seems to have been able to stay under the radar, but he is also more than capable to be part of the Command staff. Just read the comments here and you should be well aware that the rank and file have great respect for Captain Buyak. Put Captain Buyak on the Command staff overseeing the Patrol Division and I am pretty sure you would see that part of HPD excel and produce even more results than they already do.
And not surprisingly, I don't think you have seen any of their names mentioned as part of the Rudewicz Report or attached to any scandals or improper behavior.
Unfortunately, none of the names I mentioned above are a** kissers, so if that's the direction you want to go, ignore the above three paragraphs. I could offer you the names of others that would more than fit that bill, but I think it might be time to take your (and our) Police Department seriously. If you want to turn around the environment at Jennings Road, these might be the people to do it.
I'll believe the Rudewicz Report was worthwhile and not just a political sham for you when I see you step up and make the tough decisions and do what you know you have an obligation to do as Mayor, and let's see if the Jello Council steps up also.
What is being called a "drug factory", run by Lincoln Culinary Institute students was uncovered today at the school and broken up today by Hartford Police. According to sources, Hartford Police Northwest Area Commander Captain Joseph Buyak and Farmington Ave beat Officer John Zweibelson uncovered what is being called a "drug factory" run by students at the LCI.
At least three students, make that former students, were arrested on various charges related to the operation of a "drug factory". The former students were arrested and held on $300,000 bond, but in true Judical fashion their bonds were reduced to "written promises to appear" according to sources.
It seems like just a couple short months ago Hartford Democrats were standing on the steps of City Hall about to break into a flash mob version of "KUMBAYA". Oh for the good old days when Governor Malloy was able to pull together "Team Segarra", to bring about unity for the good of Hartford, calling on Democrats to put their differences aside and join behind Mayor Segarra and Council candidate Shawn Wooden.
All for the good of Hartford, all to make Hartford a better City, it was the right thing to do.
Then on to the Convention and more "Kumbaya". Pedro Segarra pulled off the nomination for Mayor. Shawn Wooden who went into the Convention with a handful of support came out at the end of the night with the majority of the votes of the nominee's. Thank goodness for behind the scenes arm twisting, it worked out well for Wooden.
Sean Arena and rJo Winch were blindsided and Kate Kowalshyn was left spinning wondering what the 1st District politicos had done to her. No female candidates were selected for the endorsed slate, and Kate was left out in the cold to gather signatures. The hope was she would be able to do it, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. Even though she would have probably been one of the most sensible Council members to sit on the Council dais in recent history, she was led down the wrong path by the HDTC brain trust from the 1st District.
If only there was a GPS unit available to give Kate correct political directions, she might not have run into the brick wall that ended her chances.
Luckily for the HDTC, Governor Malloy was able to get everyone to see the light and unify behind "Team Segarra". Except for one problem apparently. Governor Malloy came from a town that apparently had political integrity and people that realized "your word is your bond".
Welcome to Hartford politics Governor.
Apparently the Governor's help wasn't enough to ensure Segarra's election. The support of a handful of Republicans apparently was needed to put Team Segarra over the top and the negotiations began to solidify the last living Republicans in Hartford to support the Democrats. Well at least some of the Democrats.
It seems that the Republicans only wanted part of team Segarra and left half of the Council slate on the edge of the playground, not picked for the big game. Sorry Governor, only the best get to be chosen for the Republican Team. Well, not really the best but they already had three "R's" running so they could only allow three more to fill out the Republican row. And since GOP Chair Mike McGrayy ended his sham run for Mayor to open the line for that loyal Republican Pedro Segarra, I mean Democrat Segarra, oh I'm confused, who stands for what anymore.
So anyway, only three "D's" could be on the "R's" line with the Segarra "D" as the Republican "R" ,a choice had to be made. The Mayoral candidate "D" who dropped out of the Mayor's race at the request of the "D" Governor for "D" party unity also was the high vote getter in the "D" primary. So that kind of sealed his fate. Since he was a threat to Mayor Segarra in the Mayoral race (which he dropped out of for party unity) he now was threat to the "D's" operation if he actually could eventually gain the top position as Council President.
Luckily Hartford's version of Jurassic Park, I mean the Hartford Republican Town Committee, was willing to wheel and deal for their survival. The conversation probably went something like this.
Republicans: "Let's cut a deal here. No countertops though, we both already got in trouble for that. We will cross endorse you and fill our line with Democrat's, even though you have doubled Hartford's taxes, increased the budget over $150 million dollars in the last decade, are financially reckless and go against just about everything the GOP stands for, but as you know we are desperate".
Democrats:" We have over 30,000 voters, not to mention 10,000 unaffiliated voters citywide, why would we need your endorsement?"
Republicans: " Because we need to stop the Working Family Party, they are a threat. Look at what they have done already, they knocked out two Republican council seats, they got their own Registrar of Voters who makes both of our Registrars look bad by actually doing her job and earning her salary. We need to stop them, not to mention Brookman, who knows what he is capable of if he ever got inside City Hall, it's bad enough with him working from the outside"
Democrats: "OK, makes sense, but we don't want to include Wooden, we already have it worked out for Council President and he is not part of our plan. Minnie can cut her own deals to get deJesus on and the other guy, what's his name, is on his own. Besides, look at what they are doing in Waterbury with altered test scores, we don't need anyone looking at that here"
Republicans : "Yeah. that's the last thing we want is anyone finding out about this sweet deal until it is too late, by that time we can change all the ordinances we want and no one can do anything, especially since the Mayor is solidly behind this"
And finally the whole scene ends with a 3 Musketeer cheer, "All for one and one for all, off to the polls"
For the actual version of what was supposed to be Democratic Party unity in Hartford, take a look at the video below:
According to an e-mail sent today by Hartford City Clerk John Bazzano, the three Democratic Council candidates being endorsed by the Hartford Republican's have rejected the endorsement. Democratic Treasure candidate Adam Cloud, also rejected the endorsement.
Mayor Pedro Segarra has not rejected the endorsement. According to sources, it may be difficult for Segarra to back out now since he was apparently the "architect" behind the deal with McGarry.
Also word is that Segarra fired all of his campaign staff last week and that most of the campaign's funds have been depleted. The next campaign filings are not due until shortly before the election November 8, 2011. Apparently John Kennelly was nominated to do the "dirty deed" and took the ax to all of Segarra's staff. Maybe extra security should be implemented at the Hartford Public Library now that at least one of Segarra's campaign confidants is back on the street.
Here is Bazzano's e-mail below:
From: Bazzano, John V. Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 9:02 AM To: Bramante, Salvatore A.; Petit, Urania; Vazquez, Olga I. Subject:
FYI,
Kyle Anderson, Councilman Alex Aponte and Councilman Kenneth Kennedy have declined the endorsement from the Republican Party. Copies of their letter/emails have been hand delivered to your respective offices.
John V. Bazzano Town and City Clerk 550 Main Street Hartford, CT 06103 (860) 757-9755
THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ON THIS BLOG ARE STRICTLY THAT, MY OPINIONS.After getting fed up with the lack of openness in Hartford City Hall, I decided to begin a program on Hartford Public Access Television called "WE THE PEOPLE". Through tips received we have been able to expose numerous issues that the Perez Administration would prefer to keep quiet.
Any information received is kept in strict confidence, feel free to e-mail me at krbrookman@earthlink.net or call me at 860-883-2297 with any information.