Okay, this is becoming annoying.

For the second time in a week, the News-Times does an article on Greg Seabury and illegal immigration.

At first, I couldn't believe it. TWO ARTICLES in a week on Seabury's new found desire to tackle immigration? Although Seabury has been campaigning for MONTHS and has been a Common Council member for years, with less than four week until the election, and after the dust-up over the eleven day laborers, Seabury magically has something to say about the immigration issue.

As I stated before, Stevie Wonder can see what's going on here. Seabury, at the last minute, is using a hot-button issue for political points. There is no record of Seabury EVER calling an ad-hoc committee to address any issue regarding immigration (i.e., the Council addressing the location of the day laborer pick up spot on Kennedy). To add insult to injury, the News-Times runs this hit piece in their Sunday edition, their most popular day.

What is going on here?

What we have here is someone who thinks that he can use immigration to his advantage since his challenger's mother is a critic of Mayor Boughton's administration. A simple look at his record would expose this YET the News-Times ignores that fine detail and writes yet another piece on Seabury's new found desire to tackle immigration. To add insult to injury, the News-Times make it seems like Taborsak isn't serious about the issue and claims that he was unreachable for contact.

Take a look at this comment left on the News-Times website for a clearer understanding on what's going on here. It's obvious that this message is from someone in Taborsak's campaign and is pretty pissed off and rightfully so.

Posted by: scamp123 Sun, Oct 08 2006
The News Times contacted the Taborsak Headquarters late Friday afternoon to ask Joe Taborsak to comment on Mr. Seabury’s press release which had been released to the News Times much earlier in the week. Only after having to be asked did the News Times fax a copy of the press release to the Taborsak HQ. Mr. Taborsak was out knocking on doors and could not be reached for comment. It seems that Seabury has the magical ability to lead the News Times around by its nose as they publish a story every time Mr. Seabury sneezes while the Taborsak campaign has yet to have ANY of its many press released even mentioned. Joe Taborsak has been endorsed by much fine organization while Seabury lists none on his web site yet the News Times refuses to let the public know. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON???? Why doesn’t the News Times do something useful and publish Seabury’s voting record? When the only news paper in town acts as an arm of the Republican Party, perhaps it is time for Democrats and Independents to stop buying it. Perhaps when the News Times is finally sold they should rename the paper “The Danbury Republican”, or “The Seabury Times”.

Seabury issues a press release on an issue that will sell copies and the News-Times jumps all over it.

Forget about looking into Seabury's record and writing about what he did AND DIDN'T DO in addressing immigration IN ANY WAY while being a member of the ruling political party on the Common Council.

Forget the fact that Seabury is making an issue of immigration with less than a month before the eleciton.

Forget the fact that the News-Times allowed Seabury to re-state his position on drivers licenses, giving him a chance to re-address the issue and target illegal immigrants as he wasn't specific in the first article (implying that he was making up as he was going along).

Seabury also calls for limiting driver's licenses to legal residents -- already the law -- and opposes granting in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, a proposal that failed in 2005 but could be resurrected in a future legislative session.

A bill providing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants was defeated, while the federal government requires that driver licenses only be granted to legal residents, Taborsak said.

Forget the fact that the News-Times didn't press him on various vague statements he made in the first article. For instance...

Seabury wasn't specific about legislation to penalize contractors who hire illegal immigrants.

Forget the fact that Seabury is making an issue of this in an attempt to link Joe Taborsak with his mother who is a critic of Boughton's handling of the day laborer situation.

And forget the fact that the News-Times hasn't written a story on any of Taborsak's press releases, fails to point out that Taborsak is endorsed by several organizations while Seabury has NOTHING on his website.

I've seen a few campaigns in my time including the laughable Lieberman campaign during the primary and the moves from Seabury echoes that of the junior senator during the last weeks of his campaign. Desperate tactics and saying just about anything for votes. Could it be that Seabury's internals don't look so good seeing that he's going for a seat that was easily held by Democrat Lew Wallace?

The editors at the News-Times should be more careful when running articles like this. They should know what Seabury is doing here and writing articles like this without challenging Seabury on his record and/or the timing of his suddden new found stance on immigration (he didn't talk about this months prior to this point) is a disservice to the voting public. IT's almost like Seabury did a poll in his district and/or received advise from someone to use the Danbury 11 issue to his advantage.

Is that the type of politican we need representing us in Hartofrd? Someone who takes advantage of a situation instead of simply campaigning on his past record? If poltics in Connecticut has proved anything, it's that empty promises are cheap and meaningless. Remember the Republicans using gay marrigage and faith-based issues to their advantage in 2004? Empty promises from Republicans then, and empty promises from Republicans now.

At the very least, they should simply look at Seabury's record, question him over the timing of his new found stance on the issue, and ask him critical questions such as why didn't he try to do anything when he was in a position to do something on the Comon Council. For a newspaper to fall for these political tactics should concern everyone.

Well, at least I hope they got Taborsak's picture right this time.

I'll leave you with this videoclip. Watch it and think about it.