Approximately 100 people came out to express their outrage over Councilwoman Pauline Basso's racially insensitive emails and Rev Ivon Pitts' call for Basso's immediate resignation. Photo by ctblogger 10.09.07
This will be an ongoing post, which I'll update with new information regarding the disturbing emails from Councilwoman (and Majority Leader) Pauline Basso and other Republicans.
Yes, I now have the emails and YES, as a high ranking public official, Pauline Basso is a total idiot for even sending this type of material to ANYONE. If this is a snapshot of the type of material Basso and other Republicans send to each other, then God help us all.
This whole fiasco has brought more shame and disgust on Danbury, which was EVIDENT by the huge media presence to today's presser. I'm processing my video footage and recording all of the television reports so it will be a while until I have something to share with everyone.
DEVELOPING...
NOTE: From what I see from the emails, the News-Times made a few errors in this morning's report. There was only one other person on the Common Council who received multiple racially insensitive emails from Pauline Basso, not two. The other person who not only received emails from Basso, but sent one to Pauline, who in turn, forwarded to other people, is a member of the Planning Commission NOT a person who works at the Planning Department. Why do I have the feeling that the News-Times gave poor Dennis Elpern a heart attack this morning...
5:44 P.M.: OH MY F'N GOD!!!! Channel 8 and Channel 30 just ran the most BRUTAL reports I've even seen done on an elected official...complete with the reporter for Channel 8 knocking on Basso's door.
...and the last honest man in Danbury and Basso (a.k.a. Elise Marciano's BFF) was no where to be found (although people reported to me that Basso was at City Hall at the crack of dawn this morning).
Absolutely BRUTAL.
BTW: Mary Teicholz and Lynn Waller's talk show sidekick Joel "cowboy" Urice are not off the hook and also have some explaining to do.
9:50 P.M.: Sorry for the delay but here's video footage from the 5:00 news reports on Pauline Basso's bad day. I'll upload footage from today's NAACP presser and have it available for viewing tomorrow...don't worry, I have the feeling that this story will be in the press across the state for a few more days.
04.25.22 (RADIO): WSHU Latino group call on Connecticut lawmakers to open a Danbury charter school
06.03.22 (OP-ED): KUSHNER: "Career Academy ‘a great deal for Danbury"
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
