It's now been four days since the revelation of Majority leader Pauline Basso and Joel Urice's disgusting emails and:



no word from Pauline.

no word from Joel.

no word from the other Common Council member who had no problem receiving the emails (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE...AND SO DO WE).

and no sign of leadership from the last honest man in Danbury.

Are these arrogant, narrow-minded, racially-insensitive, political HACKS the types of individuals you want in YOUR City Hall?

Vote for change
Eileen, Helena, Lori, and Brian

Mark, at this point, it would be wise to just say "no comment."

Boughton said Friday that his campaign staff had no way of knowing that third-party donors were acting as conduits for Galante contributions.

"We've accepted thousands of donations from thousands of contributors and we assume that the name on the check is the person that donated the money," Boughton said. "In fact, we send a personal thank-you letter to each person. I was absolutely unaware that there was anything wrong with any donations."

Look people, although I've been blogging for about two years, I've been a resident of Danbury for over 20 years and I can tell you something without blinking an eye...IT'S VERY UNUSUAL TO RECEIVE A PERSONAL DONATION FOR 1,000 DOLLARS and when you do receive a donation in that amount YOU NEVER FORGET IT. In other words, what the last honest man in Danbury is saying makes NO sense and I those who know politics AREN'T BUYING HIS EXCUSE.

If you simply look at the People over Politics PAC finance report it's crystal clear that something was up because there were ONLY EIGHT PEOPLE who gave a donation of 1,000 in the report in question.

EIGHT...that's it.

Hell, I'm still scanning all of Boughton's reports now... here a challenge for you.

Go and check ALL the People over Politics PAC and see how many people gave a PERSONAL donation of 1,000. Now, look at all the other donations...notice the difference in the amount of money donated individually?

For Boughton to claim that he's accepted "thousands of donations from thousands of contributors" means NOTHING. Ask ANY LOCAL POLITICIAN and they'll tell you that YOU REMEMBER PEOPLE WHO GIVE LARGE DONATIONS and you DEFINITELY remember people who give the maximum amount of monetary donation by law (which is 1,000 dollars).

Now if someone like me can detect Boughton's dishonesty, imagine what people with knowledge (like the Chief State's Attorney's office) are thinking about Boughton's and his excuses right now.

This blurb in the Courant should give you a clue...

As Danbury's mayor, Boughton has worked closely with Galante, whose network of trash-related businesses is a major presence in the city. In particular, the Boughton administration worked with Galante on issues related to the rehabilitation of a city ice rink where Galante's minor league professional hockey team, the Danbury Trashers, played. Boughton dismissed local critics who said the city bent rules to rush approval of an occupancy permit for the rink. Boughton also said he is not close to Galante socially.

"Boughton said he is not close to the Galante socially"...ah, yeah right. Maybe everyone was seeing things when they look up and saw who was sitting with who in the box seats during the Trasher's games.

Oh, the past is finally coming back to haunt Mr. People over Politics...it's just a matter of time now...

Mark my words, if you think last week was bad for team Boughton, wait till you see what goes down next week.

Well, I guess we now know who the REPUBLICAN ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL FROM WESTERN CONNECTICUT is now...SURPRISE SURPRISE!

The Hartford Courant has ALL the details and it's not pretty.

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 reimbursed or told that the donations would help Galante's trash hauling business, which is based in Danbury.

Maybe the Courant should have added that the donations would help Galante's ice rink...just sayin'.

Now for my favorite part of the article...damage control.

Boughton said Friday that he was unaware that there was anything wrong with the donations and that his campaign officials would have no way of knowing if someone was fronting money for others.

"We've accepted thousands of donations from thousands of contributors and we assume that the name on the check is the person that donated the money. In fact we send a personal thank you letter to each person,'' Boughton said. "I was absolutely unaware that there was anything wrong with any donations.''

Ah...yeah. We'll see if that excuse will hold up over time...or else...

...there could be political ramifications for the politicians if they are linked to illegal contributions.

Trust me, this is SO DEVELOPING...

Robert, Dirk, Brian, WTNH, FOX-61, WVIT, The Hartford Courant, The Fairfield Weekly, The New York Times.

I'm going to share my homework on the REPUBLICAN ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL FROM WESTERN CONNECTICUT and help you guys (and the rest of the public) out. Afterwards, just email me two words: Thank you.

Check back to this post when I post the updated material.

...wow, someone at City Hall is having a really, really, bad week.

UPDATEWHOA, whoa, whoa everyone. PLEASE just email me at hatcityblog@yahoo.com. I'm getting bombarded with questions right now so it make it easier for me, please only use the hatcityblog email address for Danbury-related stuff. I'll help anyone with anything because I now have all the marbles.

72 hours since our Majority Leader's racist emails were exposed to an outraged public and to date:

1. Pauline Basso has offered NO apology to the public for her actions.

2. Pauline Basso has only offered this flippant statement to the press.

"I really have nothing to say...I sent an apology and that's it."

3. Joel "cowboy Urice hasn't offered an apology to the public for his actions calling the whole thing a "joke" and offering this boneheaded response to the News-Times Brian Koonz that only inflamed the level of outrage.

I just thought that it was funny," said Urice, an outspoken opponent of illegal immigration. "There was nothing intended about anything.

"I am definitely a believer in law and order," he said. "Once again, these people are a burden on our tax system and we're forced to pay for them. It was in no way a racial slur."

Of course, Urice's "these people" remark speaks louder than any denial.

4. Our mayor, the last honest man in Danbury, is NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. The leader of the seventh largest city in Connecticut was too afraid to take questions from the networks, refuse to return calls from the networks, didn't give the impression that he took the matter seriously when first informed, didn't make a public statement condemning Basso's actions at this month's Common Council meeting, AND is attempting to distance himself from the matter by playing the role of "The Mediator."

Clearly Mayor Boughton is the head of a Republican Party that has been spinning out-of-control for way too long. Political hacks like Basso and Urice are just a small fraction of a corrupt machine that has no regard for the residents of our once fine city, which is considered the laughing stock of Connecticut.

Basso: Your silence speaks volumes about the respect you have for residents in whcih you offended. APOLOGIZE AND RESIGN.

Urice: Your ignorance and arrogance just reinforces the notion that you have no business in public office and hopefully the residents of Danbury will give you the thumbs down in 2007 as they did wehn you ran for re-election for Common Council in 2005. APOLOGIZE AND DISAPPEAR.

Boughton: Your recent statements and unbelievable actions exposed to the public the very notion those who've watch you closely already believe...that you and your administration are a COMPLETE political failure that has brought great harm to a city...a city that was once considered the number 1 place to live in the country. TRY SOMETHING NEW FOR A CHANGE, SHOW SOME LEADERSHIP< AND GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ACTUALLY CARE.

Danbury is better than these so-called political leaders who bring shame to this fine city.

Danbury is better than these so-called political leaders who pit people against people and community against community.

It's simple and it's clear...it's time to vote for change and take our city back from those who have brought shame to the word Danbury.

Remember these four names...

Eileen, Helena, Lori, and Brian

Oh my, oh my, oh my...you knew this day would come.

The article in today's News-Times about the latest in the Galante saga doesn't quite tell the complete story.

A Danbury businessman indicted last year in a federal probe of mob influence in the trash industry is facing new state charges of making illegal campaign contributions, his lawyer said Friday.

James Galante planned to turn himself in at the Bethany state police barracks Friday to face six counts of illegal campaign contributions, his attorney, Hugh Keefe, said.

Galante allegedly made about $38,000 in contributions to three political action committees in 2002 through straw donors, Keefe said. The PACS were not identified, Keefe said, and he would not disclose whom the alleged contributions were for.

Come with me to the Hartford Courant, get the DETAILS, and prepare yourself for a new round of excuses from two of the most honest Republicans in Connecticut that I know.

An indicted garbage executive who has been linked to state Sen. Louis DeLuca is likely to be arrested, perhaps as early as today, on charges of hiding campaign contributions to DeLuca and two other political figures, people familiar with the case said this week.

The charges are expected to be filed by state prosecutors and reflect allegations that garbage executive James Galante, in 2002, tried to disguise the fact that he was the source of nearly $40,000 in campaign contributions.

The funds went to DeLuca, R-Woodbury, state Sen. David J. Cappiello, R-Danbury, and an elected Republican municipal official from western Connecticut, where Galante operates a variety of trash hauling businesses. The people familiar with the case would not confirm the identify of the municipal official.

Hmm...an ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL FROM WESTERN CONNECTICUT. Now who could they be talking about?

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 to DeLuca, $15,000 to Cappiello and $8,000 to the municipal official. The 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.

The filing of campaign finance charges should have a minimal legal impact on Galante, who already faces substantial prison time if convicted of an array of federal racketeering, tax and other offenses. He is accused in a federal indictment, returned in June 2005, of using New York mob muscle to carve up the western Connecticut trash business and inflate prices. He denies the charges and is scheduled to be tried in a year.

But there could be political ramifications for the politicians if they are linked to illegal contributions.

Hopefully, the well-known ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL FROM WESTERN CONNECTICUT can do a better job in damage control than Cappiello.

Cappiello said that in 2002, Galante was a respected businessman who was widely known for his charitable giving - although he had recently been jailed on a tax charge. During that time, Galante had donated $3 million to causes in Cappiello's Senate District such as the American Red Cross and a local high school. "He was a philanthropist - at least I thought he was," Cappiello said.

More recently, after reading a Courant report about Galante contributions to a DeLuca political action committee, Cappiello said he became concerned about contributions he had received. He said he began "Googling" the names of donors to his political action committee. As a result, he said he learned that one of his contributors had been indicted with Galante.

With that knowledge, Cappiello said he contacted state and federal authorities, whose identities he would not disclose.

"I met with them a few times, and they informed me that, yes, indeed, that there were contributions to the PAC that were illegal," Cappiello said.

Googling Dave, Googling? Come on, my daughter can whip up a better whopper than that...and she can't walk yet.

I can't wait to hear the the well-known ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL FROM WESTERN CONNECTICUT'S excuse.

Gotta go...I have go look at someone's campaign financial statements (and PACs) from the last six years. While I'm at it, maybe I should take a look at the history of the ice rink (extra seats, inspections). I want to be prepared when the you-know-what hits the fan.

As word of Pauline Basso's racist emails (and Mayor Boughton's inaction) spread across the state and gets noticed across the country, an outraged Helena Abrantes lets the last honest man in Danbury have it between right between the eyes.

Helena Abrantes, Democratic candidate for Mayor, issued the following statement regarding recently disclosed racist e-mails.

“These e-mails are outrageous and offensive and have no place in our city. Unfortunately, they are the outgrowth of the politics of fear and division the current mayor has inflicted on Danbury. The mayor is the leader of our city and the Republican Party of which Mrs. Basso and he belong. Sadly, this reflects on his lack of leadership. He should be outraged as the rest of our community is about this matter. This situation has depicted Danbury in a negative light again. The people of Danbury expect and deserve better than this. Pitting people against people does not build a strong city. I want to see respect for one another and respect for community returned to Danbury,” Mrs. Abrantes stated.

“I agree with the NAACP, local religious leaders and The News-Times and believe it would be in the best interests of all the people of Danbury for Mrs. Basso to immediately resign her position,” she said.

Helena Abrantes and the Democratic Town Committee have worked hard to craft a platform targeted at bringing our entire community together through a civil discourse of the issues and challenges facing Danbury. This positive approach is directed in contrast to the air of division and polarization that has been permeating our community.

“Yet, the Mayor refuses to commit to my call for 3 additional debates, two of which have been offered by the Portuguese Civic League with the League of Women Voters, and another by the Debate Society at Western Connecticut State University,” Abrantes said.

“Thus far, the Mayor has indicated no intention of asking for Mrs. Basso’s resignation. It is becoming clearer everyday that, when its people versus politics, “people over politics” is just a hollow slogan,” Abrantes went on to say.

“I want to restore dignity, respect and civility to our City and its government,” Abrantes concluded.

The hits keep coming for Mr. People over Politics and his disgraceful majority leader.

Since the television networks left Danbury, the last honest man in Danbury crawled out of his spider hole and playing the slight of hand with the public and trying to protray himself as the "mediator"

Once again, this is complete B.S. Boughton was WELL AWARE of these emails for some time...HELL, everyone in the know, knew about Basso's racist emails, which didn't come to a surprise to anyone as in most people's minds, Pauline is about as intelligent as a bag of stones. Instead of doing the right thing when first approached by Rev. Pitts, Boughton did what he does best, NOTHING.

Lets recap:

• Basso's idiotic emails were released to various groups (and media) weeks ago.

• Rev. Pitts approached City Hall about the emails and received an inadequate response.

• Instead of doing the right thing and meeting with Rev. Pitts, on October 1st, Basso sent a half-hearted two paragraph to Pitts in an effort to keep the whole situation out of the public's spotlight (ALTHOUGH SHE ALSO OFFENDED MUSLIMS, LATINOS, AND WOMEN AND ANGERED THOSE GROUPS AS WELL).

• At the Common Council meeting, instead of Boughton and the Republican leadership doing the right thing and offering a public apology, Markie Mark and his political funky bunch acted like nothing happened and shamelessly went with their agenda (although a large group of people in the audience KNEW about the emails).

• When approached by the local media, Basso shows her true colors and shows how apologetic she really is about the whole disgusting affair. "I really have nothing to say...I sent an apology and that's it"

...Ah yes, this sounds JUST LIKE a person who's learned her lesson.

• When approached NOT BY THE COMFORTABLE LOCAL MEDIA but by the TELEVISION NETWORKS WHO HAVE NO PROBLEM ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS, Boughton and Basso tucked their tail between their legs and ran out of town.

• NOW, in a letter which Boughton expressed his annoyance to Rev. Pitts for calling the media on him, instead of showing leadership and calling for Basso and Urice's resignation, Boughton is buying time by calling for a "meeting."

Sorry Mark, you and Basso should have taken Rev. Pitts and the people who pissed off seriously when you had the chance.

---

Let's roll back to the video tape and listen to Rev. Pitts account on the reaction he received when he initially tried to work things out with City Hall.

---

Mayor Boughton, at this point, you're adding fuel to the fire and you're latest attempt to face the music is insulting to say the least.

YOU ALREADY HAD A CHANCE TO DEAL WITH YOUR CRACKPOT MAJORITY LEADER when you first heard about the emails and you did nothing.

No reprimand, no public apology, no call for her head.

Instead, you showed poor leadership did NOTHING in terms of addressing the situation with any sense of urgency. Even worse, instead of organizing a meeting with Basso, cowboy Joel Urice, and Rev. Pitts, you basically blew everything off while Basso (a.k.a Elise "deer-in-headlights" Marciano's BFF) wrote a shameless half-hearted letter to the NAACP.

...and lets not forget that YOU RAN AWAY LIKE A FRIGHTENED CHILD WHEN THE NETWORKS CAME LOOKING FOR YOU.

Is that what you call leadership Mayor Mark?

Is that what you call People over Politics?

Running tally on News-Times poll:

Basso needs to stand before the people who elected her -- most especially, those Danbury residents she insulted and offended -- and seek their forgiveness, not the forgiveness of Pitts.

Maybe Basso doesn't need to convene a special press conference like Pitts did Tuesday at City Hall. But certainly, an apology at a Common Council meeting -- with on-the-record comments -- would be a start.

[...]

As the city's mayor, as the city's top-ranking Republican, Boughton really needs to exercise "People Over Politics," as his re-election signs proclaim.

He needs to ask Basso to step down, even if there are only 31�„2 weeks left in her term. It's not enough to scold her in one breath and keep her on the Common Council in the next.

And yet, Urice is just as culpable as Basso in this whole sad affair. Over the last 48 hours, they have become hugely polarizing figures, touchstones for Danbury's changing population.

But understand, Basso and Urice are not the victims here. Don't make them out to be martyrs, public mouthpieces for ignorance and hate in Danbury.

Better yet, don't vote for them on Nov. 6.

-Brian Koonz Op/Ed
Danbury News-Times 10.10.07

Danbury is better than these latest symbols of hatred and ignorance.

Danbury is better than a stubborn mayor who hides away from the television media and operates his madness behind the scenes out of the public's view.

Although not scientific, the numbers against Basso are staggering. The public is standing up and speaking out and as each second goes by, the drumbeat gets louder.

BASSO, PLEASE RESIGN!

URICE, YOU'RE HOPELESS!

Here the complete footage of the Pauline Basso hate mail press conference held at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon.

It's been almost twenty-four hours and Pauline Basso is STILL no where to be found.

She's not answering her phone and/or returning calls from the press.

Here's the latest on the majority leader's AWOL status from WLAD's noon news report:



To this date, the only answer she she's given to the press regarding her disgusting behavior is this flippant remark to the News-Times.

"I really have nothing to say...I sent an apology and that's it."

Now, when you put Basso (a rabid supporter of Elise Marciano) response, and the mayor's reaction the entire disgraceful episode, into proper context, you get a better sense of how "apologetic" everyone is about this entire matter that has now placed a dark cloud on Danbury.

1: Basso offended not only African-Americans, but Latinos, women, and Muslims.

2: Basso NEVER MET with Rev. Pitts in regards to her offensive emails.

3: Although Basso was aware that Rev. Pitts was in possession of the emails since at least October 1st, she never issues a public apology to the public, specifically the various ethnic groups she offended, and only writes a private letter of apology to Rev. Pitts (although other organizations also received the emails).

4: Mayor Boughton was also aware of the emails but did not public state that he condemned the emails in an official statement to the public he swore to serve.

5: As you can read in the tone of Basso's response, the majority leader becomes irritated, states that her one private letter to Rev. Pitts was more than enough and states that she has nothing more to say.

6: The other Common Council member who received the emails from Basso over a series of months (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE...AS WELL AS EVERYONE WHO HAS A COPY OF THE EMAILS) hasn't come forward and offered an explanation for her role in the matter or at the very least condemn the majority leader.

7: Planning Commission member Joel Urice's response to his role in the emails is so over-the-top, full of crap, and painfully boneheaded that it warrants a separate post.

8: The anti-immigrant leeches avoidance of Basso's role in the matter, while spinning the issue on those who speak out only highlights their outright bigotry and hatred.

I'll get right to the point...this is complete bullshit plain and simple.

This is an unbelievable level of arrogance from our city's leaders that is completely unacceptable and goes to show everyone in the state (as well as the country) just how out-of-touch these so-called politicians are with reality.

For the mayor of the SEVENTH LARGEST CITY IN CONNECTICUT to run away from the television media, hide in his spider hole, position himself on the fetal position and suck on his thumb as the citizens who swore to serve cry outside his office for leadership is absolutely insane and speaks VOLUMES about this man's character.

It's painfully clear that for the last honest man in Danbury, the term "People over Politics" is just a slogan...a cute little catch phrase that carries little weight. Even now, AFTER THE TELEVISION STATIONS packed up and left City Hall, his latest excuses to the local media are heartless and lack the level of common sense you would expect from a billy goat.

A level of shame and disgust has fallen over the office of mayor, which Danbury hasn't seen since the days of Jim "quick Mary Ann, grab the papers before THEY get here" Dyer and political hacks like Basso, Urice, and Boughton have only themselves to blame.

Think I'm the only person pissed off, take a look at Brian Kootz's brutal piece in today's News-Times.

The Rev. Ivan S. Pitts, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church and president of the Danbury chapter of the NAACP, looked into the TV cameras and never blinked.

Not on this issue, not with one of Danbury's top public officials accused of peddling ignorance and hate over the Internet.

Surrounded by people of every color, Pitts came to City Hall on Tuesday to call for the resignation of Pauline R. Basso, the Common Council's majority leader and a veteran Republican.

Basso allegedly circulated at least five -- and as many as 15 -- racist and offensive e-mails targeting Africans, Latinos and Muslims. The e-mails were forwarded from April to August 2007.

"We are outraged, deeply concerned, offended and insulted, and find these e-mails unacceptable from anyone," Pitts told about 75 people gathered in front of City Hall.

"But when they come from the majority leader of the Common Council, Pauline Basso, an elected official, we find them particularly disturbing," he said.

[...]

It's no secret that Basso supports Danbury uniting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. But until Monday night, Basso's ugly Internet secret was locked in the closet.

But she wasn't the only one with a key.

Two other e-mails -- one about Mexican immigrants and one about "13 million illegal aliens" -- were sent to Basso by Joel Urice, a Republican member of the city's Planning Commission.

Like Basso, Urice is running for elected office next month. After serving on the Planning Commission as a full-time member for about a year, Urice is seeking a seat on the city's Zoning Commission.

"I just thought that it was funny," said Urice, an outspoken opponent of illegal immigration. "There was nothing intended about anything.

"I am definitely a believer in law and order," he said. "Once again, these people are a burden on our tax system and we're forced to pay for them. It was in no way a racial slur."

Of course, Urice's "these people" remark speaks louder than any denial.

Basso, who did not return a phone message from The News-Times seeking comment on Tuesday, has served on the Common Council for about 15 years.

Although Mayor Mark Boughton condemned Basso's actions, he stopped short of calling for her resignation, or even a public apology that stretched beyond one person.

In Boughton's mind, a two-paragraph apology to Pitts dated Oct. 1 was sufficient. It addressed the transgression.

Hardly.

Basso needs to stand before the people who elected her -- most especially, those Danbury residents she insulted and offended -- and seek their forgiveness, not the forgiveness of Pitts.

Maybe Basso doesn't need to convene a special press conference like Pitts did Tuesday at City Hall. But certainly, an apology at a Common Council meeting -- with on-the-record comments -- would be a start.

"Look, forwarding those e-mails was wrong and completely inappropriate," Boughton said. "Mrs. Basso has accepted responsibility and has issued an apology. It was certainly out of bounds and she shouldn't have done it.

"But she's already made a very public apology," Boughton insisted. "I would say, in terms of her resignation, that decision will be up to the voters to decide 3-and-a-half weeks from now. But again, I can't emphasize enough how inappropriate it was."

Make no mistake, there is no room for racism among public officials -- not one off-color remark, not one demeaning joke, not one hurtful e-mail.

To dismiss these e-mails as harmless is to miss the point. Racist jokes are just ignorance and hate cloaked in humor, no matter their source.

[...]

As the city's mayor, as the city's top-ranking Republican, Boughton really needs to exercise "People Over Politics," as his re-election signs proclaim.

He needs to ask Basso to step down, even if there are only 3 1/2 weeks left in her term. It's not enough to scold her in one breath and keep her on the Common Council in the next.

And yet, Urice is just as culpable as Basso in this whole sad affair. Over the last 48 hours, they have become hugely polarizing figures, touchstones for Danbury's changing population.

But understand, Basso and Urice are not the victims here. Don't make them out to be martyrs, public mouthpieces for ignorance and hate in Danbury.

Better yet, don't vote for them on Nov. 6.

Amen.

In closing, I think this video clip from yesterday's press conference makes the case.

Make no mistake, if the overwhelming amount of people who showed up and supported Rev. Pitts ON 1 P.M. ON A TUESDAY AFTERNOON is any indication, this matter is far from over and you out of touch Republicans who have no problem buddying up with the likes of Elise Marciano and her band of racist misfits better hurry-up and respond to the reality check that's slapping you in the face.


NOTE TO THE MAYOR, BASSO, AND ALL OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL INVOLVED IN THIS MESS

We are upset...we are hurt...we are ANGRY...and we make up the residents of Danbury that you're swore to represent.

Don't for one moment think that you can just hide and hope this latest act of arrogance and narrow-mindedness will just blow over. We're far beyond that point now and...in fact, we're quickly approaching the point of no return.

It would be in your best interest of the Republican leadership here in this city to grasp the seriousness of this situation and the hurt these emails has caused in the various ethnic groups that you usually overlook.

Mark: I question your leadership and your ability to make correct decisions in the face of criticism.

Joel: I question your common sense and wonder why you think your cowboy tactics (or twisted mind-set) have any place in reality of the world we live in.

Other elected officials involved in this matter (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE): Show some guts, come forward, do the right thing and condemn these emails. Your silence only leads people to believe that you see no problem in these hurtful messages.

Pauline: Please, please, please just resign.

Day two of BassoGATE and the last honest man in Danbury and his majority leader are no where to be found.

Let's get everyone up-to-date since the public release of Basso's boneheaded emails to her "pals."

1. The other Common Council member as well as the member of the Planning Commission have not stepped forward to explain their actions

2. The Pauline Basso email bombshell is still the talk of Connecticut with the story continuing to gain headlines on the networks (e.g., check the image on the right of the scrollbar during this morning's Good Morning America).

3. The only thing we have from Basso is:

• A half-hearted private "apology" in which we are to believe that she "learned" her lesson ALTHOUGH she offended several ethnic groups in Danbury in a series of offensive emails over a series of months (ranging from April to August) and,

• A flippant response in yesterday's News-Times in which Basso states "I really have nothing to say...I sent an apology and that's it." This comes from a person and a mayor who tried everything to keep this quiet as opposed to Basso doing the right thing and apologizing to the entire public for unacceptable behavior (again, the emails were sent over a series of months.

4. The public anger towards Basso is intensifying to an alarming level as more members of the public view the emails that were distributed yesterday.

The man who proclaims "People over Politics" wouldn't return phone calls from the media and his majority leader (who was seen at City Hall during the morning) has somehow vanished off the face of the earth.

WHERE'S THE LEADERSHIP in a Mayor and Majority leader that refuse to answer questions from the television networks?

WHERE'S THE LEADERSHIP in a Majority leader who offers flippant remarks when questioned about her disgusting emails?

WHERE'S THE LEADERSHIP in the other Republicans who don't step forward and express regret over their role in the whole matter? Your silence speaks volumes about your character.

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.

1 P.M. City Hall.

Prepare to be outraged.

Since it's such a beautiful weekend, I'm taking advantage of the weather and do some yard work.

If you didn't get a chance to attend the homecoming yesterday at Western Connecticut State University, the News-Times has a good write-up on the game.

UPDATE 10.08.07: Sorry about the lack of posts but I'm really busy right now. I'll get things back up to speed soon (hopefully, later today).