VOTE FOR CHANGE: Liveblogging from Dem HQ

Saturday, November 03, 2007
Time: 1:50 PM





(This is a liveblog thread).

1:50 P.M. Live from Democratic Headquarters at 161 Main Street, this is HatCityBLOG's coverage of VOTE FOR CHANGE weekend. Throughout the day, I'll provide live and taped interviews of candidates and volunteers who are working tirelessly to get out the vote here in Danbury.

If you want to come down and help, the address is 161 Main Street, and phone number is 203.778.3661.













2:15 P.M.Live-stream Interview with Dwayne Perkins (D)-Common Council 5th Ward.



2:30: Live stream Interview=Paul Rotello.



3:00: Next interview John Gogliettino Common Council At Large.



3:20: Footage from Dem HQ. I'm taking a small break so I've turned the camera to the phone banking that's going on at the headquarters. You can watch any of the interviews I've conducted so far and I'll be back with more interviews...

4:25: Okay, I'm back. People are working their tails off down here but they can always use more help. If you want to volunteer, come down to 161 Main Street and say "How can I help!"

I'm currently producing video footage I shot with Eileen Coladarci, candidate for City Clerk. The camera is pointed at the people doing the phone banking and the person you're looking at is Chris Halfar, Common Council candidate for the 7th Ward.

I'll have the interview with Coladarci posted shortly.


CAMPAIGN SPOTLIGHT: Eileen Coladarci for City Clerk


Earlier today, I had the opportunity to interview Eileen Coladarci, candidate for City Clerk.

Here's her resume:
Eileen Coladarci, a Danbury native, attended public schools in Danbury, including Danbury High and has been on the Danbury Democratic Town Committee since 2004, currently serving as webmaster for www.danburydemocrats.net. She spent nine years on the Common Council, two of which as Legislative Leader.

Eileen has served as chair and fundraising chair of Danbury Youth Services, and was instrumental in spearheading one of their major, and most popular, fundraising mechanisms - the annual Police Department/Fire Department basketball tournament.

Eileen has demonstrated experience in public relations, evident through her work with artists and graphic designers who have graduated from the Western Connecticut State University art program. Through the website www.wcsu.edu/artalumni, she provides art alumni a way to reconnect, as well as to stay abreast of job opportunities and art shows and events. Eileen also provides publicity for the Kent Art Association, serves as treasurer of the Richter Arts Association, and frequently works with the Danbury Hospital Public Relations department.

Eileen has a Masters degree from Western Connecticut State University and is currently working at WCSU as the administrator of special events and stewardship.

She celebrates over 30 years of marriage to Emil Coladarci, another Danbury native, and has two sons and one daughter-in-law, Chris, Richie and Jenna, respectively.

Eileen is a member of St. Gregory the Great Church.
Here's my interview with the woman who's going to hand Jean Natale her pink slip...

Recently, Coladarci made an appearance on the local ac cess show "Common Sense," which you can view by clicking here.

Make sure to check out Coladarci's site at www.voteeileen.com.



6:00 Thanks for watching!

Vote for change weekend


Time: 12:38 PM

Democratic mayoral candidate Helena Abrnates and 2nd Ward Common Council candidate Ken Gucker
have a bite to eat after greeting customers at JKs this morning
JKs Restaurant, 11.03.07. photo by ctblogger

Since this is the final weekend before the election, I've decided to ramp up things a bit here at HatCityBLOG.

This afternoon (starting around 1 P.M) and throughout the weekend, I'm going to provide live footage of all the campaign action from Democratic Headquarters. I have a whole day lined up with exclusive interviews with candidates running on the Democratic ticket as well as supporters who are doing all they can to GOTV (get out the vote).

HatCityBLOG is pushing People-Powered Media(PPM) to the next level! Stay tuned...

Helena Abrantes release new highly-critical radio ad

Friday, November 02, 2007
Time: 6:10 PM


Whoa, I guess the gloves are off.


Last night, the Helena Abrantes campaign released a radio ad that will go down as one of the most critical campaign pieces in recent Danbury political history.

Hitting this mayor on everything from racism, or political corruption, not only will this ad is certain to raise eyebrows and gain attention, but it also paints a clear and accurate picture of the last honest man, his administration and his extremist Republican puppets who bring shame to OUR city.

Not to steal their thunder, you can go check out the new radio on the Abrantes campaign website.

Helena Abrantes BRT Tax deferral media center


Time: 11:55 AM



(bumped to top)

The Helena Abrantes Campaign set up a special section of their website dedicated to the Democrats call upon Mark BOUGHTon to repeal the BRT/Crosby Street seven year tax assessment deferral. There you can read and listen to all the media coverage from the News-Times and WLAD surrounding yesterday's news conference, as well as any future press releases on the subject.

You can access the page by clicking here.

The campaign also announced that Helena will be a guest on the local access show Community Forum tonight at 9:00 on Comcast Channel 23 Ideas at Work and Beyond today at 12:00 PM on Comcast Channel 23.

HatCityBLOG EXCLUSIVE: BRT Tax Deferral press conference


Time: 9:52 AM

(I'm dedicating a majority of this weekend to covering the BRT tax deferral case. If there is anything that symbolizes everything that's wrong with the current administration (irresponsible development, traffic, strain on resources, property taxes, cronyism, partisanship, political dishonesty), it's this project).

From Wednesday, here's the unedited version of the BRT tax deferral press conference featuring Helena Abrantes, Common Council members, and candidates running for office.

The Helena Abrantes campaign has a section of their website dedicated to the BRT tax deferral. There you can read the News-Times article, as well as here WLAD's report, on the Democrats proposal and petition to rescind the deferral. All the information you'll ever need from Abrantes and the Democratic team is one click away.


When is Boughton going to fork over Galante's dirty money

Thursday, November 01, 2007
Time: 5:00 PM

One thing people haven't talked about is why hasn't Mayor "People over Politics" coughed up the 8,000 in illegal campaign contributions he received from James Galante yet?

State Senator David Cappiello stepped up to the plate and did the right thing, what about the last honest man?
Sen. Joe Lieberman is the fourth and most prominent elected official to be tied into the scheme that got local trash tycoon James Galante charged with violating state campaign finance laws. A records review by the Hartford Courant indicates that Galante bundled $14,000, bypassing legal limits, to Lieberman's 2004 presidential bid through the friends and family of employees. (Lieberman hasn't been charged with any wrongdoing.)

Meanwhile, State Sen. Louis DeLuca is under intense pressure to resign due to FBI recordings of him asking Galante to send someone to threaten his grandson-in-law. And Danbury mayor Mark Boughton continues to attest he could not have known a third of his PAC's 2003 intake came from Galante, who was well-connected in the city.

State Sen. David Cappiello looks most likely to emerge from this mess with half a halo.

"About five years ago, one of [Galante's] employees gave me a bunch of checks," says Cappiello, a Republican representing Danbury. "I thought it was strange and went to the authorities and they said it was clear."

Investigators would eventually determine that the $15,000 Galante associates gave to Cappiello's PAC was not "clear." Cappiello says he then split the money between the Red Cross, YMCA, St. Jude's Medical Center, Ability Beyond Disability and Newman's Own. He's washed his hands of Galante's money, but says, "When I met him, he seemed like a nice guy, genuinely concerned about Danbury and I'm not sure all of that was a front... He did give some $3 million to my district."

Well, if Cappiello can do it, should Boughton follow his lead? Heck, while Mark's at it, he should just confess to the April 2003 donations to his re-election campaign as well and also give those contributions over to charity.

It's only something a honest man would do right?

Fairfield Weekly takes another shot at the last honest man


Time: 4:44 PM


Oh man, the way The Fairfield Weekly is hammering Mayor Mark, I don't we'll see a Weekly box on Main Street for some time.

The latest article from my favorite weekly has it all, Boughton's hiding in his spider hole and refusing to talk to the media during the Basso/Urice/Teicholtz email debacle, Boughton MISLEADING THE PUBLIC about the city's role in the Danbury 11 sweep, the James Galante "I had no idea about the" illegal campaign contributions, school over-crowding, bigotry running amok, etc. Hell, they even goof on that candidate FROM BETHEL who walks around in an Uncle Sam outfit and suggests that residents shoot and kill members of the immigrant community.

NOTE: The Weekly is a sister paper of The Hartford Courant...you know, that paper that has the goods when it comes to Mayor Boughton, James Galante, illegal campaign contributions and other goodies like improvements to the ice rink, etc, etc.
Pardon the one-sidedness of our look at the Danbury mayoral race. Republican incumbent Mark Boughton declined to talk to us. And Concerned Citizens candidate John McGowan demanded we never call him again after we asked him to clarify statements he made on a public-access show implying that residents should shoot undocumented immigrants.

So that leaves Democrat Helena Abrantes. And while we couldn’t talk to Boughton, we can talk about him—and even without his input, we should. Education, business development and affordable housing are just as important to Danbury as they are to the rest of the county, but the talk of the town is Boughton’s hard-line, headline-grabbing approach to illegal immigration and its ripple effects.

“By going on CNN and Lou Dobbs, he hurt the city because everybody is talking about Danbury and how bad it is,” says Abrantes, a former town clerk and three-term common councilwoman. “Why would somebody want to move to Danbury after hearing that?”

Boughton has taken a hands-on approach to problems presented by an influx of Brazilians and Ecuadorians—plenty of them undocumented. His UNIT (Unified Neighborhood Inspection Team) initiative cracked down on rowdy volleyball games, which Boughton told the Weekly in August were “part of an underground economy where some people sold food and wagered money to pay their rent” and wanted Immigration and Customs Services to deputize Danbury police to enforce immigration laws. In Sept., 2006, ICE apprehended 11 Ecuadorian day laborers in Kennedy Park, and the resulting racial-profiling lawsuit against the city revealed that Danbury police officers made the arrests, though Boughton had said that the city played no role in the raid.

Abrantes says, under her administration “if someone is a criminal, [ICE] can go into Danbury and arrest them but I’m not going to do something illegal to get them. That could cost us a lot of money; the city is getting sued. You have to use the laws that are there.” (In past interviews, Boughton has said he couldn’t discuss the suit as it is ongoing. He’s toned down the rhetoric, telling the Danbury News-Times, “People are passionate on both sides.”)

Abrantes says there are other ways to address the problem than raids. “Businesses are creating false documents for some of these workers,” she says. “The police can go undercover and stop that sort of thing.”


The problems caused by the Boughton immigration plan extend outside the courtroom and outside the immigrant community, says Abrantes. Boughton may have “opened Pandora’s Box.”

If you go online and read the comments at the newspaper’s site, I have never seen such bigotry in my life; I didn’t even know people used those sort of words anymore,” she says of the semi-infamous NewsTimes.com. “What’s scary is that all the anger in the city is giving credence to people who’d ordinarily be in the shadows.” She points to the recent scandal in which two Republican officials, neither of whom has apologized publicly, were caught forwarding emails with crude Latino caricatures. “I don’t think there would be such acceptance for that sort of thing if we were talking about this civilly and realistically.”

Abrantes made it clear she doesn’t think Boughton is a racist, just a politician. “It’s political posturing,” she says. “I think he’s gearing up to run for something else.”

Okay. That’s out of the way. Let’s talk about other issues.

Danbury High School is over capacity and the principal was warned by the fire marshal. What would you do about that? “I’d talk to the owner of the Palace Theatre on Main Street and start a science, technology and arts school. I’d also look into another magnate school.”

Taxes? “We need to bring in a business base and stable source of taxes...Taxes have gone up every year since Boughton took office. Water and sewage have gone up too. That needs to change.”

Housing? “We’ve been overdeveloped in recent years and need to regulate it better… In Danbury, they are building either multi-family units or McMansions. There’s nothing in between for the middle class-person.”

Main Street? “The zoning shows aren’t being enforced. There are a lot of signs and trash that have popped up since they took the cops on bikes off the streets. I’d like to hire 32 more police officers and get some of them who are behind desks out in the streets.”

An instant Weekly classic indeed!

Abrantes rips Boughton to shreds, makes her case for mayor


Time: 12:24 PM


Last night, Democratic mayoral candidate Helena Abrantes made an appearance on the local access show "Community Forum" and outlined her vision for Danbury, while ripping the mayor to shreds.

From the strain six year's of Boughton's over-development policy has placed on Danbury's infrastructure and his ignoring the over-crowding of the school system, to criticizing the mayor for accepting illegal campaign contributions and using the topic of illegal immigration for political purposes, Abrantes made her case in what should be considered her best interview to date.

UPDATE: Due to demand, here are highlights from her interview:

UPDATE 2: The Helena Abrantes campaign has set up a section of their website where you can read, as well as watch, Abrantes give her views on the issues plauging Danbury by clicking here.

Illegal Immigraiton:



School over-crowding:



Vision for the Palace Theater



Boughton's irresponsible development:



Boughton-BRT/Crosby tax deferral:



Traffic problems:



Here's the complete interview.


Follow the money trail: The Republican Town Committee edition


Time: 10:21 AM

Something is strange here.

I've been waiting some time to take a look at the finance reports of the Republican Town Committee and the ghosts of the old corrupt Democratic Party, who now make up the local Elephant's trunk of today, didn't let me down.

PLEASE download the latest report, the report from July, and Boughton's reports from the same time period and look them over for anything unusual. I have a few questions for the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission and once I get the answers, I'll update this post and let you know what's troubling me.

Danbury Republican Town Committee Report: July 10 2007 (pdf file):
Danbury Republican Town Committee Report: October 10 2007 (pdf file):

LIVE STREAMING VIDEO: Helena Abrantes fundraiser with State Senate President Don Williams

Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Time: 11:00 PM


(rebroadcast bumped to the top)

In an effort to test out new features I plan to add to this site, I've decided to try and broadcast a fundraiser being held for Helena Abrantes tonight.

The special guest for tonight's gathering will be Connecticut State Senate President Pro Tempore Donald Williams (maybe I'll ask him a few questions about Galante/DeLuca/Capiello/Boughton illegal campaign contributions).

This is a liveblog post, which means it will be updated throughout the evening. If all goes well, the steam will start around 6:30.

7:00 PM: Live streaming now.

7:28 PM: Had to be reset the stream.

9:20 PM: More interviews coming. Next up to bat, former mayor Gene Eriquez.

10:00 PM: Thanks for viewing! YouTube videos upcoming.

10.31.07: Here's a replay of the Youstream of the fund raiser. Hi-Res Youtube clips will be posted later.

Part 1 (featuring Helena Abrantes and State Rep. Jason Bartlett and State Senate President Don Williams):



Part 2 (featuring State Rep Bob Godfrey):



Part 3 (featuring former Mayor Gene Eriquez):


The results are in


Time: 1:35 PM

The people have spoken.




Image C will forever symbolize our soon to be former City Clerk.

Remember to stop by and say hello to our next City Clerk.

Setting the record straight on who playing politics


Time: 12:58 PM

The Green Monster on Crosby Street
Photo by ctblogger

In honor of Mayor Boughton's dishonest remarks regarding the seven year tax giveway to BRT, HatCityBLOG will devote most of the day going back through the video archive and carefully detail how the this giveaway to a residential developer is a no winner for tax-payers. We'll also show you how Boughton and his goons pulled out all the stops to block attempts to rescind this HUGE tax give away.

Question for Gregg


Time: 12:19 PM







Hey Mr. Extra Credit...I have a question for you.









Are you running for State Rep...


or Common Council?

BREAKING NEWS: Press conference to be held at 5 P.M.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Time: 4:45 PM

Just got word that the Democratic Party is holding press conference at 5 P.M.

I'm running out the door now to videotape the presser...be back soon.

Helena Abrantes launches new TV ad, describes her vision for Danbury


Time: 2:24 PM




Today, the Helena Abrantes campaign launched a new TV ad that's getting a great deal of play on Comcast (I've seen it three times on CNN and MSNBC this morning alone).

The ad that gets right to the point when it comes to the problems six years of Mark Boughton's "leadership" has created for us in Danbury.

You can read more information on the person who's going to hand the last honest man in Danbury his pink slip at her interactive website, which includes video clips of Helena speaking on about issues that are on the minds of most Danburians.

DEVELOPING...

Play along

Monday, October 29, 2007
Time: 4:15 PM

In honor of City Clerk Jean Natale's latest campaign piece (the worse piece of campaign material I've ever seen in my life), I've decided to lighten things up a bit and give everyone a little play along.

A: Pick your favorite Jean moment:


VOTING CLOSED


B: Click here and say hi to your next City Clerk.

Have fun...I'll bring you the results later.

The timebomb gets louder

Sunday, October 28, 2007
Time: 12:44 PM

Again if Mark Boughton wins re-election, keep a VERY CLOSE eye on who's the next Common Council president, I have the VERY strong impression that whoever is President, will be the next mayor...and it won't be because of an election.

Ed Mahony and Jon Lender of The Hartford Courant are ALL OVER the Galante/Boughton/Cappiello/DeLuca connection. Between the mainstream and online media, we're connecting all the dots and the evidence being unearthed is really, really damaging. Now, you can add another person to the mix, George Bush's favorite Democrat.
Contributions from associates and friends of now-indicted garbage executive James Galante to the 2004 presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman have sparked the interest of federal investigators.

Lieberman's bid for the White House took in at least $14,000 from Galante, his associates and their relatives in the fall of 2003, according to a Courant review of campaign records.

The contributions to Lieberman, a longtime Democrat who became an independent in 2006, are similar to allegedly bundled contributions to three Republican officeholders that earlier this month led to state charges against Galante, who is also facing a 2006 federal racketeering indictment.

What's more, people familiar with the campaign matters say, the names of Lieberman, the three Republicans and about a dozen other Connecticut and New York politicians have turned up on what the FBI loosely refers to as a "ledger" that agents seized from Galante's office while investigating mob influence in the trash industry.

The so-called ledger, a subject of interest to a legislative committee investigating state Sen. Louis DeLuca, R-Woodbury, summarizes information provided to Galante by his lobbyists on fundraising goals set by a number of candidates, the people familiar with the documents said.

[...]

What's more, people familiar with the campaign matters say, the names of Lieberman, the three Republicans and about a dozen other Connecticut and New York politicians have turned up on what the FBI loosely refers to as a "ledger" that agents seized from Galante's office while investigating mob influence in the trash industry.

The so-called ledger, a subject of interest to a legislative committee investigating state Sen. Louis DeLuca, R-Woodbury, summarizes information provided to Galante by his lobbyists on fundraising goals set by a number of candidates, the people familiar with the documents said.

Now it turns out that several of those same employees, friends and relatives gave a total of $10,000 to Lieberman's campaign on Nov. 25 and 26, 2003, a Courant examination of federal campaign finance records shows.

[...]

Cappiello, DeLuca and Boughton have not themselves been targeted by authorities, and all three said what Lieberman is saying now - that they thought the contributions were legitimate and had no idea Galante could have been manipulating the finances.
It's just a matter of time...

Between the obvious bundled contributions to Boughton's PAC in October 2003, and similar donations to his re-election campaign in April 2003, one of the alleged illegal campaign contributor's address in the mayor's report listed as the police station, and the stranger than fiction excuses from the last honest man himself, it's a wonder that Boughton is even commenting on this matter at all.

Oh, I get it...he wasn't under oath.

"What part of illegal..." pollutes the debate


Time: 11:33 AM

Simple-minded people like to make a simple case over illegal immigration. Anti-immigrant political cheerleaders such as Pauline Basso, Joel Urice, and their kind are so narrow-minded in their "what part of illegal don't you understand" beliefs that they pose a serious danger to the public as a whole and need to be voted out of political office A.S.A.P.

Enablers such as the shameless Mary Teicholtz, the leaderless Mark Boughton, and a whole host of Republicans that make up the "silent majority" are equally as dangerous and help contributed in making Danbury views as the armpit of Connecticut.

As we move past the election, more effort should be placed not only on educating the public and debunking the mentality of extremists who bring harm to OUR city, but to fight back against individuals who carelessly promote such a narrow-minded anti-immigration agenda, which has served this city no good.

The New York Times has an excellent write-up that explains why those who scream "illegal" should be avoided (and ignored) at all costs.
I am a human pileup of illegality. I am an illegal driver and an illegal parker and even an illegal walker, having at various times stretched or broken various laws and regulations that govern those parts of life. The offenses were trivial, and I feel sure I could endure the punishments — penalties and fines — and get on with my life. Nobody would deny me the chance to rehabilitate myself. Look at Martha Stewart, illegal stock trader, and George Steinbrenner, illegal campaign donor, to name two illegals whose crimes exceeded mine.

Good thing I am not an illegal immigrant. There is no way out of that trap. It’s the crime you can’t make amends for. Nothing short of deportation will free you from it, such is the mood of the country today. And that is a problem.

America has a big problem with illegal immigration, but a big part of it stems from the word “illegal.” It pollutes the debate. It blocks solutions. Used dispassionately and technically, there is nothing wrong with it. Used as an irreducible modifier for a large and largely decent group of people, it is badly damaging. And as a code word for racial and ethnic hatred, it is detestable.

“Illegal” is accurate insofar as it describes a person’s immigration status. About 60 percent of the people it applies to entered the country unlawfully. The rest are those who entered legally but did not leave when they were supposed to. The statutory penalties associated with their misdeeds are not insignificant, but neither are they criminal. You get caught, you get sent home.

Since the word modifies not the crime but the whole person, it goes too far. It spreads, like a stain that cannot wash out. It leaves its target diminished as a human, a lifetime member of a presumptive criminal class. People are often surprised to learn that illegal immigrants have rights. Really? Constitutional rights? But aren’t they illegal? Of course they have rights: they have the presumption of innocence and the civil liberties that the Constitution wisely bestows on all people, not just citizens.

Many people object to the alternate word “undocumented” as a politically correct euphemism, and they have a point. Someone who sneaked over the border and faked a Social Security number has little right to say: “Oops, I’m undocumented. I’m sure I have my papers here somewhere.”

But at least “undocumented” — and an even better word, “unauthorized” — contain the possibility of reparation and atonement, and allow for a sensible reaction proportional to the offense. The paralysis in Congress and the country over fixing our immigration laws stems from our inability to get our heads around the wrenching change involved in making an illegal person legal. Think of doing that with a crime, like cocaine dealing or arson. Unthinkable!

So people who want to enact sensible immigration policies to help everybody — to make the roads safer, as Gov. Eliot Spitzer would with his driver’s license plan, or to allow immigrants’ children to go to college or serve in the military — face the inevitable incredulity and outrage. How dare you! They’re illegal.

Meanwhile, out on the edges of the debate — edges that are coming closer to the mainstream every day — bigots pour all their loathing of Spanish-speaking people into the word. Rant about “illegals” — call them congenital criminals, lepers, thieves, unclean — and people will nod and applaud. They will send money to your Web site and heed your calls to deluge lawmakers with phone calls and faxes. Your TV ratings will go way up.

This is not only ugly, it is counterproductive, paralyzing any effort toward immigration reform. Comprehensive legislation in Congress and sensible policies at the state and local level have all been stymied and will be forever, as long as anything positive can be branded as “amnesty for illegals.”

Many of those phrases in that article can be heard flowing from teh mouths of such talking heads like Urice, Tom Bennett, Lynn Waller, and the colorful Marciano, as well as people who don't deserve to hold office. People with this mentality are like cancer on a body that requires a drastic amount of chemotherapy.

As we move forward, hopefully we can finally come together as a community and eradicate those who divide our city from the dialogue hold accountable those elected-officials who have accepted this idiotic approach to a federal problem soley for political purposes.

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No part of the content or the blog may be reproduced without prior written permission.
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CITY OF DANBURY VIDEO ARCHIVE (Dec 2012-present)

The Mercurial (RIP)
Danbury News Times
Danbury Patch
Danbury Hamlet Hub
Danbury Daily Voice
Tribuna Newspaper
CT News Junkie
CT Capitol Report

10.03.18 (PDF):
"Approval of Danbury Prospect Charter School"

10.30.20 (HatCityBLOG VID): Charter School discussion during 2020 interview with Julie Kushner

2018 (RADIO): WLAD
"State Board of Ed signs off on Danbury charter school proposal"

08.20 (VID): CT-LEAD
"Stand up for Education Justice" Rally

08.20.20 (OP-ED): KUSHNER: "Charter schools are not ‘magic bullet’ to improving Danbury schools"

09.13.20 (OP-ED): CHAPMAN
Candidate for state Senate supports charter school for Danbury

01.15.21 (VID): CT-LEAD
Danbury Prospect Charter School press conference

03.19.21 (OP-ED): CT MIRROR
"Danbury leaders do not want a charter school"

04.01.21 (OP-ED): CT-LEAD:
"Why did Sen. Kushner vote against us?"

05.06.21 (VID): Danbury rally to fully fund public schools

10.07.21 (VID): Danbury City-Wide PTO "Meet the Candidates" education forum

10.07.21 NEWSTIMES
Danbury candidates quarrel over charter school, education funding

01.10.22 NEWSTIMES
"New operator named for Danbury charter school: ‘I’m a huge advocate for parent choice’"

01.10.22 NEWSTIMES
"Some Danbury Democrats ‘open minded’ about charter school after new, CT operator named"

01.21.22 (OP-ED): CT MIRROR
"Lessons from Danbury: Ending the dual process for charter school approval"

02.09.22 NEWSTIMES
"Proposed Danbury charter school won’t open in 2022, governor leaves funding out of budget"

02.18.22 NEWSTIMES:
Danbury residents plead for charter school funds in 9-hour state budget hearing: ‘Just exhausted’

03.05.22 (LTE):
Time has come for Danbury charter school

03.12.22 (OP-ED): TAYLOR
"Why I am excited about the Danbury Charter School"

03.16.22 (LTE):
"Why a Danbury Charter School?"

04.02.22 CT EXAMINER:
"Crowding and a Lack of Options for Danbury Students, But No Agreement on Solutions"

04.04.22 (OP-ED): DCS
"Danbury Charter School plans debut"

04.07.22 (PODCAST): (CEA)
"SENATOR KUSHNER DISCUSSES POINTS OF OPTIMISM FOR DANBURY PUBLIC SCHOOLS"

04.18.22 (VID): CT-LEAD
Protest press conference

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"

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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.

CLICK HERE TO READ/DOWNLOAD MAYOR BOUGHTON'S DEPOSITION

CLICK HERE TO READ/DOWNLOAD MIKE McLACHLAN (then MAYOR CHIEF OF STAFF) DEPOSITION

Danbury Area Coalition for the Rights of Immigrants v.
U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security
3:06-cv-01992-RNC ( D. Conn. )

(02.25.08) Court docket

(10.24.07) Memorandum in Opposition to Defendant's Emergency Motion for Protective Order

(09.26.07) Press Release

(12.14.06) Complaint


Barrera v. Boughton, No. 07-01436
(D. Conn. filed Sept. 26, 2007)

(02.25.08) Court Docket

Amended complaint

Defendants' Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction

Defendants' Motion to Dismiss State Law Claims

Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Dismiss

Order on Motion to Dismiss

Defendants' Answer to Amended Complaint

NEW HAVEN REGISTER: Immigrant's 2006 arrest was flawed Danbury mayor testifies

(10.05.07 (VIDEO) Boughton mislead the public about Danbury's involvement in raid

(09.18.07) Yale Law Students expose Danbury involvement in raid

(12.14.06) VIDEO: Interview with Yale Law Students at FOI presser

(12.14.06) VIDEO: Danbury 11 FOI complaint media roundup

City Clerk Jean Natale standing next to skinhead sparks outrage

(10.03.06) VIDEO: Danbury 11 rally

(09.29.06) VIDEO: Danbury 11 case deepens

Word of raid spread across the country

(09/29/06) VIDEO: Danbury 11 protest news conference

(09/29/06) Immigrant newspaper "El Canillita" gives best account of ICE day labor raid at Kennedy Park


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VIDEO: Tereza Pereira's ordeal with ICE agents

VIDEO: Danbury Peace Coalition Immigration Forum (April 2006)
featuring Mayor Boughton and Immigration attorney Philip Berns

VIDEO: 2007 Stop the Raids immigration forum at WCSU

2007: Community protest anti-immigration forum

A tribute to Hispanic Center Director and immigrant activist Maria Cinta Lowe

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2023 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Results:
11.15.23 Recanvass return
(Head Moderator Return Format)

11.07.23: Election night returns
(Head Moderator Return Format)

11.07.23: Initial returns


ESPOSITO FINANCE REPORTS:
Oct 10 2022
Jan 10 2023
Apr 10 2023
Jul 10 2023
Oct 10 2023

ALVES FINANCE REPORTS:
Apr 10 2023
Jul 10 2023
Oct 10 2023

CAMPAIGN SLATE DATABASE
Dem/GOP slate/ballot position

VIDEO: DRTC convention
VIDEO: DDTC conveniton


2021 (ALVES/ESPOSITO)

TOWN COMMITTEES
(VID) DDTC nomination convention
(PDF) DDTC campaign slate flyer

(VID) DRTC nomination convention
(PDF) DRTC campaign slate flyer

FORUMS/DEBATES
(VID) 2021 Danbury City-Wide PTO educational forum

CAMPAIGN FINANCE
First quarter
Alves Apr 10th SEEC filing

Second quarter
Alves Jul 10th SEEC filing
Esposito Jul 10th SEEC filing

Third quarter
Alves Oct 12th SEEC report
Esposito Oct 12th SEEC report

CAMPAIGN MAILERS
Alves "Jan 6th" attack mailer 10.21.21
Esposito "you can't trust Alves" attack mailer 10.20.21
Alves mailer 10.20.21
Alves mailer 09.30.21
Esposito mailer 09.28.21
Alves mailer 09.27.21
Esposito mailer 09.27.21


PAST CAMPAIGN COVERAGE

2005 (BOUGHTON/ESPOSITO)
Danbury 2005 election results
Newstimes Dean Esposito profile (10.25.05)

2007 (BOUGHTON/ABRANTES)
Danbury 2007 election results
(VID) Helana Abrantes TV ad
(VID) BRT tax deferral presser
(VID) Helena Abrantes "Community Forum" interview

2009 (BOUGHTON/GONCALVES)
Danbury 2009 election results
(VID) 2009 Danbury City-Wide PTO educational forum
(VID) 2009 Danbury Chamber of Commerce mayoral debate
(VID) 2009 DDTC nomination convention

2011 (BOUGHTON/TABORSAK)
Danbury 2011 election results
(VID) Saadi/Nero campaign kickoff

2013 (BOUGHTON/NO DTC ENDORSED CANDIDATE/MCALLISTER)
Danbury 2013 election results
(VID) 2013 DDTC nominaiton convention

2015 (BOUGHTON UNCHALLENGED)
Danbury 2015 election results

2017 (BOUGHTON/ALMEIDA)
Danbury 2017 election results
(VID) Al Almeida concession speech
(VID) 2017 Danbury City-Wide PTO educational forum
(VID) Al Almeida nomination acceptance speech

2019 (BOUGHTON/SETARO)
Danbury 2019 election results
(VID) 2019 NewsTimes Editorial Board interview with Mark Boughton and Chris Setaro
(VID) 2019 Danbury City-Wide PTO educational forum
(VID) 2019 Danbury Chamber of Commerce mayoral debate
(VID) 2019 convention endorsement speeches from Mark Boughton and Chris Setaro