Guest post: Campaign 08, part 2

Friday, October 24, 2008
Time: 11:30 AM

Here's part two of guest poster's I.C. Presumptive's write-up on the 2008 Presidential campaign.

(you can read part one of this post by clicking here).

I.C., once again, the floor is yours.




In Part I, I attempted to lay out possible interpretations and directions that could or might be drawn from Barack Obama’s campaign. I’ve mentioned the possibility that he seeks to empower the people of this country such that they would become sovereign. That his means to that end would be justice as the measure of political policy, not profits. This would of course displace corporations from that seat of sovereign power that they have so infamously projected and corrupted throughout the Bush and many other administrations.

In the context then of who we want to be and how we are going to get there as a people, we must become aware we are limited by our ignorance, by our lack of vision, by our lack of purpose. Instead of a national discussion toward such quality purpose in national life we have accepted substitutes. Foremost, we have signed on for mountains of consumer goods—gadgets in place of life. To life’s great question, whether ‘To Be or to Have,’ Americans have overwhelming chosen getting and having. Choices that were for the most part completely oblivious and impervious to the profound effects they would have on our selves, on our children, on our environment, on our loss of control of our government.

We have allowed a media owned and operated for profit alongside an entertainment industry with the same purpose, to sell images in place of careful and thoughtful, skeptical inquiry. Their obvious purpose is to soothe, divert and convey a diluted, pathetic version of our political condition. Neil Postman called it Amusing Ourselves to Death. A captured press largely beholden to government regulation of the airwaves and trust combining mergers, is constantly bleating its corporate voice, questioning little or nothing about government connivance with corporations in order to gain more government help. It speaks the bah, bah, bah of corporate sheep, asking for welfare, nothing more.

The least benign substitution for a national purpose of quality is the U.S. world wide military empire. Created at our expense by constantly invented and reinvented fear, it conveys, portrays and portends that we might—could possibly be—certainly are vulnerable to—and almost certainly will soon face—being run over. This by the government that spends more on military might than all the rest of the world’s countries combined.

It is the grand strategy for it guarantees that the greater part of the economy is under military-industrial control or linked to it. Such profits can be secure and inflate others because are in fact guaranteed, the economy steadied by the preposterous military waste. There will always be the ‘need’ for more and little competition to build it. That civil society is stricken, starved and wasted by such allocation is seldom considered. In hidden speech and ruling circles it is made out that prosperity could not exist without military waste. Some of that is undoubtedly believed by the public until the economy collapses under the weight of so much diversion of resources. Fortunately, reality is now more transparent as our sand castle economy disintegrates before our eyes.

The deceitful and simplistic explanations and excuses for this disintegration frightens witches off their brooms but unless the public is vigilant it will all be devised and redirected to divert attention from the madcaps. That is, from the scarab beetles like Dick Cheney and his cohorts who have been tunneling into the ground of national life for years, sucking the resources of the country toward themselves.

As a people we have far more to be afraid of than a black man as president. When the working classes complain they ‘don’t know him’ or accept snide descriptions of him as ‘elitist’ they are really accepting the fear that he might have a vision beyond their imagining. That he might believe in a freedom they are afraid of and have been trying to escape from: that they are the engine of their growth and freedom. That he might be asking them to make a sacrifice of spirit and purpose to commit themselves in establishing the development and implementation of their rights and their purposes such as a health care ‘right,’ not a diluted ‘responsibility’ as John McCain would have it.

Nothing is clearer to American voters today than the monumental need for change on many fronts, economic, environmental, political, and social. Yet nothing is scarier to some of them than real ‘change’ because so few know what is really wrong or have the barest framework of understanding for fixing it. Having not the slightest inkling they are prey to the most ridiculous and preposterous statements and rumors. Sarah Palin has made this her province, her self the very provenience of such claims to her everlasting discredit and whomever she represents, claims to represent, or thinks she represents if they allow her to speak for them.

. Working up a crowd to characterize the opposing candidate as a ‘terrorist’ is despicable politics in any culture, certainly in a nation that calls itself a democracy. Such accusations undermine our national political health, raising a deranged cry to bring on the rabid haters and racist threats of a time long past burying. Call her ‘Mommy Cracker,’ she is channeling America’s racist past from the deep South and throwing in George Bush’s favorite category of fright and fakery, ‘terrorists.’ She is stirring a cauldron of ignorance, to allow a vivid cesspool of prejudicial ideas about minority peoples to bubble to the surface. Ideas that can be used, as they always have been used in the United States, to scare such minorities along with whatever other parts of the public are gullible—into subservience. It was the lowest point of John McCain’s rebuttal Wednesday night when he claimed he had repudiated all such deceit which, of course, he had not done and still has not done as of this writing.

Corporate money likes to ‘own’ its candidates as it clearly does John McCain. That is where his tax deduction scheme for corporations comes from. Should Obama win he must also obtain ‘advisors’ or experts to run the country. Many of these are tainted having been educated, outfitted and gained their experience running various aspects of corporations. President elects are always besieged by such ‘advisors’ to make decisions based on providing emoluments (advantages of office) to those who because of their executive positions managing wealth, come to think of themselves as having created it.

This essentially autocratic position is the deepest, most flawed philosophical, political and psychological misperception of our age and it is not going to go away quietly. Like a toothy carcass of a dead animal this belief in their expertise, their claims of ‘free markets’ has been hung around our necks to stink and scare us to go along, to just go along. ‘Free markets’are free only for those who can pay for them, money that we have a slight shortage of right now.

Barack Obama has made an impressive case that he sees and expects to lead us to a different place in American life. As a body politic we should have the strength to place him a position to do so and then challenge him to make good on his words. Perhaps he will find the substance in us and we can find what there is in him that can make it actual.

I.C. Presumptive


Part 1 interview with CT Dem chairwoman Nancy NiDardo

Thursday, October 23, 2008
Time: 12:03 PM



While attending the Jim Himes/Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro press conference in Shelton on Tuesday, I had the opportunity to interview Connecticut Democratic State Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo.


In part one of my interview with Chairwoman DiNardo, I asked for about her feelings on the Congressional race in the 4th district, why the ground game is critical at this point in the campaign, and the importance on the youth vote in this year's election.




For more info on volunteering for Jim Himes and the state candidates in the 4th District, click here!

If you live outside the 4th CD and want to help get out the vote, click here.

CT State Senate 26: John Hartwell hears your "bleeps"


Time: 11:47 AM

In the hotly contested race in the 26th State Senate district (which includes area such as Bethel as well as Ridgefield), Democatic candidate John Hartwell released a new TV ad in which he tells voters that he hears their complaints.


CT-05: Courant calls it for Murphy


Time: 11:24 AM

As Cappiello's campaign is about to be shot out of it's misery, the endorsements for Chris Murphy's campaign come rolling in (as expected).

Cue the Hartford Courant:
When talks between the state and Amtrak lagged over the expansion of commuter rail service on the New HavenHartford Springfield line, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy intervened and got the ball rolling. In doing so, Mr. Murphy, a Democrat from Cheshire and a one-term incumbent, showed that he understood the importance of energy conservation to the nation's future.

Although much of the energy debate has focused on offshore drilling, Mr. Murphy could see that getting people onto trains, and thus out of cars, would save a lot of energy right away. This pragmatic intelligence, the ability to see what is right in front of his nose, has influenced much of Mr. Murphy's work in Congress. He has pushed for more disclosure of profits and CEO salaries in government contracting, stronger congressional ethics and more federally funded supportive housing. He is the youngest member of the delegation at 35, yet has the poise of a veteran legislator. He said he challenges voters to understand the subtleties of issues — a bold thought. He deserves another term.

CT-04: More bad news for Shays


Time: 11:17 AM

As just about everyone loses interest with David Cappiello's failing campaign, more people are taking interest in the more realistic possibility that Chris Shays' days are numbered.

This morning, Larry Sabato at UVA’s Center for Politics changed the rating on the 4th CD race between Shays and Jim Himes from Leans Republican to Leans Democratic.
Every week it seems to get worse for House Republicans. As we will demonstrate below, we have expanded the number of possible to likely net gains for Democrats from our previous 15 to 20 to a new and rather astounding 22 to 27 seats.

The past week has been a wild one for congressional races nationwide. Some contests have gotten more competitive, and in some districts one party has even pulled away. And by "one party," we do in fact mean "one party"--the Democrats. This week the Crystal Ball is making 33 changes to its House ratings, some of them major, and others minor. In all but two of those races the changes benefit Democrats.

If the latest poll numbers for Obama over McCain in Connecticut holds up, and turnout in areas as Bridgeport is high, Shays can kiss his chances in being re-elected god bye.

Immigrant community stands behind Perkins

Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Time: 9:00 PM

IMG_9306

Showcasing the strong support for his candidacy within Danbury's diverse immigrant community, yesterday State Senate candidate Duane Perkins held a press conference outside City Hall highlighting his solidarity with minority groups within Connecticut's 24th District.

Perkins is one of the few Common Council members who has consistently questioned Danbury's anti-immigrant/xenophobic legislation, the most recent being the ICE ACCESS program. Perkins is running against Mike McLachlan, Danbury's mayor Mark Boughton chief of staff and the darling among the anti-immigrant/racist/bigot-minded community for his god-awfully disgusting stance against the immigrant community and their supporters.

DSCN0316

-nuff said...for those who don't understand, click here for the details.


From yesterday afternoon, here's highlights of Perkin's presser along with comments from prominent and supporters of Danbury's immigrant community regarding their support for Perkins.


Guest post: Campaign 08, part 1


Time: 3:29 PM

From time to time, I hand over the keys of the site to others. Today, a faithful reader and former guest poster has decided to get back into the blogging game with a two-part commentary on the 2008 election.

Guest poster I.C. Presumptive, the floor is yours...


Barack Obama in building his campaign for the presidency has centered it on educating the public. He has put forward an implied promise to make the people of this country sovereign, which they are not now. Were he to do so it would displace the corporations which are presently sovereign. He suggests justice would become the measure of public policy instead of profits. Of course, these are implied not stated policies for several reasons. One is because he cannot state them clearly and receive major campaign money with which to win.

Were he to speak so clearly he would frighten the wealthy classes and not just a few of the less wealthy. They would create as great and as marvelous a political panic as they have created an economic panic. That is what the McCain/Palin slurs and lies are all about—fear. It is a matter of creating the fear that the bailout or ‘Goldman Sachs socialism’ of Treasury Secretary Paulson which has been declared ‘indispensable’ might be demanded by the public at large.


The great pooh-bahs have declared such welfare urgent and absolutely necessary for the banks. Senator McCain has supported it is as such while denouncing with considerable sneer and ridicule Barack Obama’s idea of “spread the wealth around.” Sen. McCain implies such a diversion to other classes would be dastardly and ruinous to the body politic. Clearly, he is channeling President Herbert Hoover from the early days of the Great Depression.


The McCain value set is that Americans must be allowed to pile up wealth as they see fit, even mountains of wealth. Of course, all Americans will not be able to pile up such wealth, only a very few will and have. Everyone knows that. Why then McCain’s outrage? Sen. McCain says the ‘hard work’ of the wealthy is greatly deserved and should be praised as he conflates that work with all other Americans who actually work. He has not gone into how much hard work the bankers could possibly have performed to justify their $23 million to $90 million severance packages for ruining their corporations. Quite obviously it was less hard work than conniving and manipulating.


Then why is it that consideration and discussion of how the people of the United States might come to own the wealth of the country, wealth that they have created, frightens so many Americans to the core? That would be ‘socialism.’ One word brings panic. It must be a very powerful concept to frighten so many people. Thus Obama can only hint about sovereignty of the people and justice made predominant even though it doesn’t imply socialism at all. It does imply a change in power relations which is what all the gaseous wind of the political right is all about.


The John McCains of this world are terribly resentful that ‘it’ might and ‘he’ might. Just believing Obama might think about sovereignty of the people stupefies large sections of the public. No one knows whether he believes in such sovereignty and justice for the people or not, or believing in it would or could make it possible. And he couldn’t unless an aware and focused electorate would demand it after the election in more detail and purpose than they are frightened of it today. Yet he has been talking about such change for a very long time to audiences all over the country from at least 1991.


This non-speak and silence of our culture hides the shallowness, unreality and lack of functionality of our democracy. The very blandness of our speech, its omissions and fears, questions our touted freedom. It provides a revealing backdrop to the irony of our political system as it stands rigid against examining any new idea, any position which might lead us to our presumed but unfulfilled national destiny. Why is it considered so dangerous to think outside the collapsed system we now have in order to prosper and gain real freedom? Even progressive candidates cannot talk about what is basically wrong and the people find it difficult to accept explanations for improvements because they have been so grievously lied to in the past. Those who control the system have made it politically expedient to stop discussion well back from the edge of reality. They must foreclose clarity and make discussion impossible in order to maintain control.


In this way the Republican Party has reacted in horror to Obama’s unusual and popular candidacy claiming ‘class warfare’ at the slightest suggestion of even a minimal leveling of the economic table we all sit at. That is why we see John McCain in his most pompous role of Lord Protector of America channeling Oliver Cromwell, the mastermind of wealth protection in 17th century England . Cromwell’s opposition at the time was known by the opprobrium ‘Levellers.’ They didn’t believe in leveling at all, of course, being largely artisans merely asking for redress of grotesque differences of wealth brought on by exploitation. Not really so much different from today. Perhaps that is why Sen. McCain attempted in the last debate to impugn and re-characterize Obama’s proposed taxes on the wealthy by ridiculing his “spread the wealth around” phrase as though it was some kind of smutty excrement.


The McCain campaign has gone even further turning loose the Sarah Palins of this world. John McCain on the David Letterman’s show praised her as a marvel of political presence and character. That is quite a contrast to the junkyard dog she emulates behind her beatific smile. If the image dominates and cloaks the message it is meant to.


Americans have been raised on images rather than thought and logic. Thus a pretty woman may speak platitudes of patriotism and praise for ‘this wonderful country’ while the men and women who are destroying its wonders and its wealth stand right behind her or next to her. “Gosh darn” she says in her pleasant charm, “I just love this country,” as she advances the political smut of racism and terrorist fear mongering that undermines it. Just last week she began a new tact claiming some parts of the country are true patriots, other parts left undefined but suspect. That is a very strange position when you and your running mate, are attempting to be chief executive officers of all the people.

I.C. Presumptive


News-Times continues to promote hate


Time: 2:35 PM


After years of complaints and criticisms from other papers, these types of comments are STILL allowed on the News-Times site.

These comments were found in the article on the smell coming from the AWD transfer station. The snapshots were captured at 2:30 PM. Take note of the amount of time the comments have been posted (located to the right of the "username").

Picture 7


Picture 6


Picture 5


Picture 4




What the News-Times doesn't understand that by allowing this type of crap to be posted on their site, they're just as responsible for the racist tone in Danbury as the xenophobes that spew this bullshit.

This needs to stop and the solution is simple.

Solution 1:

Change the comment system from an anonymous to a sign-up service. In other words, in order to post a comment, you would have to sign up with an email address and you would not be allowed to post a comment without an email verification.

Solution 2:

Get rid of the comment section of the site and go back to the old format where comments are only allowed in the message boards (if I'm correct, this was the old, old format prior to 2006 when comments to articles were allowed).


What will it take for the News-Times to get the message that allowing these types of comments are WRONG.
  • Flooding the News-Times with phone calls?

  • A MASSIVE protest?

  • Requesting businesses that purchase ads to write the News-Times and threaten to pull their ads?

Whatever the case, it's become crystal clear that a call for a radical change to the comment section of the News-Times is LONG OVERDUE.

BREAKING NEWS: Union allege Danbury Hospital administration undermined voter registration efforts

Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Time: 5:57 PM

(story bumped to top)

A few minutes ago, AFT Connecticut released this disturbing press release claiming that the administration for Danbury Hospital, undermined voting registration efforts at the facility.
At the August 21, Labor Management meeting, the Danbury Nurses Union Unit 47 expressed interest in holding a voter registration drive at the hospital. Hospital Vice President of Human Resources, Phyllis Zappala, said no.

“We couldn’t understand why the largest employer in Danbury wasn’t interested in helping to register its employees to vote,” said Mary Consoli, president of the Danbury Nurses Union. “With this being the biggest election in our nation’s history, it doesn’t make sense.”

When the union found out in September that they could petition the registrar of voters to conduct the voter registration drive, they immediately began collecting signatures and submitted the petition to the Danbury Registrar of Voters on September 22, requesting the drive be held on October 8. Registrar of voters Marge Gallo explained that if they were unable to conduct the voter registration drive, they would either have the League of Women Voters conduct the drive, or that Consoli could be deputized to conduct the drive.

On September 26, Hospital Director of Public and Government Relations Andrea Rynn, faxed the Danbury Registrar of Voters to inform them that they had received an exemption from the Secretary of the State’s office from holding the voter registration drive.

AFT Connecticut contacted the Secretary of the State’s office and discovered that no such exemption had been given to Danbury Hospital. Secretary of the State Staff Attorney Ted Bromley contacted Rynn on October 16 and explained that the hospital had to “make a suitable location available on site to conduct such registration session and shall publish notice of the date and time of such session.”

On October 20, the Registrars of Voters sent a letter to Frank Kelly, CEO of Danbury Hospital informing him that they would be conducting the voter registration drive, Tuesday October 21, 2008 in the cafeteria from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM for employees only and that prominent notices would need to be posted on the bulletin board and other places where general notices to employees are customarily posted.

That afternoon, hospital administrators changed the location from the cafeteria to the facilities conference room located in the basement of the hospital and changed the time from 1PM to 4PM. An email was sent to employees through the email system however, postings of the drive were not seen on bulletin boards.

“This is not right,” said Consoli. “Registering to vote should be the easiest thing to do, instead the hospital has made it virtually impossible. We followed the law by petitioning for the drive and it should have gone forward unobstructed.”

“Today is the last day to register to vote before the election,” said Consoli. “The administration’s efforts to keep this drive from happening beg the question, why?”

I'll try to get more info on this story as it develops but seeing that today is the lat day for registration, if the allegations are true, then this is a very serious situation and the hospital has some explaining to do.

UPDATE: The News-Times has posted a story on the situation which, in my opinion, raises mroe questions than answers and doesn't fully address the points raised in the AFT's press release.

HatCityBLOG VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Ad Hoc Committee: Removal of Private Debris


Time: 5:31 PM

Ad_Hoc
Common Council member Fred Visconti expresses his concerns regarding
the proposed ordinance to address snow removal problems.
Photo by CTBlogger, City Hall 10.20.08


From last night, here's video footage of the Common Council ad hoc committee on the removal of private debris.

I'll offer commentary on this ad-hoc committee and how, if this passes, this new ordinance will effect you the homeowner (fairly or unfairly).

NOTE: Video starts about 5 minutes into the meeting...


Feel the hate

Monday, October 20, 2008
Time: 4:45 PM

The campaign against Barack Obama has now come down to this...
It’s bad enough that the employees of ACORN have had to endure days of baseless and outlandish attacks by John McCain and the RNC. But after McCain outrageously claimed before a national audience on Wednesday night that ACORN was “maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy,” the group came under attack, literally. In the following days, ACORN’s Boston and Seattle offices were vandalized and at least one employee received a death threat.

And for nearly two weeks, ACORN offices across the nation have been subjected to an onslaught of racist and threatening voicemails and emails. We have secured copies of some of the most disturbing and offensive messages and have reproduced them below in order to show the very real consequences of the Right Wing’s overheated and misplaced “voter fraud” rhetoric.

Email 1: This email was received by the Cleveland office. The subject line was the name of a senior staffer who had recently appeared on TV to defend the group.

















According to McClatchy, the email was traced back to a Facebook account featuring a McCain-Palin sign.



Email 2:






























WARNING: VERY vile and disgusting audio and text.



“Hi, I was just calling to let you all know that Barack Obama needs to get hung. He's a fucking nigger, and he's a piece of shit. You guys are fraudulent, and you need to go to hell. All the niggers on oak trees. They're gonna get all hung honeys, they're gonna get assassinated, they're gonna get killed.”



"You liberal idiots. Dumb shits. Welfare bums. You guys just fucking come to our country, consume every natural resource there is, and make a lot of babies. That's all you guys do. And then suck up the welfare and expect everyone else to pay for your hospital bills for your kids. I just say let your kids die. That's the best move. Just let your children die. Forget about paying for hospital bills for them. I'm not gonna do it. You guys are lowlifes. And I hope you all die."

Threats of violence and hate filled messages...haven't we heard this before?

EMAIL SCANDAL ONE YEAR LATER: Have they learned their lesson?


Time: 11:57 AM




(click on image to enlarge)


It's been a year since Danbury's ugly dark secret was exposed to the public and the nation was able to see CLEAR signs of racism from those who claim to be only against "illegal immigration"

I've received a boatload of emails from across the country asking whatever happened to the three people at the center of the scandal, Planning commission/Republican Town Committee member Joel Urice, 7th Ward Common Council member Mary Teicholtz, and former Majority Leader/anti-immigrant extremist Pauline Basso and whether or not they changed their ways.

...lets just say that at least two of the insensitive xenophobes haven't changed their ways one bit...in fact, their actions have become MUCH worse. And in one case, the unrepentant moron's actions have become downright dangerous to the general public.

More on this later...

UPDATE: It seems like several media outlets are interested in this story so I'll make a new section of this site devoted the whole scandal as well as it's aftermath (I probably should have done this last year...sorry).

Perkins "cycling the 24th"

Sunday, October 19, 2008
Time: 2:32 PM

Picture 1
Duane Perkins and cyclists at Bethel Bicycle shop set off on the "cycling the 24th" tour.
Bethel CT 10.19.08


This morning, 24th State District Democratic nominee Duane Perkins started his "cycling the 24th" tour through Bethel, Danbury, and Sherman.

While promoting local cycling and the importance of exercise, Perkins plans to stop at various locations along the way where he'll meet and greet with people and discuss where he stands on the issues in the area.

I caught up with Perkins before he rode off from Bethel and filed this small video report.


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INDEPENDENT PARTY OF DANBNRY
DATABASE COMING SOON


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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


trans_button Santos Family Story
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