THE TROY GRANT CASE: A new lawyer

Saturday, March 26, 2011
Time: 5:04 PM

Danbury Patch has the latest on the Troy Grant court case:
Troy Grant, 41, who faces more than 100 years in prison on sexual assault charges, was assigned a new public attorney earlier this month.

Grant was initially being represented by Danbury Attorney Jim Diamond. On March 9, Diamond's motion to drop the Grant case was heard and granted. Diamond explained that in addition to a breakdown in the client-attorney relationship, he did not have a retainer agreement with Grant to go forward with the case. Judge Susan Reynolds granted Diamond's request to be removed from the case.

Rather than choosing to represent himself or seek private representation, Grant applied for a public defender March 9. Public defender Angelica Papastavros was assigned to the case. She was not available for comment.

Grant's case is continued for April 8th.

So does this mean that the city admits to arresting the Danbury 11

Thursday, March 24, 2011
Time: 5:40 PM

Danbury Attorney Dan Casagrande: New York Law Jounral 03.24.11
"The city would much rather have tried the case and won it because we believe, as we have all along, that Danbury police officers had probable cause" for arrest because the laborers committed traffic violations by running into the street.

Wait, wait! According to Mayor Boughton (Dec 2006) and Chief Baker (Danbury 11 press conference in 2007), the raid on Kennedy Park was a federal operation and the city played no role in the action.

Boughton Dec 2006:
Channel 8: Boughton said the city played no part in the September 19th action...

Channel 30: He [Boughton] said the city was not involved in the planning of the raid...



Hartford Courant (Dec 2006):
A group of students at Yale Law School is expected to file suit today in federal court in a bid to find out how Homeland Security put together its sting on Sept. 19. The students want to know what role Danbury played in the operation and if the policies guiding the department's Immigration and Customs Enforcement arm may be unconstitutional. Their inquiry began with a request under the federal Freedom of Information Act. "We asked nicely," said Simon Moshenberg, a second-year student from Washington, D.C. "They didn't answer. We sued."

[...]

In an interview Wednesday, Boughton insisted that immigration police acted alone. They notified Danbury police this summer that they'd be making some arrests this fall but offered no other details, he said.


Fairfield Weekly (a week before the lawsuit was filed):
A year ago, eleven Ecuadorian day laborers were sneakily apprehended in Danbury's Kennedy Park by Immigration and Customs Enforcement with help from some men pretending to be contractors. They had some hard hats, a van and, according to recently uncovered information, a few Danbury police badges.

Why were the local cops assisting in a federal sting? Well, according to remarks from Danbury mayor Mark Boughton last December, they weren't. He repeatedly said the city played no role in the ICE raid.

[...]

Simon Moshenberg, a Yale Law Student representing the "Danbury 11" in a federal court case that began Monday, received the booking report for the arrests after placing a FOIA request. Under "arresting officer," was the name "Lolli," which turns out to be the name of a Danbury police officer. The Danbury News-Times quotes Chief Al Baker explaining that the arrests were initially made because of complaints about the day laborers' effects on traffic and that Danbury police did drive the van. The department chose not to further comment on their involvement when approached by the Weekly.

Boughton elaborated in an e-mail that "the city provided logistical support to ICE," which is "common" and "does not mean that the Danbury PD planned, organized or carried out the raid." He stands by his comments from December.


So after years of telling the public that the city played NO PART in what happened at Kennedy Park, after the case is settled, the city now claims "that Danbury police officers had probable cause" for arrest because the laborers committed traffic violations by running into the street."

Well, it's just so nice that the city FINALLY admitted that they WERE involved in the raid AND that they arrested the day laborers. Oh, by the way, if the city felt so compelled that they was probable cause to ARREST the day laborers at Kennedy Park, why WEREN'T ANY OF THE DAY LABORERS CHARGED WITH ANY TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS? Why were the day laborers only charged with an immigration violation?
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, testifying under oath in a recent deposition for a civil rights lawsuit, agreed that using a traffic violation as a pretext to inquire about someone’s legal status is wrong, even though his police department rounded up a group of immigrants in 2006 on a crime they were never charged with.

[...]

In their own depositions, Danbury police officers testified that the men were picked up for an alleged traffic violation, such as “illegal use of the highway by a pedestrian,” as they approached stopped vehicles seeking workers, but the men were never charged with any such infraction, according to the booking records.

The only charge was illegal entry into the U.S., which is a federal violation.

Keep telling the public that the city settled the case because of the insurance company...in Danbury, if a public official tells a lie enough times, it becomes the truth (even when you expose the lie).
In numerous news accounts at the time of the Sept. 19, 2006 arrests, Boughton said the operation was not ordered by the city, but was rather a federal operation that Danbury assisted with, based on information he received at the time from Police Chief Alan Baker.

ICE agent James Brown, according to court documents, rejected that description. “He (Boughton) said the city did not order the operation, that ICE was already on the way. That is not correct, not for this activity that we are talking about on Sept. 19,” Brown testified.

Danbury police Lt. James Fisher, in a separate deposition, testified that Danbury police initiated the action by seeking ICE assistance, which ICE approved after the third or fourth request. ICE agent Richard McCaffrey in his deposition, said Boughton was pressuring the police chief, who pressured the department’s Special Investigations Division “to do something about” the day laborers at Kennedy Park.

Taking the Danbury 11 case to the airwaves


Time: 5:32 PM

This week, I made a two-part appearance on the local access show "Progressive Soup" to talk about the recent settlement in the Danbury 11 immigration civil lawsuit as well as Mayor Mark Boughton's deposition in the case.



Tonight on The Marty Heiser Show (Comcast channel 23 at 9PM), I plan to talk further about the Danbury 11 case and the mayor's deposition. I'll also planning on showing various interviews I did on this subject over the years as well as present comments Boughton made to the media from 2006 to present.

Boughton_D11cover

COMUNIDADE NEWS: New Jersey police arrested accused of extorting money from undocumented immigrants

Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Time: 7:05 PM

What ever happened to "protest and serve?
A police officer in Elizabeth, New Jersey, was charged with extorting money from undocumented immigrants, saying he did not deliver for Immigration if he received money. The announcement was made by the office of Union County prosecutor, Theodore J. Romankow.

Rocco Malgieri, 43, resident of the town of Brick Township is accused of theft and extortion in the second degree, attempted second-degree extortion, misconduct of a police officer in the second degree, third-degree misconduct, receiving bribes and application of bribery in third grade.

[...]

According to the investigations that began in February this year, had practiced Malgieri stops Hispanic drivers without authorization, polling them about their immigration status and threatening to turn them in to immigration unless he received money. The stops occurred while he was serving.

NOTE: Referenced article was originally written in Portuguese and translated to English. Incorrect grammar in translated article is to limitations of Google Translate.

LOCAL ACCESS VIDEO: Danbury Live 03.19.11


Time: 1:23 PM


SEN 2012: Boughton loses easily to Dems in senate matchup

Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Time: 4:31 PM

Daily Kos:
Fifth CD Rep. Chris Murphy holds a narrow lead over Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz in the Democratic primary—which won't be held for more than a year, and which could feature additional candidates (a few other people are poking their noses around the race). Murphy has a nine-point lead with men, but Bysiewicz's advantage with women is just three points. She does win African Americans by a large margin, but they only make up 11% of the primary electorate in our sample. The biggest difference between the candidates is in their favorables: Murphy scores an impressive 51-14 among Democrats, while Bysiewicz is at 45-27.

Even though no Republicans have officially declared their candidacies yet, we tested the general election (registered voters) as well:
Susan Bysiewicz (D): 44
Mark Boughton (R): 34
Undecided: 22

Chris Murphy (D): 52
Mark Boughton (R): 29
Undecided: 19

Susan Bysiewicz (D): 45
Michael Fedele (R): 35
Undecided: 20

Chris Murphy (D): 51
Michael Fedele (R): 29
Undecided: 20

Susan Bysiewicz (D): 45
Scott Frantz (R): 30
Undecided: 24

Chris Murphy (D): 51
Scott Frantz (R): 27
Undecided: 22

Susan Bysiewicz (D): 50
Linda McMahon (R): 39
Undecided: 12

Chris Murphy (D): 54
Linda McMahon (R): 38
Undecided: 9

Susan Bysiewicz (D): 42
Rob Simmons (R): 39
Undecided: 19

Chris Murphy (D): 49
Rob Simmons (R): 34
Undecided: 18
(MoE: ±3.4%)


If I were Susan Bysiewicz, I'd be pretty pleased with these numbers—even the most popular Republicans can't crawl their way into the 40s. But if I were Chris Murphy, I'd be even more stoked, and it's not hard to see why: He crushes the nobodies by twenty-plus-point margins, bodyslams Linda McMahon by sixteen and hold even the semi-popular Rob Simmons to a fifteen point spread. Again, the difference lies in the favorables: Statewide, all voters like Murphy by a 40-27 spread. Bysiewicz, on the other hand, is under water at 31-41. It's a testament to how weak Republicans are in Connecticut that they do so poorly against her, with only Simmons making the race even appear to be competitive.

More bad news for Danbury's last honest man.

Although most people polled responded "Boughton who?" when asked for their opinion of our mayor, most who knew Mark didn't have anything good to say about him.

Boughton_PPP

Click here to view the entire poll (Public Policy Polling, 400 Registered Voters, MoE 4.9%, Mar 17, 2011 - Mar 20, 2011).

Coming soon...

Monday, March 21, 2011
Time: 4:31 PM

All I can say is funny how Boughton changed his tune about the Danbury 11 case once he was UNDER OATH...and it's alarming how Boughton's change in tune wasn't reported by the News-Times.

Boughton_D11cover

Prepare to be outraged...VERY OUTRAGED!

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CITY OF DANBURY VIDEO ARCHIVE (Dec 2012-present)

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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