Today, the Dean Esposito for Mayor campaign announced that 4th ward City Council John Esposito is the latest Danbury Democrat who has joined the Republican ticket.
PRESS RELEASE: Danbury Republican Town Committee:
Esposito is now the fourth in a growing list of very recent Danbury Democrats who have left the party over frustrations with the direction of the party under the current leadership of the town committee.
For months, a growing number of Democrats in Danbury have expressed deep frustrations with the direction of the party under the leadership of chairperson Andrea Gartner; many accuse the current chairperson of placing too much emphasis on social issues and less emphasis on candidate recruitment while others accuse Gartner of creating a toxic environment in which Democrats who don't agree with the direction of the town committee are either alienated or accused of not being loyal to the town committee's vision.
While critics of Gartner's performance are nothing new the level of criticism has increased since the chairperson has been accused of not being receptive to Chris Setaro not running again as mayor and has been alleged of not doing enough to recruit the 2019 mayoral candidate in favor of current mayoral candidate Roberto Alves.
This latest defection will only increase the anger and worry among many Democrats in Danbury who believe that the town committee no longer represents the interest of residents and have probably ruined any realistic chance in taking back the City Hall in the first open seat mayoral election 20 years.
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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.
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.
