Public backlash to Gaza op-ed results in calls for Majority Legislative Leader Andrea Gartner's resignation
Time: 11:05 AM
Public backlash to Majority Legislative Leader Andrea Gartner's recent OP-ED was on display at last night's meeting of the City Council chambers as residents now call for the Majority Leader's resignation and the censure of the other eight Democrats who signed the letter that has been characterized as being insensitive, anti-Israeli, and inappropriate in using her capacity of an elected official in authoring the writing.
Here's video footage of the most damming public commentary against Gartner's piece from resident Jeffrey Berlant.
"From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!"
Time: 11:00 AM
Outraged residents have reached out to me, provided timestamps of footage of the March 16th "Danbury Stands with Palestine" rally, and requested that I make a video highlight of the clip of the controversial commentary at the event.
Upon request, here’s a copy of the printed version of Andrea Gartner’s letter, which is being loudly denounced as being anti-Israeli, along with the names of the members of the council who signed the letter in agreement.
HatCityBLOG VIDEO: State Rep. Rachel Chaleski accuses Danbury Dems of misleading the public on charter schools
Friday, March 29, 2024 Time: 9:43 AM
Yesterday, hundreds of charter school advocates and supporters from Middletown and Danbury converged on the State Capitol to urge state lawmakers to approve the funding for charter schools in their respective communities and to take to the offense against what they described as a campaign of disinformation from their detractors.
One of Danbury's leading charter school supporters is State Representative Rachel Chaleski. At the rally, she used her speaking opportunity to forcefully counter what the state lawmaker described as misinformation and blatant lies from her political counterparts in the city.
"I also know what it's like to challenge the strong, often irrational, illogical, and sometimes very hurtful opposition to opening a small public school. The misinformation campaign has left our Danubry community divided and bruised, and yet here we are, still fighting to make a difference in the lives of our young people.
Our community deserves better than the political math and fear-mongering against education opportunities that have been successful in all other large cities across the state."
Here's video of State Rep Chaleski's comments in full.
Michelle Coelho and state Republican leaders hope second time is a charm at State Senate campaign launch party
Sunday, March 24, 2024 Time: 5:04 AM
Last night, over one hundred thirty friends and supporters of Michelle Coelho gathered at The Amber Room to kick-off her second attempt to flip the historically conservative-leaning State Senate seat back to the GOP.
The race for the State Senate seat in the 24th district was one of the most competitive races in the 2022 election cycle, with Coehlo coming closer than another Republican in unseating a Democratic incumbent.
Republicans are more enthusiastic about defeating incumbent Julie Kushner than in previous cycles. They describe the three-term incumbent as an out-of-touch lawmaker more interested in union interests, with proposals such as expanding paid sick leave and providing unemployment benefits for striking workers while dismissing opposing viewpoints from residents in the historically conservative-leaning district.
State Republicans have made taking back the historically conservative stronghold 24th State Senate seat their top priority this campaign cycle. Last night, they backed up their stance with several high-profile appearances in support of Coehlo, ranging from GOP Party chairman Ben Proto and GOP Congressional candidate George Logan to State Senate Minority Leader Steve Harding, and a multitude of present and former GOP elected officials from throughout the district.
HatCityBLOG RAW VIDEO: Danbury Stands with Palestine march
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 Time: 10:04 AM
Last Saturday, a crowd of at least three hundred marched in solidarity through downtown in remembrance of the lives lost in Gaza and calling for an end to the war and occupation of Palestine.
Pro-Palestine supporters chanted phrases such as "no more money for Isreal's slaughter, " "Danbury, you can't hide, you are funding genocide," "from the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever,” down Main Street with a stop at Democratic Town Committee Headquarters. The procession then traveled to City Hall, down Elm Street, and concluded on Ives Street.
The march was sponsored by a coalition of pro-Palestine groups, including Students for Justice in Palestine, the Connecticut chapter of American Muslims for Palestine, the Palestinian organization We Will Return, and the Middle East Crisis Committee.
In recent months, Pro-Palestinian activists have increased their vigilance across the state, denouncing what they describe as the genocide of Palestinians and America's complicity in the current siege in Gaza.
Cities such as Hamden and New Haven are currently deliberating cease-fire resolutions, while pressure has been placed on Danbury's Democratic-majority City Council in recent months to do the same.
While there were moments of backlash against the marchers from motorists who yelled profanities at the marchers, overall the rally was peaceful with no major incidents.
Here's my raw video footage of the rally from exiting City Hall and marching until it's conclusion on Ives Street.
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"
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.