07/30/10 BAN PAY TO PLAY CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS

Just as corporate lobbying corrupts the legislative process, the scramble for government contracts corrupts the executive branch and its agencies.

Connecticut has seen multiple pay-to-play scandals in recent years where campaign contributors illicitly received jobs and no-bid contracts.

Similar scandals have enveloped public officials in New York, California, South Carolina, Illinois and other states across the country.

A number of states have taken action to assure greater accountability in the public contracting system through common-sense solutions:

Campaign Contributions by Contractors:

Seven states currently have some form of pay-to-play contracting law to bar companies bidding on contracts from making campaign contributions to government officials.

Tightening Contracting Standards:

The tighter the standards for the bidding processes and the work done, the less likely incompetent or corrupt companies can buy contracts with campaign contributions.

Campaign Contributions By

Contractors Corrupt Elections

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy is the King Of Pay To Play contributions that prevent "clean elections."

Dan Malloy has for years fueled his political ambitions with donations from people doing business with the city of Stamford.

State elected officials cannot take contributions from state contractors, but it is legal and common at the municipal level politicians to swap contracts for campgain donations..

Over the last six years Dan Malloy's bids for re-election and for governor has brought in huge political contributions from over 25 contracting entities doing business with the City of Stamford.

Dan Malloy should know better, because he was the subject of a contract-steering probe prior to his 2006 bid for governor.

Rather than correct his ways Malloy continues the same reckless behavior,

Connecticut Needs A Governor

With No Strings Attached

In 2003, the Chief State's Attorney's Office opened an investigation into allegations that Malloy, who was first elected in 1995 and left office last year, helped award city jobs to contractors who worked on his home in the late 1990s.

Former Stamfor Mayor Dan Malloy was previously the Democratic party's nomination for governor in 2006. But he lost the primary mainly because of all of the pay to play stories coming out of the Stamford Advocate.

Malloy's 2010 gubernatorial bid last year while he was still mayor, the law firm of Robinson and Cole and AFB Construction Management which manages school and city facilities received no bid contract extensions.

Robinson and Cole and AFB Construction Management have donated to Malloy's Gubernatorial bid.

Waste hauler City Carting landed a contract after key employees bundled donations to the Malloy campaign early last year.

Malloy has repeately refused to

change or alter city ethics laws to avoid

accusations of conflicts of interest.

During Dan Malloy's 2005 mayoral bid, Malloy collected at least $23,750 from major development players, including land use attorneys and project consultants.

Republican opponent Chris Munger at the time accused Malloy of creating a "pay to play" atmosphere.

Dan Malloy's 2006 gubernatorial campaign received sizable donations from the developers of Trump Parc, employees of RBS and executives with Pareto Energy, an energy consultant the city hired in 2007.

Stamford needs ban on contractor donations to municipal elections

There's always the potential of conflict whenever you accept funding from anyone who does business with the government or who is lobbying,

Related articles that may be of interest:

• Lamont Leads Malloy in Connecticut (politicalwire.com)
• Polling and political wrap-up, 6/10/10 (dailykos.com)
• Hartford mayor convicted of corruption (msnbc.msn.com)
• Gov. Christie appeared at events with N.J. group that skirts campaign finance rules, records show (nj.com)
• Gov. Christie distances himself from Reform Jersey Now group that skirts pay-to-play rules (nj.com)
• Advocacy groups sidestep N.J. disclosure rules as non-profits (nj.com)
• N.J. watchdog group recommends stricter pay-to-play laws, disclosure of public contracts (nj.com)

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07/30/10 BRIDGEPORT BRIEFING: Convicted sex offender begins sentence

This Just In To The Bridgeport Roundup Newsroom ......

Convicted sex offender begins sentence (NewsTimesLive)

Two years after being found guilty and three months after an appeals court refused to overturn the conviction, a former New York City policeman began serving his sentence for having sex with an 11-year-old drum corps member a decade ago.

Product recall: alfalfa sprouts (The York Daily Record)

The following recalls have been announced: - Certain alfalfa sprout products by Specialty Farms of Bridgeport, Conn., because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Alfalfa Sprouts From Bridgeport Company Recalled (The Hartford Courant)

Certain alfalfa sprout products by Specialty Farms of Bridgeport were recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

Cops: Bridgeport couple caught within hours after using stolen credit card (Connecticut Post)

Police hunted down and quickly caught a city woman they say stole keys, credit card, cash and camera from a city woman, quickly using the card in local liquor stores and a grocery store.

Suspect in murder was on probation for hospital incident (Connecticut Post)

Vanessa Ortiz was charged in the shooting death of Narote Arun Kamur, a 26-year-old college student working as a cashier in Norman's Grocery and Deli on Maplewood Avenue, Bridgeport.

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Police Blotter for July 29: Motorist Injured After Driving Car into... (Fairfield Patch)

Thursday's press briefing at the Fairfield Police Department included the following cases: A 20-year-old Fairfield motorist was injured early Thursday after he drove into a fence, mailbox and shrubs on Mill Hill Terrace in Fairfield's Southport neighborhood and then drove into a ditch about 100 yards away, police said.

Police Aren't Feeling the Love (Fairfield Patch)

Charles Vosgueritchian was arrested on second-degree threatening and other charges early Thursday after he threatened to shoot police and made terrorist threats, police said Courtesy Fairfield Police Credit Courtesy Fairfield Police ...

Fairfield streets closed for Bridgeport firefighter's funeral procession (Fairfield Citizen-News)

Several roads in Fairfield will be closed to traffic Friday afternoon, as a funeral procession for one of the two Bridgeport firefighters killed during a house fire makes its way through the Stratfield section of town for his burial in a local cemetery.

Steinke Denies Anonymous Allegations by Metro Center Developer's Attorney (Fairfield Patch)

Town Conservation Director Thomas Steinke on Wednesday denied anonymous allegations from an attorney for the Fairfield Metro Center developer that claimed "Steinke and/or his staff" planned to prevent construction of the massive development on lower Black Rock Turnpike that would include the town's third train station and nearly 1 million square ...

07/30/10 New Comment On "07/28/10 After Bridgeport Roundup Reported On How Dan Malloy Was Desperately Playing The Race Card In The Democratic Primary"

Liquid has left a new comment the Bridgeport Roundup post "07/28/10 After Bridgeport Roundup Reported On How Dan Malloy Was Desperately Playing The Race Card In The Democratic Primary Emails Like This Came In":

Thanks for the information on former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy.

Since the basic purpose of the internet is to share the knowledge and to communicate with each other, I can say that forum and blogs are playing one of the vital role in sharing the knowledge about the 2010 elections in Connecticut.

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07/29/10 We Report You Decide: Did Stamford Fire and Rescue Chief Robert McGrath Get His Promotion After Working On Dan Malloy's House?

Robert McGrath was a Stamford firefighter working three days on, three days off.

On Robert's days off he operated a small heating and air-conditioning business to make ends meet.

Then this Stamford fireman got his big break....

Robert got the chance to do heating and air-conditioning duct work on the120-year-old barn that Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy was transforming into a house.

Robert also did many jobs for several of Dan Malloy's brothers.

Dan Malloy chose to use Richard who was on the Stamford City payroll to work on his future home even though there are hundreds of Heating And Air- Conditioning contractors with in a 30 minute drive of his home.

A short time after that Richard was promoted to Assistant Stamford Fire And Rescue Chief and then soon after that was appointed as the Stamford Fire and Rescue Chief.

Stamford Fire and Rescue Chief Robert McGrath later told Stamford Advocate reporter Louis Porter that the work on Dan Malloy's home did not have anything to do with his advancement to Assistant Fire Chief and later Fire Chief.

Another contractors who did work on Dan Malloy's Ocean Drive East house was Rick Sharper.

Rick told The Associated Press he got the job and dealt with Marc Lyons, a friend of Malloy who was involved in hiring city employees and contractors to work on then Mayor Dan Malloy's house.

Rick said after he did work on the mayor’s house Marc Lyons later arranged a lot of work for him at city high schools.

Marc Lyons, who was a Malloy family friend was the construction manager at Stamford High School and after the Mayor's house was completed he became manager of all of the city and school facilities in Stamford..

Stamford Board Of Finance Member Joesph Tarzia was quoted in the press saying, "The Malloy administration has reduced controls over city purchasing. Malloy dismantled the internal audit department”

Ron Paul Endorses Rick Torres

Ron Paul Endorses Rick Torres Bridgeport Friends, It is with great honor that today I accept the endorsement of Congressman Ron Paul. I have spoken to Congressman Paul several times over the course of the Campaign and I look forward to working with him after I defeat Jim Himes this November. Please read the Endorsement from Congressman Ron Paul: "I am proud to announce that I have endorsed Rick Torres for Congress in the Connecticut's 4th district. Rick is a real Liberty lover and has a tremendously inspiring story. Here is a video he made about his background Again, please consider supporting Rick in any way you are comfortable – whether it is financially, with your time as a volunteer and, most importantly, with your vote. Big things are happening across the Country, and Connecticut has a great opportunity to tell Washington that we demand free markets, sound money and common sense, Pro-America foreign policy. I hope you will join me in supporting Rick Torres." Dr. Paul's Endorsement is key to us winning this primary. With 12 days left I do need your financial support.In these final days I need your financial support of at least $50 to ensure that we can effectively get out the vote. Our polling shows that we are rapidly gaining on the presumed frontrunner. Your donation of $50, $200, or $500 will allow us to effectively get our message of liberty out to the voters and win. With your financial donation today I know that we can defeat my big government Republican opponents. If we let them win then voters in my district will have two big-government choices on the ballot in the fall. I am willing ready and able to stand with Congressman Ron Paul and defend our natural rights in Washington, but I need your financial commitment in these final days to help me do so. Sincerely, Rick Torres for Congress P.O. Box 3311, Bridgeport, CT 06605.

07/29/10 BRIDGEPORT BRIEFING: Fire Departments To Help Bridgeport

This Just In To The Bridgeport Newsroom ...

Fire Departments To Help Bridgeport (WFSB-TV Hartford)

Fire departments from across Connecticut pledge their assistance to Bridgeport as they prepare to say goodbye to two fallen firefighters.

Stamford man shot in downtown melee (Connecticut Post)

A break-up that turned violent left a man with a gunshot wound in his abdomen Tuesday night, police said.

City police, Vibes producers work to head off bad vibes (News Times)

As opening day for the annual Gathering of the Vibes festival in Seaside Park approaches, organizers and police are taking steps they hope will cut down on the bad vibes that marred the four-day event last year.

Stratford Woman Guilty Of Stealing Veteran's Benefits (The Hartford Courant)

Federal prosecutors say a Connecticut woman has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $30,000 in disability payments that were supposed to go to a wounded military veteran.

Trial Date Set In Fairfield Jewelry Store Killings (WTIC-TV Hartford)

A Connecticut judge says a man charged in the killings of two people during a Fairfield jewelry store robbery in 2005 will go on trial next January in a potential death penalty case.

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Kicking Dasies plays Stepping Stones Museum for Children benefit (Connecticut Post)

Kicking Daisies, a Milford-based teen band, will perform in a benefit concert at 7p.m., Sunday at Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk.

07/28/10 After Bridgeport Roundup Reported On How Dan Malloy Was Desperately Playing The Race Card In The Democratic Primary Emails Like This Came In

Image via Wikipedia

Great Job Dan

Keep Up The Good Work

READER SUBMITTED COMMENTS: Reverse Racism is hijacking our culture and our heritage

The Two Wrongs Make a Right Thesis goes like this: Because some Whites once enslaved some Blacks, the decedents of those slaves, some of whom may now enjoy high incomes and social status, have a right to opportunities and offices over better qualified Whites who had nothing to do with either slavery or the oppression of Blacks, and who may even have suffered hardship comparable to that of poor Blacks. In addition, Strong Affirmative Action creates a new Hierarchy of the Oppressed: Blacks get primary preferential treatment, women second, Native Americans third, Hispanics fourth, Handicapped fifth, and Asians sixth and so on until White males, no matter how needy or well qualified, must accept the left-overs. Naturally, combinations of oppressed classes (e.g., a one eyed, Black Hispanic female) trump all single classifications. The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment becomes reinterpreted as "Equal protection for all equals, but some equals are more equal than others."

http://www.csus.edu/indiv/g/gaskilld/business_computer_ethics/The%20Case%20Against%20Affirmative%20Action.htm

Thomas Sowell: Liberals confuse achievement with privilege

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Thomas+Sowell%3A+Liberals+confuse+achievement+with+privilege&articleId=2631b4c2-bf54-4a28-823b-90d7f3c0c853

Signed

PLundstedt

gamgllc@earthlink.net

COMMENT FROM

BRIDGEPORT ROUNDUP:

Is affirmative action a good law or bad one?

Well, it's niether good or bad.

It's a means to an end. Historically, there has always been a stigma placed on being a non-male-caucasian American in The United States. This stigma has led people to deny opportunities to non-caucasians and women. Affirmative Action was put in place to force the hand of corporate America, to right an obvious wrong. It's usefullness has waned with every passing year as people look past racial and gender barriers, and though there are still instances in which it is needed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make an argument for it's existence. Though, theoretically, as long as there is any 'unjust' disparity in hiring practices there will always be a need.

Incidentally, all applicants have to meet the pre-requisites for a job in order to be hired for any position. Affirmative Action does not help unqualified people gain positions they shouldn't have.

Affirmative action did what it was designed to do.

I remember when it was acceptable to call a "colored person" who was older than you "boy" or "girl."

No one could imagine that the races would be even close to being on an equal footing only 50 years later.

So if you believe in promoting racial equality, it is a good law.

If you believe that we are now equal and that a further handicap in favor of minorities is now unnecessary, it is bad.

Most people don't realize that in companies that hire purely based on acheivement, regardless of race, they never have to worry about affirmitive action, they are never in threat of falling below the ridiculous quotas.

Companies that have issues need to wonder more about why minorities are so underepresented in their companies.

But we, as a country, need to address the racial problems we still have. I wish we didn't need Affirmative Action. And I honestly beleve, that we don't in most companies. The law isn't their for most companies.

It's there for those few who insist on holding on to the old way of thinking here in Greenwich and across the country

Only A Fool Would Argue That There Is No Racism In Bridgeport

Some Would Argue That Racial Tensions Are The Result Of Poverty

If We Take Take A Look At Greenwich, Connecticut

We Start To See That Racism Lives In Peoples Hearts In The 21 Century

Last May, Greenwich Parks And Recreation Department employee Ron Harding filed a complaint with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities alleging he had persistently been denied a chance to get a position with the higher-paying -- and all-white -- tree service division of the parks department.

Forty-eight complaints have been filed with the agency against the Town of Greenwich in a five-year period beginning July 1, 2004.

Greenwich has seen several racially tinged controversies, probably none as prominent as the 1995 scandal in which five Greenwich High School seniors carried out a coded joke on the pages of the high school's yearbook. Letters beneath their photographs on different pages formed the phrase "Kill All NIGGERS"

Racial relations are smooth on the surface but tension arises on a regular basis.

Eight minority Greenwich police officers -- six black and two Latino -- alleged they were overlooked for promotions to higher-profile and higher-paying positions that instead went to white police officers.

In December 2009, the town and the eight officers agreed to settle the case just before a judge was to uphold or overturn an earlier jury verdict awarding five officers damages -- a move that officially closed the book on the four-year-old case.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights noted major disparities between Hamilton Avenue School and other public elementary schools.

There was a time that Jews like Greenwich Roundup were not allowed to live in Greenwich.

You could rent a store in Greenwich, but you couldn't own a house in Greenwich.

Temple Shalom was started by Greenwich Avenue merchants who were not allowed to live in the town they worshiped in.

Here Is The Original Bridgeport Roundup Post

About Dan Malloy Trying To Play The Race Card

In The Connecticut Gubernatorial Race

07/27/10 Connecticut Gubernatorial Democrats Stuck On Stupid As They Ask,'Who Is The Biggest Racist?"

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07/28/10 VIDEO: National Republican Liberty Caucus Dumps Rob Merkle And Endorses Bridgeport Native Rick Torres

NEW RICK TORRES VIDEO

Hi Bridgeport Roundup.

There is great news today. Rick has received another endorsement. It is from the National Republican Liberty Caucus. His picture is already up on their website at http://www.rlc.org/endorsed-candidates-2010/#9.

This endorsement was originally given to Rob Merkle, but for reasons unknown it was revoked and awarded to Rick. This is all very exciting and reminds us, once again, that Rick truly is a strong candidate with a resounding message to bring to Washington, and the only one who can beat Jim Himes in November.

In addition, many thanks and congratulations to the Trumbull Ladies of Liberty. They created their own list of talking points for Rick. It was such an incredible statement about our candidate that we have made it into a video. Check it out on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C1ixKOthk4

Please post the youtube link.

As always, many thanks.

Sherry Harris

COMMENT:

It Looks Like Independent Voters Are Running Away From The Self Proclaimed "Tea Party Favorite" Rob Merkle.

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07/28/10 BRIDGEPORT BRIEFING: DUI ARREST

This Just Into The Bridgeport Roundup Newsroom .....

DUI arrest (Fairfield Citizen-News)

Hector Gonzalez, 29, of Bridgeport, was charged with driving under the influence and failure to obey a traffic signal shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday.

Gathering of the Vibes schedule, tix, parking, rules (News Times)

A four-day camping pass is $217.50 and a VIP camping pass is $440. For kids 6-12, a VIP camping pass is $125. Single-day tickets are $85 for Friday and Saturday and $70 for Sunday.

Sprout grower recalls packs over listeria concerns (Packer)

A Northeastern sprout grower-shipper is recalling two sprout products over listeria concerns.

Police Investigate Fairfield Hit-And-Run (The Hartford Courant)

State police are investigating a hit-and-run accident that occurred early Sunday morning where a car hit a pedestrian, breaking the man's leg.

Cops, town have reservations over 2 Stratford hotels (Connecticut Post)

Patrons at the Honeyspot Motor Lodge in Stratford stand on their balcony on Friday, July 16, 2010.

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Section of Rte. 110 could be re-named for fallen Shelton officer (Connecticut Post)

Police Sgt. Orville "Smitty" Smith gave 39 years of his life to the Shelton police force.

07/28/10 Bridgeport Resident Rick Torres Receives the Endorsement of Republican Liberty Caucus

Rick Torres receives the endorsement of Republican Liberty Caucus Bridgeport Friends, I want to share with you the exciting news that last night, after speaking on the Mark Levin radio show, I received the endorsement of the Republican Liberty Caucus. The Republican Liberty Caucus writes that "Candidates endorsed by the RLC share our commitment to the ideals of individual rights, limited government, and free enterprise and are working to implement those principles within the Republican Party." With the endorsement of the Republican Liberty Caucus I am now all the more confident in our ability to defeat my big government RINO opponent on August 10th. I know that yesterday I asked you for your financial support and many of you were beyond generous in contributing to my campaign. To those who donated, I cannot thank you enough. But we are still short of our $10,000 goal and we need to raise the rest of our goal to ensure victory. If you did not donate yesterday, I need your commitment to please make a contribution today of $50 or more to help pay for my GOTV effort. These are the GOTV projects we still need to fund: $1571.13 to circulate our campaign palm-cards the Friday before the primary ($55= one thousand palm cards). $1468.50 for election-eve GOTV calls ($50=1420 robo calls). $1100 for front page newspaper ads in the weekly papers ($50=1/3 an ad in the Easton Courier). $3,000 for radio ads in the district ($60=1 radio ad). As you can see, your contribution of $50 or more will go to real tangible projects to spread our message of liberty to voters throughout the district. Victory is within our grasp. With me you have the chance to elect a true friend of liberty in the northeast. Please make a donation of $50 or more right now to ensure victory against my big-government RINO opponent on my August 10th primary. Thank you in advance for your commitment. P.S. If you have not done so already, please watch my new video on Socialism and share it with your friends. Sincerely, Rick Torres for Congress P.O. Box 3311, Bridgeport, CT 06605.