Bridgeport’s mayoral campaign has begun. Will there be any drama? Thirty years ago the municipal election between Democrat John Mandanici and Republican Lenny Paoletta was a reporter’s dream, for the force of the candidates personalities and all the explosive background noise. Mandanici was the incumbent keeper of the keys to city’s Democratic machine. Paoletta was the enemy loosening the bolts to the wheels.
Mandy had all kinds of issues including political and investigative. Politically it had started when Margaret Morton took on the establishment by knocking off State Senator Sal DePiano in a Democratic primary to become the first African American woman to win a Connecticut state senate seat. Mandy couldn’t, wouldn’t heal the political wounds. He was also the target of a federal investigation that had already nailed several members of his administration on a variety of corruption charges. Charlie Tisdale, a cunning political organizer with a strong following in the black community, stepped up to challenge Mandy in a Democratic primary. Mandy won the primary but the split remained. Meanwhile Paoletta was hammering Mandy’s indictment-filled administration (Mandy was never charged himself.)
Mandy could return fire with the best of them, especially after the feds had employed a local car thief to lure Superintendent of Police Joseph Walsh, himself a target of a federal grand jury probe, into a bribe. Walsh was prepared for the set up and arrested Thomas Marra Jr. for attempted bribery, making the feds look like the Keystone Kops. A howling Mandanici claimed it was Paoletta, who had an attorney relationship with Marra, that instigated the whole thing.
About a month after the sting attempt, Frank Piccolo, leader of the local operations for the Gambino Crime Family, was blown away while he stood at public phone booth on Main Street in the North End. And then Daniel Bifield, a member of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club escaped from the Bridgeport Correctional Center. Bifield had been described by federal authorities as the “most dangerous man in Connecticut.” A young U.S. Attorney Richard Blumenthal (yes, that Dick Blumenthal) announced several days later that Bifield’s body was possibly fished out of New York’s East River, a theory proven false. A bewildered Bifield watched the exaggeration play out on television, holed up in Bridgeport with an old girl friend. Only then did he leave Bridgeport. The feds would catch him six months later in Colorado.
The nutty election season continued when Marra’s car was firebombed outside of Paoletta’s campaign headquarters, and then two cars parked in Mandy’s driveway were torched. Mandy wore a bullet proof vest. Paoletta’s house was burgled. It all got so crazy that local scribe Jim Clark cracked, “Bridgeport…where the circus never left town.”
In the end Mandy failed to make peace with Morton and Tisdale. The black community supported the Republican. On election night when the votes were counted Paoletta won by a stinking 64 votes.
What about John Stastrom? I remember him as a very eloquent polition. A class act. Maybe he can be a contender. This is going to be a fun election to observe. It sems that Change is going to be the way to go.
If not Finch who? Caruso? Auerbach? Gomes? Nah most likely Mary-Jane Foster. She is poised and respected. I think she would put a great face on the city of Bridgeport. I think if she can raise some money she can put Finch where he belongs. Back as a patronage position at the BRBC as a puppet.
Finch is history.He had 4 yrs and did nothing but raise taxes hire cronies and bully the union workers.We need to get rid of the 4 yr term for mayor.2 yrs will keep the politicians on their toes.Finch promised that $600 rebate knowing full well it was BS.But after the election he knew he was SAFE for 4 yrs.We need either a RECALL provision or that “2 YR” term reinstated
I liked Len paoletta. I believerd in the city back then. I am thinking that we gave Finch 4 yers. That would have been 2 terms in the old days. time to fluish out and get a fresh perspective..I’m listening to Foster, Auerbach and Gomes as well as giving Finch a chance to start some real development and I am not talking about a big press conference. I want to see shovels in the ground and hear a plan that will lower the taxes in Bridgeport.tHESE TAX ICREASES AND UNION CONCESSIONS ARE BEGINGING TO BE A TIRED WORN OUT BROKEN RECORD.
All things being equal mandy would have liked to run against roberti until the end of the twentieth century. you see, mandy knew what a few of us knew- roberti basically wanted to run for office, not necessarily win. there was easy money in running and not any oversight. he basically used the campaigns to fund his living expenses. there are a million vinnie roberti stories and you can’t beat them with a stick.
I agree Brick,we really haven’t much of a choice here.But we can’t afford 4 more yrs of Finch.Or any of Mario’s flunkies.So Mary Jane Foster appears to be our best choice in a bad situation.No experience,yes,but not a crook either.And won’t be a puppet for Uncle Mario
I disagree with the kid….How does Foster have ANY relevant governance experience? More than that, she’s not even from Bridgeport…Raised her kids in Fairfield now wants to lecture our sitting leaders on how to best handle Bridgeport! Please, don’t think so.
and Gomes?!?!?! I can’t even get a sandwich from the rooster in under 20 minutes….he’s going to run my city? Come on…
Yeah,back in the day-1981-Bpt downtown was a hotbed of arts and entertainment.We still had a porno theater-The Studio Cinema,the aforementioned strip joint,plus numerous working class bars.Paddys Blarneystone,later named POGO’S,Sol’s Cafe,Cap’n Jax,Dolan’s Corner to name just a few.And who can forget drinking in the bar at the St George Hotel,affectionately called “The Snake Pit”.Sometimes The Snake Pit had strippers,and they wore band-aids instead of pasties.( I kid you not).
The last mayoral election cycle was anticlimactic, a choice of cancer (Finch) or polio (Caruso). The former certainly looked the part; his political experience goes all the way back to running for the student council in high school, so he knows all about hair styling and porcelain dental caps. He was drafted at the last minute to defeat Caruso, a former chairman of the DTC that was (doubtless still is) bent on dismantling the corrupt apartatus (see Tim Loh’s insightful profile of “mariocracy”). Finch didn’t want the job. Doubtless he still doesn’t want it. His public appearances of late have been high profile but he has been careful to not take credit for anything that he didn’t have a hand in, which is everything.
Now the people of the city of Bridgeport have more than one practical choice. We can accept the status quo, allowing Mario Testa to control the city’s failing fortunes from a pasta joint, or we can vote for change. 8-5 odds that Gomes or Foster wins the primary. It will not be Finch.
And a member of Mandy’s campaign conveniently forgot to turn in about 90 absentee ballots. That according to Mandy’s sister.
Hammond Egger
What were you getting strummed at the Brass Guitar?? For all the younger readers that was a stip bar two doors down from Prince’s Cafe, a place where the Paupers gathered.
Nothing to be proud of for certain.
Even back then the Dems had a strong hold on Bpt.I remember,a buddy and I were drinking in the old Brass Guitar on Main St that night.(It was located where People’s Bank tower is located now,for all the younger readers)When I heard Paoletta won,I nearly fell off my barstool.