Letter to the Editor:
I wrote about this not that long ago, but we live in a City where so much is wrong, people tend to
have a short term memory, and an issue as this cannot be far from the memories of the residents
of Middletown. I have known Francesca Quaranta for 17 years. First as a co-worker of mine
when I volunteered as an EMT for Rocky Hill Ambulance, and professionally for Aetna
Ambulance, while Francesca, then known as Frank, was a Police Officer for the Town of Rocky
Hill. I was there then to defend her life then, as I am today, as a Candidate for the City of
Middletown. In 2004, Francesca became a Police Officer for the Middletown Police Department;
Once a fine institution that I once volunteered for as a teen, as a Police Explorer, from 1993-
1997. An institution my Uncle Joe Micale served for 38 years. I respect our Police Officers for
keeping us safe by laying their lives on the line every day. Francesca led an exemplary career for
10 years as a Police Officer, laying her life on the line for all of us, and being fair in all
situations. Unfortunately this story takes an ugly turn, because when Frank, who identified as
being a woman his whole life, decided to live her life as a woman, and become Francesca, the
end result was that Mayor Dan Drew had his hand in every part of destroying Francesca’s life
and career. From illegally discriminating against her, and then firing her. Then taking part in
denying her, her rightful Disability Pension that he had a hand in creating the actual disability
she suffered from.
I began my Campaign for Mayor because I have sat back, and watched Dan Drew do things like
this, and I was fortunate enough where I was in a place in my life where I could run for Mayor,
to stop things like this from happening. Folks, this is only one instance. Dan Drew has 11
Federal, and State law suits pending. This not makes him the only Mayor in Middletown’s
history to have that many lawsuits pending against the City, filed under his administration. This
also makes him a criminal, and just from the way I have seen him treat Francesca, he deserves
nothing less than a “term” at a Correctional Institution, where he can govern a 6’X10’ Cell. The
list of lawsuits and crimes are available at http://www.middletowninsider.com/2015/10/letter-to-
editor-city-deep-in-lawsuits.html , written by the Sandra Russo- Driska Campaign.
My original article proved I had access to all the documents, medical reports, articles, internal
emails and memo’s, and most importantly, I spent hours with Francesca herself going over in
detail how this played out. Instead of going over every report and detail as I had done already, I
am going to make a timeline, and at the end I will give you the access to the original article with
all the reports and quotes. Where we start is where you would imagine we would; When
Francesca makes the decision in her life to live as a woman, as is her right protected by HB
6599, making discrimination against transgender and gender expression, illegal. Ironically signed in to
law by Dan Drew’s hero, Dan Malloy, in 2011. That doesn’t stop the “Old Boy’s Club” of the Police
Department. The problems started almost immediately, and Dan Drew wanted in on this one.
Chief William McKenna states to Francesca that because of her, all the rules have to
change now. We know that there’s going to problems from here on out.
Francesca, not wanting to create any waves, removes herself from both locker rooms, and
use the private bathroom on the second floor. It goes as far to where Francesca is getting
dressed for work in the back parking lot in the dead of winter.
She gets reprimanded on many occasions for trivial issues like hair and earrings, when
other females are doing the same, and are left alone.
Comments about what sexual acts she performs on other men are made by supervisors, and other
officers, and derogatory statements are made by members of the Fire Department in public, and
by a dispatcher. In a job where you have to absolutely trust the guy behind you, it obviously
became impossible to do her job safely.
She makes an official complaint with Faith Jackson, the Human Resources Director, who turns an
investigation in to a carnival act, and in the end, not only does the decision say that no discrimination has
been made, and the workplace isn’t hostile, but she says Francesca should be disciplined for even making
the complaint in the first place! Francesca can’t stay here anymore, and who can blame her! On August
25, 2013 she is put on Administrative Leave with pay. She uses her time off to meet with her therapist,
and try to make sense of what has happened, and heal.
On March 11, 2014, the Mayor forces Francesca to attend a Fitness for Duty
Examination, conducted by Dr. Nancy Randall, a doctor hired by the City. Keep count
now, it becomes important later. Dr. Randall is Doctor #1. Francesca does not pass the
Fitness for Duty Evaluation. Diagnostic words like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Severe
Depression, and Anxiety are just a few of the words contained in the report, and what does Dan
Drew do? He moves her off Administrative Leave, and forces her to apply for Unemployment
Compensation, which he challenges, and forces a hearing, which he loses. Miserably. Illegal, you
say? Yes but again, we’ll tally the score at the end.
Dan Drew knows he’s screwed up bad. So he orders Francesca to take a second Fitness for Duty
Exam, on Jun 2, 2014. Still being treated for her Mental Illness’s right along, she knows this is a joke,
meant to be retaliatory, and humiliating. In a letter from her Attorney Josephine S. Miller, delivered
that day to Brig Smith, General Counsel for the City, it says as much, and that now, Francesca will be
going for her Disability Retirement Pension, which she certainly is entitled to under City Retirement
Ordinance.
Her own Therapist of 3 years concludes, “I recommend she be retired with full disability pension
since she will otherwise be placed in an intolerable environment that will not be conducive to
performing the essential duties of police officer due to lack of cooperation and support of
command staff and fellow officers.” Francesca knows now that she must retire with a disability.
Unbelievably, on the June 27th, 2014, Dan Drew summons Francesca to his office, where he
FIRES her! What’s his reasoning? He maintains to this day, that had she passed a Fitness for
Duty Evaluation, she would have been allowed back immediately. But he knows from Dr.
Randall’s report, that isn’t ever going to happen.
Francesca may be the only woman I know that has the resolve of Abrams Tank. She takes the
hits, and keeps moving forward. The Retirement Board meets for the first time, on September 3rd,
2014. The Board members are all present, but someone has to tell me how Joe Serra can be on that
committee as an impartial citizen member. Talk about conflict of interest! But the meeting goes on, and
the decision is made that two independent medical (IME) reviews are to be conducted, and Hope Kasper
motions to hold a Special Meeting when the results are obtained. Now remember, Dr. Nancy Randall was
a City hired Doctor, and she already confirmed that Francesca was disabled. But, somehow her report
couldn’t be used.
Francesca goes to her first IME on October 8th, 2014, by Dr. Morris D. Bell, of Yale New Haven.
Dr. Bell concludes, “Francesca Quaranta is totally and permanently disabled as a police officer by
her PTSD and depression. Her disability occurred during the performance of job related police
duties and directly arose from performance of those duties…” That’s Doctor #2, and by
Retirement Ordinance it only requires 2 Independent Medical Examiners agree on the disability,
and cause of disability. Right then, she qualified for her Disability Pension. End of Story.
Well…No, not exactly.
Francesca now goes to the second IME, (really the 3rd) on October 22nd, 2014 with Dr. Jay Lasser
of Farmington, CT. Dr. Lasser concludes “The employee, her therapist who clearly knows her
and her situation very well and now I, are all of the opinion that her symptoms of the moment
would not prevent her from performing as a police officer in a different setting, but this seems
logistically impossible; And that she could never return to work as a Middletown police
officer…” That is now 3 Independent Medical Examiners that have agreed to the same diagnosis,
and cause of disability.
On November 6th, 2014, a Special Meeting is called for the Retirement Board to meet. It was an
Executive Session, so under State Law, no one will ever know what happened at that meeting,
because the record is sealed. My account comes from the best source in the room: Francesca
Quaranta. Dan Drew, Carl Erlacker, Sandra Russo- Driska, Hope Kasper, Christine Bourne, and Jim
Reynolds were present. The issue came up to approve or deny Francesca’s Disability Pension, and the
Mayor, strangely votes on this issue. That is a conflict of interest since he was the one who fired her
to begin with, and not only unethical, but illegal. But I suppose we’re not concerned with ethics,
standards, or laws here. He was never concerned at any time previous to this, why start now? The
issue comes to a vote, and Christine Bourne and Sandra Russo- Driska vote to approve. Dan Drew,
Carl Erlacker, and Jim Reynolds vote not to approve. And for some strange reason, Hope Kasper
abstains. Francesca Quaranta is denied her Disability Pension. It’s over. Lady Justice was murdered at
City Hall that night, and no one cared.
I said we would tally up the Laws Dan Drew broke in this process, so we’ll start with Local
Ordinances: Breach of Contract (Collective Bargaining Agreement), Violation of the
Municipal Pension Ordinance, Wrongful Termination of Employment. State Laws:
Connecticut General Statute §46a-58(a) (Deprivation of rights guaranteed by U.S. or State
Constitution), Connecticut General Statute §46a-81c (Sexual orientation discrimination in
employment), Connecticut General Statute §46a-60(a)(5) (aiding or abetting a discriminatory
practice, or coercing or compelling the doing of a discriminatory act), Connecticut General
Statute §46a-60(a)(1) (Discrimination against a member of a protected class). And Finally
Federal Laws: Title VII, U. S. Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §2000e (Equal Employment
Opportunities violation), and Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq.
Dan Drew destroyed Francesca Quaranta’s life, and career, and broke 9 laws in the process. He didn’t
lose one ounce of sleep over this, and he didn’t care what he had to do to meet his own agenda,
including ethics violations, criminal acts; State and Federal, and violation of Local Ordinances. This
is one case folks! There are 10 more similar to it pending in court. Francesca Quaranta went through
all of this, and it destroyed her life, not to mention the lives of her family members. She is the best
friend I have ever had, and even after all of this, she became my Campaign Manager, and for better or
worse, we have exposed Dan Drew for the criminal and liar he is.
This Mayoral election is not about Republican or Democrat. It’s about who is right for the job. It’s
about who isn’t afraid to make the unpopular decisions that will move us forward. Change begins
here, among our streets, among our homes, among our people. We can change the world, but the hate,
lies, unethical behavior, and criminal acts need to stop yesterday. We all started our lives as
innocents, but some of us have been corrupted, and people like that do not belong in power. Even
Satan was an angel at one time, but I think Dan Drew will find out about that story personally one
day.
My name is Brian E. Clark, and I am a Candidate for Mayor, Please Write In my Name in Row 1D!
The link to my original story is: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2015/09/letter-to-editor-
miscarriage-of-justice.html
I wrote about this not that long ago, but we live in a City where so much is wrong, people tend to
have a short term memory, and an issue as this cannot be far from the memories of the residents
of Middletown. I have known Francesca Quaranta for 17 years. First as a co-worker of mine
when I volunteered as an EMT for Rocky Hill Ambulance, and professionally for Aetna
Ambulance, while Francesca, then known as Frank, was a Police Officer for the Town of Rocky
Hill. I was there then to defend her life then, as I am today, as a Candidate for the City of
Middletown. In 2004, Francesca became a Police Officer for the Middletown Police Department;
Once a fine institution that I once volunteered for as a teen, as a Police Explorer, from 1993-
1997. An institution my Uncle Joe Micale served for 38 years. I respect our Police Officers for
keeping us safe by laying their lives on the line every day. Francesca led an exemplary career for
10 years as a Police Officer, laying her life on the line for all of us, and being fair in all
situations. Unfortunately this story takes an ugly turn, because when Frank, who identified as
being a woman his whole life, decided to live her life as a woman, and become Francesca, the
end result was that Mayor Dan Drew had his hand in every part of destroying Francesca’s life
and career. From illegally discriminating against her, and then firing her. Then taking part in
denying her, her rightful Disability Pension that he had a hand in creating the actual disability
she suffered from.
I began my Campaign for Mayor because I have sat back, and watched Dan Drew do things like
this, and I was fortunate enough where I was in a place in my life where I could run for Mayor,
to stop things like this from happening. Folks, this is only one instance. Dan Drew has 11
Federal, and State law suits pending. This not makes him the only Mayor in Middletown’s
history to have that many lawsuits pending against the City, filed under his administration. This
also makes him a criminal, and just from the way I have seen him treat Francesca, he deserves
nothing less than a “term” at a Correctional Institution, where he can govern a 6’X10’ Cell. The
list of lawsuits and crimes are available at http://www.middletowninsider.com/2015/10/letter-to-
editor-city-deep-in-lawsuits.html , written by the Sandra Russo- Driska Campaign.
My original article proved I had access to all the documents, medical reports, articles, internal
emails and memo’s, and most importantly, I spent hours with Francesca herself going over in
detail how this played out. Instead of going over every report and detail as I had done already, I
am going to make a timeline, and at the end I will give you the access to the original article with
all the reports and quotes. Where we start is where you would imagine we would; When
Francesca makes the decision in her life to live as a woman, as is her right protected by HB
6599, making discrimination against transgender and gender expression, illegal. Ironically signed in to
law by Dan Drew’s hero, Dan Malloy, in 2011. That doesn’t stop the “Old Boy’s Club” of the Police
Department. The problems started almost immediately, and Dan Drew wanted in on this one.
Chief William McKenna states to Francesca that because of her, all the rules have to
change now. We know that there’s going to problems from here on out.
Francesca, not wanting to create any waves, removes herself from both locker rooms, and
use the private bathroom on the second floor. It goes as far to where Francesca is getting
dressed for work in the back parking lot in the dead of winter.
She gets reprimanded on many occasions for trivial issues like hair and earrings, when
other females are doing the same, and are left alone.
Comments about what sexual acts she performs on other men are made by supervisors, and other
officers, and derogatory statements are made by members of the Fire Department in public, and
by a dispatcher. In a job where you have to absolutely trust the guy behind you, it obviously
became impossible to do her job safely.
She makes an official complaint with Faith Jackson, the Human Resources Director, who turns an
investigation in to a carnival act, and in the end, not only does the decision say that no discrimination has
been made, and the workplace isn’t hostile, but she says Francesca should be disciplined for even making
the complaint in the first place! Francesca can’t stay here anymore, and who can blame her! On August
25, 2013 she is put on Administrative Leave with pay. She uses her time off to meet with her therapist,
and try to make sense of what has happened, and heal.
On March 11, 2014, the Mayor forces Francesca to attend a Fitness for Duty
Examination, conducted by Dr. Nancy Randall, a doctor hired by the City. Keep count
now, it becomes important later. Dr. Randall is Doctor #1. Francesca does not pass the
Fitness for Duty Evaluation. Diagnostic words like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Severe
Depression, and Anxiety are just a few of the words contained in the report, and what does Dan
Drew do? He moves her off Administrative Leave, and forces her to apply for Unemployment
Compensation, which he challenges, and forces a hearing, which he loses. Miserably. Illegal, you
say? Yes but again, we’ll tally the score at the end.
Dan Drew knows he’s screwed up bad. So he orders Francesca to take a second Fitness for Duty
Exam, on Jun 2, 2014. Still being treated for her Mental Illness’s right along, she knows this is a joke,
meant to be retaliatory, and humiliating. In a letter from her Attorney Josephine S. Miller, delivered
that day to Brig Smith, General Counsel for the City, it says as much, and that now, Francesca will be
going for her Disability Retirement Pension, which she certainly is entitled to under City Retirement
Ordinance.
Her own Therapist of 3 years concludes, “I recommend she be retired with full disability pension
since she will otherwise be placed in an intolerable environment that will not be conducive to
performing the essential duties of police officer due to lack of cooperation and support of
command staff and fellow officers.” Francesca knows now that she must retire with a disability.
Unbelievably, on the June 27th, 2014, Dan Drew summons Francesca to his office, where he
FIRES her! What’s his reasoning? He maintains to this day, that had she passed a Fitness for
Duty Evaluation, she would have been allowed back immediately. But he knows from Dr.
Randall’s report, that isn’t ever going to happen.
Francesca may be the only woman I know that has the resolve of Abrams Tank. She takes the
hits, and keeps moving forward. The Retirement Board meets for the first time, on September 3rd,
2014. The Board members are all present, but someone has to tell me how Joe Serra can be on that
committee as an impartial citizen member. Talk about conflict of interest! But the meeting goes on, and
the decision is made that two independent medical (IME) reviews are to be conducted, and Hope Kasper
motions to hold a Special Meeting when the results are obtained. Now remember, Dr. Nancy Randall was
a City hired Doctor, and she already confirmed that Francesca was disabled. But, somehow her report
couldn’t be used.
Francesca goes to her first IME on October 8th, 2014, by Dr. Morris D. Bell, of Yale New Haven.
Dr. Bell concludes, “Francesca Quaranta is totally and permanently disabled as a police officer by
her PTSD and depression. Her disability occurred during the performance of job related police
duties and directly arose from performance of those duties…” That’s Doctor #2, and by
Retirement Ordinance it only requires 2 Independent Medical Examiners agree on the disability,
and cause of disability. Right then, she qualified for her Disability Pension. End of Story.
Well…No, not exactly.
Francesca now goes to the second IME, (really the 3rd) on October 22nd, 2014 with Dr. Jay Lasser
of Farmington, CT. Dr. Lasser concludes “The employee, her therapist who clearly knows her
and her situation very well and now I, are all of the opinion that her symptoms of the moment
would not prevent her from performing as a police officer in a different setting, but this seems
logistically impossible; And that she could never return to work as a Middletown police
officer…” That is now 3 Independent Medical Examiners that have agreed to the same diagnosis,
and cause of disability.
On November 6th, 2014, a Special Meeting is called for the Retirement Board to meet. It was an
Executive Session, so under State Law, no one will ever know what happened at that meeting,
because the record is sealed. My account comes from the best source in the room: Francesca
Quaranta. Dan Drew, Carl Erlacker, Sandra Russo- Driska, Hope Kasper, Christine Bourne, and Jim
Reynolds were present. The issue came up to approve or deny Francesca’s Disability Pension, and the
Mayor, strangely votes on this issue. That is a conflict of interest since he was the one who fired her
to begin with, and not only unethical, but illegal. But I suppose we’re not concerned with ethics,
standards, or laws here. He was never concerned at any time previous to this, why start now? The
issue comes to a vote, and Christine Bourne and Sandra Russo- Driska vote to approve. Dan Drew,
Carl Erlacker, and Jim Reynolds vote not to approve. And for some strange reason, Hope Kasper
abstains. Francesca Quaranta is denied her Disability Pension. It’s over. Lady Justice was murdered at
City Hall that night, and no one cared.
I said we would tally up the Laws Dan Drew broke in this process, so we’ll start with Local
Ordinances: Breach of Contract (Collective Bargaining Agreement), Violation of the
Municipal Pension Ordinance, Wrongful Termination of Employment. State Laws:
Connecticut General Statute §46a-58(a) (Deprivation of rights guaranteed by U.S. or State
Constitution), Connecticut General Statute §46a-81c (Sexual orientation discrimination in
employment), Connecticut General Statute §46a-60(a)(5) (aiding or abetting a discriminatory
practice, or coercing or compelling the doing of a discriminatory act), Connecticut General
Statute §46a-60(a)(1) (Discrimination against a member of a protected class). And Finally
Federal Laws: Title VII, U. S. Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §2000e (Equal Employment
Opportunities violation), and Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq.
Dan Drew destroyed Francesca Quaranta’s life, and career, and broke 9 laws in the process. He didn’t
lose one ounce of sleep over this, and he didn’t care what he had to do to meet his own agenda,
including ethics violations, criminal acts; State and Federal, and violation of Local Ordinances. This
is one case folks! There are 10 more similar to it pending in court. Francesca Quaranta went through
all of this, and it destroyed her life, not to mention the lives of her family members. She is the best
friend I have ever had, and even after all of this, she became my Campaign Manager, and for better or
worse, we have exposed Dan Drew for the criminal and liar he is.
This Mayoral election is not about Republican or Democrat. It’s about who is right for the job. It’s
about who isn’t afraid to make the unpopular decisions that will move us forward. Change begins
here, among our streets, among our homes, among our people. We can change the world, but the hate,
lies, unethical behavior, and criminal acts need to stop yesterday. We all started our lives as
innocents, but some of us have been corrupted, and people like that do not belong in power. Even
Satan was an angel at one time, but I think Dan Drew will find out about that story personally one
day.
My name is Brian E. Clark, and I am a Candidate for Mayor, Please Write In my Name in Row 1D!
The link to my original story is: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2015/09/letter-to-editor-
miscarriage-of-justice.html
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