Middletown, Guns & the Gubernatorial Run in Connecticut 2014

Candidate for Governor of CT Joe Visconti

Who is running for Govenor in CT? So far candidates who have spoken in public about an official run  for governor of Connecticut in 2014 are incumbent Dannel Malloy (D), and republicans Tom C. Foley, Joe Visconti, and state senator John McKinney. McKinney has come under criticism from the CCDL and other 2nd Amendment rights groups for his staunch support of the Malloy administration's stricter gun legislation in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting massacre that took place in December of 2012. Visconti, who's  facebook page has photos of him with holster in view, so far has been the only gubernatorial candidate to go on record and state he supports the second amendment and feels the new more restrictive gun legislation passed in CT is unconstitutional as well. Visconti declared his official run in April. Race watchers from various print media are calling Toni Boucher, Chris Shays, Mark Boughton, and Mark Lauretti "potential" candidates, however only Malloy, McKinney, Visconti, and Foley have made official declarations.

What does this have to do with Middletown?Representatives from Middletown who voted in favor stricter gun control measures included democrats Rep. Matt Lesser, Rep.Joe Serra, and Senator Dante Bartolomeo. 

What more does this have to do with Middletown's municipal election in November? Mayor of Middletown Dan Drew lead the push for some of the members of the Common Council to sign a declaration on behalf of the 40,000+ citizens of Middletown seeking tighter gun control in the wake of the Sandy Hook Tragedy. All of the members of Common Council are up for re election November 2013. Both parties have declared their slates this week. Signers of the Proclamation were Phil Pessina (R), Hope Kasper (D), Gerald Daley (D), Tom Serra (D), and Ron Klattenberg (D). Read out previous post of which common council members signed the proclamation and what exactly it meant: 

http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/01/is-councils-resolution-regarding-2nd.html

Mayor Drew  and he also signed New  York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Mayors Against  Illegal Guns  Pledge.  Don't care about guns? Keep reading, there is more to this pledge than just gun rights that could set a precedent that will effect PRIVACY of ALL citizens.

Is it about restricting the right to own a gun or the right to privacy? 

Answer Mayor's Against Illegal Guns wishes to inhibit BOTH:  The main goal of the Mayor's Against Illegal Guns group is to repeal the Tiahrt Amendment which restricts access At issue is a campaign urging repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, which prohibits the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from releasing gun trace data to the public. The ATF and Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), both support the Tiahrt Amendment . Both the ATF and FOP have requested its reinstatement every year since 2003. Newspaper in New York came under fire early in the year for publishing the names of gun owners, with the repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, this information could be accessed readily by the public. 

 

Critics feel that this could set precedent for other personal information collected by the government being shared as well. Proponents feel it is the public's right to know sensitive information about their neighbors as a way to prevent or profile people who potentially may commit acts of violence.

CCDL and the 2nd Amendment in CT: CCDL is a non profit group, therefore cannot be partisan. CCDL however, wishes to support 2nd Amendement rights and has invited various politicans and candidates to speak at their monthly meetings regarding 2nd amendment issues.  Since the institution of the stricter gun laws , which the  CCDL group feels are unconstitutional, and the backlash over the increased length of time it has now takes the state to issue pistol permits - the CCDL has been raising money to over turn the new laws. The group  is currently planning a Poker Run rally September 21 to raise money, and is holding another family picnic for members and 2nd Amendment supporters wishing to contribute to the litigation fund on August 24th. More information is available on their website: http://ccdl.us/ 

Below, president of CCDL Scott Wilson makes a statement on behalf of the group regarding McKinney, who as the minority leader in the state legislator, advocated for Malloy's stricter gun registration laws.  Malloy has already been campaigning hard starting this past spring along side incumbent mayor of Middletown Dan Drew (D) who is seeking reelection and ever-campaigning senator Rosa DeLauro (D) making appearances at a variety of photos ops around the city. CCDL meets monthly at the Elk's Lodge in Middletown, meetings are open to anyone wishing to learn more about 2nd Amendment rights. The groups reports it has over 8,500 members.

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Press Release from CCDL President Scott Wilson

Groton, CT July 23rd, 2013
The President for the Connecticut Citizens Defense League (The state’s largest grass roots gun rights group) offers comments on a gubernatorial run by Senate minority leader John McKinney.
CCDL President Scott Wilson: “Senator McKinney was instrumental in implementing a historic gun control law with zero consideration for the constitutional rights of law abiding gun owners. With his deliberate act of siding with gun control supporters, there will be no support from CCDL for his run”.
The CCDL President also stated that other elected officials who went along with the Senate leader and voted in favor of the gun control law, could expect the same from the organization.

Rumblings from Middletown

1. Big Lots is moving into old A&P space on Washington Street. Mayor Drew  will undoubtedly try to take credit for this which was just good old fashion CAPITALISM and brokering between two private companies! Drew’s trip to the far East had nothing to do with bringing this new business to Middletown no matter how it is spun. Big Lots is a US based company that buys surplus items from retail stores. Commenters online are already complaining that the store is low brow. You would think a company that buys and therefore keeps surplus goods out of landfills would be right up the granola folks' alley.

2. Months back Drew was quoted by the Mess in an article about ID Mail Systems, a company renting space in the Remington Rand building, as saying he played a key role in their new contract with new overseas clients. If you believe this tall tale about Pinnochio Boy, then you probably still believe he works a full day too.

3. Government surplus  property on Mile Lane was supposed to be transferred to the City by now since the process to do so was completed 6 years ago! Over a year ago Drew took the whole tax payer funded trip to visit congresswoman Red Rosa in DC. If this still is hanging out there taxpayers should ask for a refund.

4. Some Democrats are trying to say Lisa Santangelo was never a Registrar of Voters. She was never at City Hall. It was all a hologram by Republicans to make them look like they had an out of control she-dragon puppeting the mayor.

5. Got your water & sewer bill? Paying double but have not had an increase in usage? Hello anyone? W&S department is STILL FUBAR’d yet not even 1 of the 4 conscious councilmembers has brought up the report that was done a year ago stating the department was in shambles! Even Thelma & Louise have been quiet on the council floor lately (Kleckowski has offered to help those as part of WPCA, kudos for that). 

 You can crunch
 the numbers Salafia,
what happened to the 
finger shaking?
Come on!!

But ladies, we know you‘ve got your hands full babysitting the two boys, but come on- channel some Lisa & get all nasty up in there biatches!!!!

6. Councilman Pessina asked for a full report to see what could be done differently after the last freak snow storm that left many residents house bound while streets were left un plowed. Four months later, still no report! Must be filed with the Mayor's China report. Thanks buddy for following up on that!

7.  Republican Councilmen Pessina and Bibisi sold out their party by voting against the budget they helped write a year ago, and this year voted FOR a larger more costly government in merging legal & personnel. Pessina gave a speech ENDORSING the merger, & ANOTHER praising  Drew’s budget which includes HIGHER taxes! Pessina also wrote a letter basically endorsing the endorsement of  Rep. Lesser (D) by the teachers union. Phil, people are pretty sick of hearing “it’s is for the children.” If Pessina wanted to become waterboy for the other team he should have just said so.

8. How many tickets to the Mayor's ball will he need to comp (again) in order to make the post event photos look like enough people to fill the room actually showed up? Drew concocted some awards to give out so he is at least guaranteed 3 tables are filled by the recipients families. Do yourself a favor and just cut a check to St. Vincent DePaul Place & tailgate with us in the Elks parking lot, you'll have a better time. 

9. AGAIN! Residents are still receiving inaccurate water & sewer bills, which were all mailed late as well. The W&S audit over 18 months ago said we had a problem. How is this director still collecting a pay check? Oh wait Guy Russo is related to....

10. So the P&Z  Dept. "found" $30,000 extra bucks to reduce the cost of the Riverfront Study by consultants. Wesleyan is "giving" $10,000 to the study.  So the cost being asked for from the Common Council to pay for the study has gone from $75k to $35k. Did someone hire back Frechette to calculate this? What piece of the pie are we giving away to get this cash from WesU? 

11. Wesleyan has a boat launch. Xavier will have a boat launch. Fire and Police will now have an even bigger dock to launch boats. If a Middletown resident wants to put a dinghy in the water you will have to continue to drive to Portland or Haddam. Despite The PooPoo plant being decommissioned will citizens get river access? 

12. A year ago, didn't Mayor Drew whine to the Mess that he didn't know Acquitted By Reason of Insanity on Part of the Busted Judicial System David Messenger was up for his yearly appeal for early limited release from CVH? Didn't he & Councilman Zippy Santangelo, who works for CVH, concoct another lets scare-the-public-with-the-unlikely-release-of-another “psychotic violent criminal” Kenneth Ruggles? Last year Mayor Drew got all “tough” in a press release before the Ruggles hearing to distract from the fact he forgot ( was paling around with Dannel) to address the Messenger hearing.  Lisa you are slipping! Second year, second no action on Drew’s part.

13. Every year it seems Messenger gets an appeal hearing for early “supervised & limited release,” and the same players turn out.  A wise man once said if Messenger is released “I’ll staple a cop to his butt.” People forget the Rev. John Hall wanted Messenger to be able to attend First Church. Hall has since gotten a new gig as bike path czar at the non-profit Jonah Center for Earth, Art, Air, & Money. John so you abandoned your old pal? If Messenger gets out, we think he should live with you!

 14. Rumor had it everyone was laid off from NEAT. Now we hear there is a new acting director. Still no one can find a budget or list of board members on this non-profits website.  BTW, will the North End ever be saved from poverty making NEAT obsolete or is peace in the Middle East more likely? If I am a pent-house occupying - CEO of a non-profit making $600,000 you can guess my answer!

15. The definition of bi-partisanship is: 
“a political situation, usually in the context of a two-party system, in which opposing political parties find common ground through compromise, in theory. Realistically, each party advances their own political agenda at the expense of the other party because of the conflicting ideologies.” Councilmen Bibisi and Pessina take note: NOWHERE does it say ass-kiss, sell your soul to, get walked on by, compromise your morals for, abandon your constituents in favor of, or become the doormat of the other party.

16. When Drew can't bring himself to even FAKE being bipartisan & put Republicans on committees as he is by law supposed to do, he just has loyal D's change parties. Doesn't even matter they don't live in Middletown!

17. Rep. Matt Lesser is a member of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League a group that stands up for 2nd Amendment rights, yet he voted in favor for some of the strictest and most unconstitutional gun legislation in the country.

18.  Speaking of Matty and Danny, the Mayor's budget has cut out vaccines for Emergency Management crews, but put in a line item for bunk beds for the two bffs in the Mayor's office so they can chillax after late nights at Mezzo's.

19. Mayor Drew why are you chilling so much with Superintendent Charles? She's out giving speeches & scooping ice cream with you. First, Danno, get back in the office and do your job. Second, Charles has an honest soul from what we can tell, so stop trying to buy it cause we know how that goes with you guys the D's when it comes to superintendents...

Supreme Leaders Big Dannel & Lil Danny

20. Everyone wants to honor veterans, but the fact that Mayor Drew basically gave away Veteran’s Park to the Malloy backed Trees of Honor Memorial is a deal that people should find unsettling.  Why are veteran’s taking it laying down that Mayor Drew wants to shove the Vet’s Museum into a 2,100 sq. ft glorified shipping crate?? How come the idea of Trees of Honor Memorial was never before the Council? It’s a good one, so why not publicly vet it? Since when can the Mayor give land away all on his own?