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EDITORIAL:
The Herald reported that Alderman Phil Sherwood joined Majority Leader Michael Trueworthy in calling for the dismissal of the city’s auditing firm for “failure to follow the rules of the city charter.”
(“Aldermen claim possible auditing conspiracy” Aug 5, by James Craven, Staff Writer).
The article went on to quote Alderman Sherwood as saying that he felt the auditor’s failure to comply with the rules and not sending a representative to answer to this subcommittee had a “conspiratorial feeling” even though he acknowledged that their representative had been on vacation until at least August 2. But what about the conspiracy that Sherwood, Trueworthy, and the rest of the Council Democrats engaged in back in February--when Alderman Catanzaro committed a violation of that same charter right in front of them all.
In fact it was such a serious violation, that the city charter cites it as cause for Catanzaro to be expelled from office as a result. As I have previous reported, the city Ethics Commission, by a unanimous bipartisan vote, found Alderman Catanzaro in violation of the city ethics rules, and issued a recommendation to the council suggesting that he be reprimanded over an issue whereby as an Alderman, he voted against contracting out work by the same city department he works for, requiring the work to be performed by city employees and creating a situation whereby he possibly could have received personal overtime.
At the February council meeting, Alderman Catanzaro spoke against his own Ethics Commission ruling, and then joined his fellow Democrats in voting to reject the commission’s ruling—both in direct violation of the city charter. These actions occurred on the public record, and in the presence of the council members.
Section 4-7 of the city charter states in part: “No member of the Common Council shall be heard to speak upon, nor shall be allowed to vote upon…any matter in which the member has a pecuniary interest.” That same section goes on to state: “Any violation of this provision shall be grounds for expulsion of any member violating the same…”
Alderman Catanzaro committed these violations in the presence of the other Democrats on the council, who were each sworn to uphold the Charter of the City of New Britain, and they have failed to perform their sworn duty by enforcing that section of the charter. The problem is that it is left to the members of the council to enforce charter violations against fellow aldermen, and this council apparently is unwilling to enforce violations committed by members of their own party.
Isn’t it ironic now that an election is approaching, some of these same aldermen profess to be champions of enforcing the charter when they feel it will benefit their own campaign, despite the fact that they are on record as blatantly disregarding charter violations committed by their fellow alderman?
Apparently they believe it is within their discretion to pick and choose what sections of the charter they will enforce without regard for their oath or the law.
Isn’t this the ultimate in hypocrisy?
10 comments:
Frank:
You don't go far enough. These three, Sherwood, Trueworthy and Catanzaro along with Gerratana, Hermanowski and Bielinski and occasionally magnuzewski and Platosh have disparaged and badgered certain City Directors, Department Heads and others. They, along with a couple of our state legislators have succeeded in killing lucrative (for the city) revenue proposals. Also, these Council members, all Democrats have chased away potential potential developers. All this in an effort to disparage the Mayor. Sad but true. They care nothing for the people of New Britain nor for the city itself.
But the Democratic Town Committee and the WFP support them all. Time for NB voters to throw out all of them.
Aren't they both "ACORN" candidates?
New Britain Town Crier said...
The sleazy levels that the Democrats are stooping to just exemplifies how desperate they are getting because they are becoming increasingly aware that they have a snow ball's chance in hell in getting their radical extremist candidate elected.
If you get rid of these clowns, where are we going to get our entertainment from?
We won't have Sherwood to ask a gentleman planning to invest $5 million in this city a stupid question like "WHERE'S THE BEEF?"
or Platosh questioning a restaurant owner interested in opening a business here, as to whether they sell hot dogs made in China.
What professionalism we have representing this city!
Schwarzenegger Wants ACORN Investigated
Governor Asks California Attorney General To Look Into Activities;;
even a "girlie man" wants an investigation into ACORN, but yet New Britain has politicians who are proud of them?
Phony Phil and all his conspiracy theories. What about all the conspiracies the Democrats on the council are involved in, you know the dirty 13?
Time for real change; Let's get rid of the infamous 13 on the council!
Don't forget about the recent report in the Herald about Candelori, formerly a partner in Colonial Realty, who is the council appointed chairman of the Mattabassett District, reportedly mailing official billing notices about district business directly to Trueworthy and calling Trueworthy directly about billing issues, as if Trueworthy is some high level authority and not just an alderman (1 of a board of 15)?
Isn't this just the slightest bit questionable?
Hey Frank, Didn't Sherwood or one of his cronies once post on here some nonsense about the massive following the DTC has here in New Britain, and something about how they were going to trounce anyone who dared oppose them with huge embarrassing landslides?
Where were all their massive groups of followers to support their radical candidate for Town Clerk?
Where was the all-mighty McNamara who could barely turn out 10% of his party? What an embarrassment he is turning out to be for his party when he can't deliver 10% of the vote!!
More proof that the base of the Democratic party rejects the radical agenda being pushed by the extremists who have hijacked their party.
The Democrats won't get rid of Catanzaro, Collins, Cruz, Centeno, Platosh or Black. Guess why????? It only takes simple counting to answer the question. These six are votes Trueworthy controls. It's why he is allowed to babble on incessantly.
The only possible way to rid the Council of these folks is to vote them out.
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