Saturday, July 3, 2010

Tim O'Brien's disingenuous comments


In yesterday’s edition of the The Harford Courant Representative Tim O’Brien was quoted as offering to broker a meeting between Phil Sherwood, Mayor Stewart, and School board President Sharon Beloin-Saavedra. He went on to say “The people of our city expect and deserve leadership that brings people together to overcome disagreements and move our city forward with as much unity as possible.” However, the recent FOI request that was conducted by the New Britain Republican Town Committee reveals that Tim O’Brien would hardly be an objective mediator in this dispute.

In a series of emails written on June 23, 2010 between Phil Sherwood, Michael Trueworthy, and Tim O’Brien, State Representative O’Brien wrote a letter stating that the Mayor’s veto was illegal. The letter then goes on to recommend that the Board of Education “should act to restore $1.5 million to their budget.” This exact letter was reproduced almost exactly verbatim by Aldermen Trueworthy and Sherwood. One of the only noticeable differences is the deletion of a line that makes it painfully obvious that Tim O’Brien was the author of the letter.

In fact, in the email dialog between Sherwood, O’Brien and Trueworthy, Phil Sherwood at one point stated “You said I could use this (but from me) as base for letter to press, commissioner of ed and School board right?” to which Tim O’Brien replied, “Well, there some things you should change to make it a letter, but yes, absolutely.” This letter became the basis for a great deal of the conflict now plaguing our city. This letter attempts to incite the Board of Education into pursuing legal action.

Furthermore, on his Facebook Page, in another disclosed document, Representative O’Brien stated “It is becoming clear that Mayor Stewart’s attempt to revoke the $1.5 million education funding restoration was not a legal use of his line-item veto power. So the education budget is as it was approved by the City Council.” This was that same Wednesday afternoon as the email communication with Sherwood and Trueworthy. Clearly Representative O’Brien is not as unbiased as he would like to present himself to be. If he truly wished to be unbiased he could seen a true neutral party rather than attempt to play the role of Solomon the Wise.

What is still unclear is how Aldermen Trueworthy and Sherwood came to seek out Attorney Mednick. We know that O’Brien and Mednick were both involved in the Charter revisions. We also know that on virtually every email between Aldermen Trueworthy and Sherwood regarding the decision to seek hiring Attorney Mednick and their subsequent letter to Corporation Counsel about their decision to retain Attorney Mednick. Even before the resolution was voted on O’Brien, Sherwood, and Trueworthy were in contact with Attorney Mednick and sending him letters to review and asking him for help in writing up the letter to Corporation Counsel. It makes one wonder if Attorney Mednick was doing that work for free or if perhaps he plans on attempting to bill the city for that time.

It is almost sad to read the series of emails leading up to the letter sent to Attorney Bizzarro. All the discussion about occurred between just Attorney Mednick, Phil Sherwood, Michael Trueworthy, and Tim O’Brien. Only once a final draft of the letter had been written were the other Democrats brought into the discussion with an email from Michael Trueworthy with a four-point clarification on the original letter. It makes it quite clear who is doing the thinking for the Democratic party. Hopefully the remaining Democrats on the council will take a stand against their runaway leadership and refuse to overturn the Mayor’s veto at the next Common Council meeting.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

If O'Brien cares so damn much about the New Britain School system, then why was it common knowledge in the campaign last year that he and his wife send his stepson to an out of town school?

Anonymous said...

This is the craziest thing I ever heard. It would be like putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop! These zealots become so consumed by their efforts to ram through more socialism, they lose all common sense because I think they really believe that everyone shares their embrace of socialism, and just can't understand someone who doesn't welcome the government controlling every aspect of your life from the cradle to the grave.

Anonymous said...

I would like to suggest that we ask Governor Chris Christie to be the moderator. He is from New Jersey, so he has no stake in the outcome.

FAIR ENOUGH?

Anonymous said...

This guy is a certifiable lunatic! He wants to mediate this issue when he was the one giving the children all of the advice on how to interpret the Charter and kiss the BOE ass to get votes. The real problem with these people is thay have NEVER had real jobs in their lives! They all are perpetual trough feeders and no nothing else. The only thing they have ever manufactured is voters and propaganda neither of which is part of our capitalistic system.
Throw them all out!

Anonymous said...

Name one of these Democrats that ever ran a business, ever had to make a payroll, or for that matter ever worked in the private sector where you either make a profit or close your doors.

Every one of these Democrats has made a lifetime career living of the government, ie the taxpayers.

How many of the council members are retired from one government job, collecting a pension and working in some other government job, and collecting a salary for the council, all at the same time?

Anonymous said...

Know this, with one possible exception 8 Dems on the Council are complacent knowing that Sherwood and Trueworthy will tell them how to feel, act and vote on every issue. You think not, watch them vote; see it on TV.

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