Periodically, on my blog, I post editorials on various subjects that I deem are pertinent to NB city politics, etc.
At last night’s NB Candidates Forum, while listening to the debate between Mayoral candidates, a former NB alderman, the infamous Rick Lopes, questioned me. Lopes attempted to pick an argument with me regarding an editorial I posted on MY blog on 10/5/11. The editorial referenced is reprinted below:
“PZH meeting, adverse effects take place
FRANKSMITHSAYSNB EDITORIAL:
Tonight’s meeting of the Common Council subcommittee on Planning, Zoning and Housing (PZH) showed the true colors of Council Democrats. Two items on the agenda were particularly interesting, a resolution to sell a parcel of land on Broad St. and the Costco proposal. The first issue, the sale of a lot on Broad St. to Mr. Witold Pokorski was tabled at the request of Alderman DeFronzo. The person who benefited from this tabling was none other than former Alderman Rick Lopes. People will recall that Lopes was the Alderman who registered his vehicles out of town to avoid NB taxes. Later he would become the legislative aide to former State Senator, Don DeFronzo. Lopes would then become notable for being sanctioned for rifling through the desks of other aides at the legislature. In all of this, DeFronzo protected him. While Don has moved on, Lopes remains at the LOB.
The property in question was an empty lot at 179 Broad Street. Lopes owns #183 Broad Street and has been squatting on the lot in question. Mr. Pokorski owns # 173 Broad St. and proposed to purchase # 179 to use for parking for his tenants. Alderman DeFronzo (son of Don) moved to table the proposal. The vote was tied, 4 to 4. Chair Centeno voted to table, essentially killing the purchase. Thus the Dems took care of Lopes. “
Later, DeFronzo and Trueworthy would vote against moving the Costco issue forward. Fortunately, Costco prevailed. But, DeFronzo and Trueworthy who were willing to put the general welfare of over 70K people aside for the benefit of a few anti Costco folks did take care of their notorious friend, Rick Lopes.”
Lopes was upset for a couple of reasons, ostensibly because I brought up in the editorial, his questionable past but also because to me, this was just another example of Council Democrats in particular and Democrats in general “taking care” of one of their own. Every time Lopes has been involved in an untoward situation, he has been protected and the incident has been whitewashed.
This time, Council Democrats successfully tabled the action to sell the property an action that resulted in loss of revenue for New Britain. Lopes insisted it would have been a good purchase for him too yet he never was interested enough to offer to purchase the lot.
Leopards don’t change their spots. Such is the case with NB Liberaal Democrats.
Sincerely,
Frank smith, A Conservative Democrat
I guess the radical extremists who have hijacked the party don't know how to deal with a Democrat who doesn't worship communism. It appears to me that the Democratic Party is becoming more anti-American every day. I believe that in order to become a Democrat, you must first accept that you hate this country very much.
ReplyDeleteEthics Panel Urges Censure For Alderman
ReplyDeleteMay 15, 2004|By JOANN KLIMKIEWICZ; Courant Staff Writer
NEW BRITAIN — A first-term alderman should be censured for registering three vehicles in a nearby town where taxes are lower than in New Britain, the city's ethics commission said in a report released Friday.
Rick Lopes has already reimbursed the city $3,690 for vehicles registered from 1999 through 2003 in West Hartford, where he runs a cleaning businesses out of his parents' home. He has owned a house on Broad Street since 1997.
I wouldn't worry too much about what a person of Rick Lopes obvious character might think of you, in fact it is probably good for your reputation that he doesn't like you:
ReplyDeleteNo criminal charges for Dems that rifled through a Republican's desk (CT State 'Watergate')
WTNH ^ | February 2, 2007 | Mark Davis
It is being compared to Watergate, on a much smaller scale. Two Democrats were caught on tape rifling through a Republican's desk drawer at the Legislative Office Building.
For nearly five minutes, on a day late last month, after 5 o'clock, the security camera showed a man going through a desk while a second man watches. The desk belongs to Republican assistant clerk Juliana Simone.
A four-day investigation concludes that this was intentional employee misconduct, but not criminal behavior.
"I think I'm in the minority party and they just wanted to let me know that and that I should not be enjoying my work environment and that I should feel intimidated and I should feel uncomfortable," said Simone.
The person who blew the whistle on this earlier this week was House Republican leader Larry Cafero of Norwalk.
"Someone asked me the question before, 'well what would they be wanting with papers on the desk of an assistant clerk?' and my answer was 'I don't know what they wanted in the Watergate building in 1972 but stupid things occur," said Cafero.
The two men in the security camera video are Democratic State Senate clerks, Rick Lopes, a former New Britain Alderman and Steve Palmer. Lopes was suspended for three days this week without pay.
A spokesman for the Senate Democrats said this kind of activity is unprofessional and unacceptable and appropriate action has been taken. In addition to Lopes' suspension, News Channel 8 has learned that Palmer has been re-assigned to another committee.
Caught On Tape At The Lob
ReplyDeleteJanuary 31, 2007
A Democratic spokesman insists that an incident last week in which two Democratic staff members were caught on video rifling through the desk of a Republican aide was nothing more than ``a case of unprofessional, prank-like behavior'' that doesn't warrant termination.
But this doesn't strike us as a prank. This might be a crime, or a violation of state work rules at the very least.
frank:
ReplyDeleteThe Infamous Rick doesn't like you.
That is Great its another liberal you have outed.
All members should be willing to assume a portion of the responsibility for the party to which they belong, and if they aren't they should quit.
ReplyDeleteI guess he just wants to return to the capitol with a job that he can't be suspended for 3 days from for intentional employee misconduct?
ReplyDeleteThe Demonrats are really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one!
ReplyDeleteIn all situations where Lopes has been stupid, Don DeFronzo has protected him. DeFronzo continues to support Lopes, why? Lopes is malleable and controllable DeFronzo can keep his "hooks" into the legislature and continue to set the stage for a major office for his son. Democrats throw their own "under the bus." all the time. Now it's Trueworthy's turn and to a lesser extent, Sharon Beloin. Of the Ds, Sharon was far and away the b set candidate. Smart, articulate and focused and yet, Carlozzi chooses Lopes.
ReplyDeleteAnd then, the great orator, Centeno, says, It's like which one do you love the most? Love? What a travesty.