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Foley: Show Me The Numbers

by Paul Bass | Nov 3, 2010 1:51 pm

(19) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Politics, Campaign 2010

Christin Stuart/Melissa Bailey File Photos In a surprise on-air encounter, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley confronted Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewiciz Wednesday for declaring a winner without having official numbers.

Both Bysiewicz and Foley were calling in to WNPR’s “Colin McEnroe Show” at the time, around 1:30 p.m. (Click here to hear the show.)

Byiewicz had in the previous hour declared Democrat Dan Malloy the “unofficial” winner of Tuesday’s gubernatorial election by a mere 3,000 votes, out of more than a million. She acknowledged she was basing her declaration in some cases on unofficial numbers from local registrars of voters. In New Haven, for instance, officials hadn’t even finished counting ballots; a 3 p.m. result was promised.

Foley came on McEnroe’s show to say that his campaign has a different tabulation of Tuesday’s vote. He said he won—but by less than “the margin of automatic recount,” which is 2,000 votes.

“If our number is correct, there will be an automatic recount,” Foley said.

He expressed frustration at trying to communicate with Bysiewicz’s office. “We are asking them to release their town-by-town numbers publicly. The secretary of the state released a number. But she doesn’t have all the results in,” Foley said.

Then another voice on the air piped in, to his surprise: Bysiewicz’s voice.

“We’re happy to share them,” Bysiewicz said.

She called out a greeting, “Hey Tom ...”

It turned out Bysiewicz was in the studio with McEnroe.

Foley criticized Bysiewicz for her declaration on behalf of Malloy.

“You announced a winner with an unofficial result,” he complained.

“We said they were unofficial,” Bysiewicz responded.

“You’re the secretary of the state,” Foley pressed. “You’re announcing a result when you have only unofficial returns? .... You don’t have a result. I don’t know why you’d be saying what the result of the election is.”

“It was unofficial,” Bysiewicz repeated.

“It’s not even unofficial!” Foley retorted.

Then he asked about those unofficial town-by-town numbers he’s been trying to obtain from her office. “How soon can we have these?” he asked.

“Right away,” Bysiewicz responded.

“Please send them over. We’ll reconcile our result with yours. We have a very different result. For you to be calling an unofficial election is improper….”

Stay tuned—to Colin McEnroe.

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Comments

posted by: Tim on November 3, 2010  2:05pm

This was a bid error on the SoTS part. Why is she talking about a winner (official or unofficial) at this point?

posted by: Bill on November 3, 2010  2:11pm

Tom, she can’t release the numbers until she finds more dead people to vote.

posted by: robn on November 3, 2010  2:48pm

Not cool to be making statements about “unofficial” winners, however, whats good for the goose is good for the gander. I seem to remember howls of fake protesters crying crybaby in 2000. Or are recounts only cool when Republicans do them?

posted by: JustaCountryBoy on November 3, 2010  3:14pm

Should have named this article

“Shades of former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris”

or

“Bysiewicz, the gift that kept on giving”

posted by: Poor CT on November 3, 2010  3:36pm

...

Do we live in America or Chavez’s Valenzuela?

I feel for you poor guys in CT.  Foley was defrauded by a made up ballot shortage “scam” and an in-pocket judge that conveniently left the polls open two hours longer in Bridgeport so that enough “disenfranchised voters” could be “found” to put this one conveniently just above the line where you’d have an automatic recount.

Step up and take a bow SoS Bysiewicz and “Governor-elect” Malloy, JFK and the late Mayor Daley would be proud.

posted by: jschmidt on November 3, 2010  4:16pm

Foley is absolutely right. Bysiewicz was wrong to let out unofficial numbers. She is suppossed to be the impartial Secy of State but her Democrat side is showing.

posted by: C. Middletown on November 3, 2010  4:39pm

Tom Foley is a sore loser.
Tom Foley is probably now Damaged Goods in politics forever.
Tom Foley blew $10 Million bucks (hello? “TEN MILLION!”). I’d be mad too!
Tom Foley needs to concede graciously and go home. He won’t be broke, plenty more cash in the stash.
When the air clears, maybe he will finally explain his arrests and that Bibb mess.

posted by: ab on November 3, 2010  4:45pm

Bysiewicz has already proven to CT that she has no idea what she’s talking about, that she ddoesn’tunderstand the Law of Connecticut, and she will do whatever it takes to do what she wants.

Too bad she ccouldn’tt run as AG because I was really looking forward to voting against her.

posted by: Ben a. on November 3, 2010  5:17pm

Tom Foley is acting petty, shamelessly petulant.

Tom Foley = Sore Loser.

Tom Foley has been a rich opportunist on this election from Day One.

After declaring himself a brilliant businessman, he blew $10 Million on a losing bet, driven by ego and blind ambition.

The more he fights the loss, the dumber he looks.

Before he completely shames and embarrasses himself back to the Stone Age, he should just shake hands, concede, congratulate Malloy, and go home.

Mr. Foley, you have become a mere distraction. GET OUT OF THE WAY.

posted by: John Dankosky on November 3, 2010  5:27pm

You can listen to a rebroadcast of the show tonight at 7 in the slot usually reserved for “Where We Live.”

posted by: StephenReal on November 3, 2010  5:29pm

Come on man!?
Who are they fooling?
What a scam that was to disenfranchise the voters of CT for the state of Florida, I mean the city of Bridgeport. Who does Secretary of State Katherine Harris think she is?
I would put a thousand dollar bet down this was a pre-calculated maneuver, well thought out days ahead, to skew the vote.
see you in court danny boy.

posted by: Luther Weeks on November 3, 2010  5:55pm

There many serious issues of voting integrity which this situation demonstrates.
1) The legal, fairness issues raised in Bridgeport
2) The lack of accuracy and transparency in our recanvass law (incorrectly called a recount)
3) And the lack of integrity in the reporting of election results which can cause a needed recanvass to be avoided, and the incorrect winner certified.

For more details see my post: http://ctvoterscount.org/connecticut-governors-races-integrity-issues/

posted by: Mopar on November 3, 2010  6:17pm

Wow. All these people complaining Foley spent $10 million of his own dollars. It’s his to use or waste as he sees fit. Can’t be THAT bad a businessman if he has $10m to burn. Why aren’t these same people mad that Malloy spent just as much money, only HIS money came out of our taxes (well, those of us who actually pay taxes)? CT is beyond broke, and he just made us even poorer.

posted by: Phil on November 3, 2010  7:39pm

What an embarrassment and a laughing stock this state has become.  Why anyone would continue to try and run a business in this state is beyond me.  The unions care about nothing except getting as much as they can without ANY accountability for performance and the disenfranchised continue to vote for those who seek to keep them so. Meanwhile, its the hard-working, non-union tax payers who have to foot the bill for the union thugs and the tax and spend democrats.
Politically, this state is a joke and we deserve the economic disaster that is awaiting us.  Silver lining: Madam Secretary—at least you will be gone in January.

posted by: Sno on November 3, 2010  7:57pm

Yes… that was poor judgement announcing a winner before the ink is dried.. However.. in speaking of shady election practices.. I’ve a friend who when she tried to go vote yesterday was told she wasn’t even registered.. Odd considering she’s voted in every election thus far.. however yesterday was turned away… That is odd.. But then again..look what happened in Bridgeport.. Nothing suprises me now..

posted by: Tom on November 3, 2010  8:17pm

What is wrong with Connecticut? The rest of the nation is voting out single party rule and we are voting it in.

posted by: Palin Smith on November 3, 2010  10:43pm

FOLEY WON!!!

posted by: Doyens on November 4, 2010  9:04am

After her years as Sec of State, after the debacle of Florida 2000 and specter of Katherine Harris to avoid, one would think Susan Bysiewiciz might be able to get it right. She can’t lawyer, now we find out she can’t count or manage a small office either.

posted by: andi on November 4, 2010  12:49pm

Foley needs to play nice.  We all need to remember that none of us is above being human and prior to this election nobody thought bad about the Sec of State.  I do not understand why Foley is attacking the Sec of State without having all of the facts!  Now if he actually is the looser he just looks like a sore one.

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