Allan Appel Photo
U.S. Rep. Sanchez offers her Harp endorsement.
Lucia Colon is already registered to vote and has decided to cast her vote for New Haven “alcalde” for incumbent Mayor Toni Harp.
Her son Johnny has not yet registered, but said he is going to do so as soon as possible and vote the same way as mom.
The Colons, both residents of the Fair Haven elderly apartments at 25 Saltonstall St., made that declaration after receiving a visit Saturday morning in their building’s community roo, not only from the mayor, but also from California U.S. Rep. Linda Sanchez, the vice-chair of the House Democratic Caucus, and the fifth-highest ranking member of the Democratic leadership.
The Colons, pitched by Candelaria and Crespo.
The door-knocking and retail politics followed a get-out-the-vote rally that featured Sanchez’s formal endorsement of the mayor. The poster-flyer-button-bearing event drew about 30 people, including alders and other city government workers, to the steps of Estrella Resplandeciente De Jacob, the recently remonikered Second Star of Jacob Church at Poplar and Chapel streets.
There Sanchez, a colleague of New Haven U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro on the House Ways and Means Committee, praised the mayor as someone “who stands up for every constituent. She won’t sell out any community for a few pieces of silver; you know that story.”
Organizers of the gathering — including Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s deputy state director, Joey Rodriguez, and State Rep. Juan Candelaria — pointed out the similarities between the two politicians on their support for ksmall business creation, education, workers rights and especially for sanctuary cities. They also said a main aim of the rally was to emphasize the importance of local elections.
Since local elections are characterized by low turnout, Rodriguez said, “We’re going to send a message of support for how our city is going. We will come out to vote. We’ll displace any rumor that Latinos do not come out to vote.”
Newly promoted Assistant Fire Chief Orlando Mercano, among the canvassers at the rally, offered a prediction: “This year Latino turnout will not be an issue.”
Sanchez with city Elderly Services Director Midgdalia Castro.
Last week Harp also received the formal endorsement of the Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus.
Various speakers Saturday highlighted dropping crime rates in New Haven and Harp’s support for immigration rights, including standing by “sanctuary city” policies in the face of a threat by the president of withholding federal dollars.
DeLauro’s endorsement of Harp was read by her spokesperson Jimmy Tickey. It included mention of three consecutive balanced city budgets and improved credit ratings.
“When you look around our city, you see her impact. Where there was once a vacant bus barn [on James Street], we have a tech incubator. And on the less-glamorous projects, she brings the same fighting spirit — for street paving, coastal resiliency, and urban renewal,” Tickey read.
With only ten campaigning days left before the Sept. 12 primary, you could sense the urgency among the rally participants to get that news out, in the old-fashioned way, door-to-door, and in Spanish as well as Spanish.
“It really boggles my mind that people have forgotten we’re a country of immigrants,” Harp declares.
Rodriguez said that last week he had approached the Harp campaign and asked it to “look at ways to excite Latino [voters].”
Sanchez made an analogy to her own workplace: “You could choose between a proven leader and someone who needs on-the-job training. As someone who has to deal with an inexperienced chief executive, please let them [the voters] know what’s at stake on Sept. 12. Let them know they can make a difference.”
Sanchez, who has served in Congress since 2002 and has a sister Loretta Sanchez who had also been a Congresswoman until 2016when she lost a Democratic primary to now California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, represents 13 cities in the eastern purlieus of Los Angeles, including Whittier.
“Whittier, where the girls are prettier,” she said in a brief interview before the door-knocking began.
“Nixon’s from there. But he didn’t say that. I did,” she added.
Among the various officials attending the rally and setting out to canvas were Alders Jose Crespo, Al Paolillo, Anna Festa, and Aaron Greenberg.
The 200-member Assemblies of God church did not formally host the event, just offering its steps and location.
There Sanchez, a colleague of New Haven U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro on the House Ways and Means Committee, praised the mayor as someone "who stands up for every constituent. She won't sell out any community for a few pieces of silver; you know that story."
To my Latino brothers and sisters.Just as we African Americans have Judas Goat leaders,You to have Latino Judas Goat Leaders who are selling you out.Traitors to their own culture.Your so call Latino Judas Goat Leaders look at you as latino sanganos. Where are these Latino Judas Goat Leaders as the Gentrification vampires move into the El Barrios of New Haven.Do not drink the kool-Aid.
My bad. How come these same Latino Judas Goat Leaders have not spoke out on this.
Cop's Discrimination Complaint Upheld
New Haven police reassigned a sergeant running the East Shore district because an alder there objected to having a Latino in charge of the neighborhood, a state human rights agency has concluded.The conclusion comes in the form of a report by the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) on a complaint filed by New Haven Sgt. Wilfredo Cruz.Cruz complained to the CHRO that the department removed him as East Shore district manager on Sept. 11, 2016 because of his ethnicity.He charged that Annex Alder and State Rep. Al Paolillo Jr. pressed police brass to transfer Cruz."There is sufficient evidence to support a finding of reasonable cause that [New Haven] removed [Cruz] from the District Manager position in whole or in part because he is Hispanic," CHRO investigator David L. Kent wrote in the report, a draft finding of reasonable cause, signed June 22."From the very beginning, Paolillo made it well known his disdain for [Cruz] holding the position of District Manager and the fact that he was Hispanic. ... [T]he investigator cannot ignore the serious nature of Paolillo's expressed, ongoing intent and its likely impact on the removal of [Cruz] from the