Eddie Perez Lawyers and Supporters Continue To Be Confused and Inaccurate

Sentencing for convicted criminal and disgraced former Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez (pictured with fellow thief of tax payer dollars former State Rep. Abraham Giles) is set for today. The Eddie Perez trial (see the illustrated guide here) was wrapping up just as Sad City was starting and gave us something to write about when we didn't have a clue  (we still don't) what we were doing.

In hoping for leniency for this wonderful public servant, oft-confused  (see Perez lawyers fail history)Perez lawyers Hubert Santos and Hope Seeley have gathered letters of support and made some more comments as reported by the Hartford Courant. Mmm, this is going to be good......

Mayor Falls, Building Still Stands

If you've been to Hartford in the last twenty years or so, you've likely seen this long abandoned building that has loomed over the city for years. It's become a Hartford landmark of sorts and internet searches for the Butt-ugly building pulls up articles reporting its imminent demise all the way back to 2005. Still the building stands. The long vacant eyesore outlasted disgraced Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez and even played a roll in his downfall.

Eddie Perez Wants All Of Hartford's Blood

Disgraced former Mayor Eddie Perez continues to reach new lows as the Hartford Courant is reporting that the convict Perez is now asking the City of Hartford for payments for unused vacation or sick time.  At a time of economic crises, high unemployment, and in a poor city, the man already convicted on public corruption charges thinks it is appropriate that he collect pay for vacation time he didn't use while he was stealing from the taxpayers.

Blumenthal Uses New Corruption Statute Against Perez; Sad City Applauds.

Attorney General and Senatorial candidate Richard Blumenthal has filed suit to block convicted former Mayor Eddie Perez from receiving his pension. The suit is the first time the anti-corruption law has been invoked since it was passed after the corruption scandal of ex-Governor John Rowland. The Hartford Courant's Jenna Carlesso quotes Blumenthal

About Hartford's (Ex) Mayor

In the internet age, things change rapidly and for a city like Hartford, no one expects everything on the City website to always be up to date. But it might be time for Hartford to update the "About Hartford's Mayor" page.  It has been a few months, and given the disgraceful manner in which Eddie Perez resigned office, it might be best to at least take this page down. But while it's up, let's check out some now ironic statements.

Eddie Perez: I Never Learned to Read

The ongoing corruption case against Mayor Eddie Perez has taken a turn for the stupid.  Earlier this week, Perez resorted to the "I wasn't aware of that demand for $100,000 to vacate city-owned land that was made in exchange for political support in the North End" defense.

The Hartford Courant writes:

"For the second straight day, a top mayoral staffer testified that because Perez has great difficulty reading, his e-mails were screened, and the most important ones were given to him in the form of printouts, with staffers ready to assist him in quickly digesting the contents."

When hockey coach Jacques Demers admitted to not being able to read, we all found the story a bit incredible, but plausible.  The fact that a sitting mayor in major American city is unable to read his own emails is freaking ridiculous.

This whole thing reminds us of that scene in Wayne's World.  Too bad the only version of the clip that is available is in French.

 

Perez Lawyer Ignores History As Defense Rests

Mayor Eddie Perez's Defense lawyer Hubert Santos topped the dyslexia defense with a statement that's almost too good to be true. "What's the bottom line - is Mayor Eddie Perez a crook? No. There's not too many crooks showing up every day at city hall, working for the betterment of the people of the city of Hartford." Let's focus on that "there's not too many crooks showing up every day at city hall" portion. Surely Santos is aware of him, him, him (three in a row for Waterbury!), him, him, her, him, him, or perhaps him to just name a few. I know everyone is entitled to vigorous representation but making such statements makes everything look like a farce. It's no wonder the public has such animosity towards defense attorneys. But hey, maybe I'm taking the statement out of context and Eddie has much better city hall attendance than other Mayoral crooks?

What exactly is "it" that we can do?

Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez was found guilty on 5 of 6 charges and faces a maximum of 55 years at sentencing on September 10. Following his defenses lead of making inexplicable, preposterous statements, when asked if he had anything to say Perez replied "Yes we can" in Spanish. Nothing like pandering for some sympathy by flatly ripping off the slogan from one of the more successful political campaigns in recent memory.

Hot In Hartford: McEnroe vs. The Mayor

The voting continues with a battle between Colin McEnroe, last years runner up and recipient of The Howard Stern Award for furthest advancing radio personality and Mayor Pedro Segarra who dominated the Hartford Mayoral election on his way to winning his first full Mayoral term. Mr. McEnroe is well known for hosting The Colin McEnroe Show on WNPR. Mr. McEnroe also writes the "To Wit" blog, a two-time winner of the Advocate's Best Of in the blog category.

An Illustrated Guide to the Eddie Perez Scandal

Confused by what exactly Eddie Perez did wrong? Are you having trouble placing this event in the greater scheme of political scandals in Connecticut?  What does this mean for Hartford?  Let Sad City Hartford's illustrated guide give you the scoop on our fair state's latest scandal.

Mayor Pedro Segarra Chats With Sad City Hartford

Pedro Segarra famously became Mayor of Hartford after the resignation of the disgraced Eddie Perez. Taking office in late June, (around the same time Sad City debuted) the former City Council President has been a visible presence and a breath of fresh air to local politics. The Mayor was recently kind enough to take some time and answer a few of Sad City's questions.
 

Mayoral Candidate J.Stan McCauley Chats with Sad City Hartford

J.Stan McCauley is a familiar face in Hartford. He ran for Mayor in 2007 and has recently announced his candidacy for the Mayor's Office in the 2011 election. McCauley can also be seen on a regular basis on Public Television on Channel 5. We feel like we usually catch him on late Sunday nights, and his shows can be watched online here. McCauley was nice enough to give Sad City a few moments of his time and answer some of our questions this weekend. The unedited interview after the jump. 

A Hartford Grass Roots Movement

At this point it would seem that there is nobody left except for some intertwined politicians that support disgraced former Mayor Eddie Perez. Yet in Parkville, Sad City was able to find what appears to be some support for the ex-Mayor. While going from controlling City Hall to some graffiti on the back of a stop sign is quite a fall, we'd imagine that the former Mayor is happy to have some support. Perhaps he is envisioning a grass roots campaign where he can take over one Hartford side street at a time on his way back into office?

Want to Financially Support a Thief?

Attorney General/Senatorial Candidate Richard Blumenthal, busy dodging steel chairs from Linda McMahon, still has time to perform his AG duties and announced he will go after convicted Ex-Mayor Eddie Perez's pension. Blumenthal will try to revoke/reduce the pension under a new law enacted after the conviction of also disgraced politician, former Governer John Rowland.

Chuckles on the Levels of Prison

Our favorite Hartford resident, Chuckles, explains the levels of prison and gives some tips on how not to get raped. Eddie Perez should take note.

We'll have an important update on Chuckles next week.

Don't Name a Street After Abraham Giles

The Evil Undead Zombie of Abraham Giles has come back to terrorize Hartford once again.

Ed. Note: Originally published April 18, 2012, Council went forward and passed a resolution naming a street corner after Giles last night. Surrounding areas laugh and shake their heads.

Are we the only ones who are completely appalled by the  idea that an admitted extortionist, the late Abraham "Butt Ugly" Giles, is very likely to have a street corner named after him in Hartford? No? Good.

We know it's not good to speak ill of the dead, but this one really deserves it.

Edwin Vargas Chats with Sad City

Hartford Mayoral Candidate Edwin Vargas took some time and answered some of Sad City's questions.


1. You grew up in Brooklyn. Why and when did you come to Hartford. Where have you lived in Hartford?

I grew up in Brooklyn until I was eleven and then my family moved back to Puerto Rico.  I was recruited as a teacher by Hartford community leader Maria Sanchez back in 1972.  I have lived in the South Green neighborhood, Behind the Rocks, Parkville and since 1984 on Douglas Street which straddles Barry Square and the South End

2. Your candidacy will be a direct challenge to incumbent Mayor Pedro Segarra; give us your assessment on Mayor Segarra’s job performance since being thrust into the role after the resignation of Eddie Perez.

Hartford Embraces Literal Street Signs

McLean to the right.....

In an attempt to make life easier for illiterate people, the city has embraced literal street signs. Albany Ave signs will now feature the skyline of New York's capital city and Franklin Ave signs will now be printed on the hundred dollar bills that Eddie Perez claims the city owes him.

"Butt Ugly" Building in Early Stages of Demolition

Having stood vacant greeting greeting passer-bys of I-84 seemingly forever, it appears that the much discussed "Butt Ugly" building will finally be demolished. Sad City noticed what appears to be signs or preparation for a demolition and got a rare glance at the inside of the controversial building that was part of the Eddie Perez scandal.

Hartford Abandoned Lot

The corner of Woodland Street and Albany Avenue is always busy. (Sad City gets extra kewl points by already being retro with the Eddie Perez sign.) It is so busy that it almost needs extra lanes to relieve the clogging at the light if you are coming up Woodland. In the immediate area there is a post office, a mini-strip mall with a pharmacy and grocery store, and a great Jamaican bakery. The University of Hartford is just a mile down the road. St. Josephs College and UConn Law aren't much that further away. So why isn't this site desirable?