Candidate for Mayor Makes Straightforward Pitch: ‘I’m the Smartest Guy in This Whole D*mn City’

New Boston Post ^ | Jan 28, 2019 | New Boston Post

[edwinland]

A 52-year-old community activist running for mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut offered a succinct reason for his candidacy during his announcement speech Monday, according to the Connecticut Post.

“People say I’m delusional. That I’m crazy. I’m the smartest guy in this whole damn city,” said Tony Barr.

Barr ran for mayor as an independent “petitioning candidate” in November 2015, getting 24 votes out of 20,726 cast, or 0.12 percent of the vote, losing to the current mayor, Joe Ganim.

This time Barr is running as a Democrat.

He and Ganim have a complicated history. In February 2016 Barr pleaded guilty to two counts of breach of peace in the second degree concerning an incident at city hall in which he was accused of threatening to “blow the mayor’s head off” (which he denied saying), according to the Connecticut Post. He got six months suspended, one year of conditional discharge, and an order to stay away from city hall.

Earlier in his life Barr served 20 years in prison in connection with drug gang activity, including, according to the Connecticut Post, once firing a machine gun at an undercover cop. (Barr denied that detail on Monday, January 28, according to the Connecticut Post.)

The current mayor, Ganim, served six years 10 months in prison (from September 2003 to July 2010) for convictions for racketeering, extortion, and bribery stemming from his first stint as mayor (from 1991 to 2003).

[x]

Jasper McLevy was the Socialist Party candidate who was mayor for 24 years.

By the end, though, he may just have been an eccentric independent.

Bridgeport had the most massive and innovative political advertising.

Every time we drove through the city, you couldn't miss the giant natural gas tanks with the slogan, "Hi, Ho, D'Addario!"

Emilio D'Addario, the city's long time Democratic Congressman, was related to the head of the gas company.

[Kozy]

Ever wonder where old Hi Ho came from? When Sikorsky was building their Stratford plant, Mr. Hi Ho bid on removing the dirt and leveling the lot for the factory. Had little or no money but had the contract. No one could figure our how he bid so low and could complete the work. With that contract the banks gave him the money figuring if he fails, they get the equipment and will sell to the next guy. Well D’Addario goes to Sikorsky and gets permission to move the dirt to the far corner of the lot to meet contract terms. Contract also gave him the dirt. Well Sikorsky woke up one morning and said we need dirt to build our runways. D’Addario said “let me sell you my dirt that I have over there at the corner of the lot. We will be fair and only charge fair market value for it. Guy gets dirt for free and sells it back to Sikorsky. Isn't America great?

[edwinland]

Please ask. I’m pretty good at math.