Gov. Ned Lamont recently responded to questions regarding the ballot stuffing scandal in Bridgeport. He remarked, “I would like to see the wheels of justice speed up a little bit. Last time, four years ago, it took three and half years before we could hold somebody accountable. I think that was a problem.”
It has been over four years since Governor Lamont appeared at the State Democratic Party Annual Women’s Leadership Award Brunch where Wanda Geter-Pataky, the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee Vice Chair, Joe Ganim campaign worker, and employed city hall greeter was honored for “her work in the community” and today Wanda is still out there working the community for votes.
The 2019 CT Post article describes Geter-Pataky as “well-known as an aggressive campaign worker who can help rake in the mail-in absentee ballots.” Days later after receiving the honor, Geter-Pataky was named as one of the Ganim supporters who “schemed to illegally secure absentee ballot votes for the candidates endorsed by the (Democratic) Town Committee.”
In June of 2023, Geter-Pataky was recommended for possible criminal referral to the State’s Attorney for campaign activities related to the 2019 Democratic Primary. On September 19, Geter-Pataky was placed on paid administrative leave from the City of Bridgeport after surveillance video captured Wanda stuffing ballots into an official drop box on multiple occasions.
It has now been more than 70 days of paid leave for Wanda. Mayor Ganim, the CEO of Bridgeport, claims he does not make personnel decisions when prompted by a reporter regarding Geter-Pataky’s employment status. Wanda still collects city paychecks while she continues to collect absentee ballots throughout the city courtesy of the taxpayers for the next primary.
Wanda Geter-Pataky invoked her 5th Amendment privilege against self-incrimination 71 times when questioned regarding her actions stuffing ballots captured on surveillance video at the October 13 court hearing.
If the state Democratic Party were truly serious about election integrity in Bridgeport, they would have rescinded her award and publicly denounced her actions. To date, the State Party Chair has not commented on the actions of Wanda.
If Mario Testa’s Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee wanted to instill confidence in the elections process in Bridgeport, the membership would have taken action to remove Wanda as Vice Chairwoman and District Leader. As of this date, the town committee has yet to act.
If elected Democrats who were outspoken in their praise for Wanda in 2019 for her community efforts want to truly honor someone worthy, start with a person who does not engage in criminal activities that preys on the elderly community through the city renter rebate program to change the outcome of elections.
If Connecticut House Speaker Matt Ritter was sincere in his statements, “You cannot ignore what has happened,” and Democratic state representatives and state senators want to fix the systemic election problems in Bridgeport, they would not have ignored other proposals and delayed action at the special session to install an election monitor in Bridgeport.
If Governor Lamont and other prominent elected officials want to “turn the page, and not have Bridgeport defining the state” they need to admit past mistakes in failing to act on election crimes in Bridgeport.
When Ned for CT utilizes firms like Park City Consulting for Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts in Bridgeport for his re-election campaign, he knows he is employing city workers who work to ensure favorable election results in Bridgeport.
Honoring known ballot harvesters at an awards ceremony only enables and emboldens more illegal activities. Four years of no action and no accountability guarantees repeat behavior on the part of bad actors.
Sadly, Judge William Clark’s ruling did not set a precedent in Bridgeport, two prior Connecticut Superior Court judges have ordered new Democratic primaries in Bridgeport. In 2017, Judge Barbara Bellis ordered three new Democratic primaries for the city council, 133rd district. Judge Barry Stevens ordered a new Democratic primary in my 2022 state representative primary due to absentee ballots irregularities.
There is no denying the people of Connecticut will continue to hear the sound of silence from Democrats who employ the Wanda’s of the World to run their absentee ballot campaigns. And the wheels of justice will never turn if our so-called leaders fail to act on decades of ballot harvesting in Bridgeport.
John “Jack” F. Hennessy is a former State Representative, District 127, Bridgeport.