He ran as a Republican.
Now he's a Democrat.
Yawn.
It's the same old Barbara Carpenter/Joe Verrengia escapade.
His run last fall, as well as the time before that, on the Republican ticket was essentially a lie.
Why should anyone be surprised that Davidoff has finally come out of his political closet? Truth be known, he's been voting with Democrats all along anyway. So, now "the voice of reason" can go off and be verbose on the Democrat side of the table.
The Hartford Courant reported
The decision by the former Republican minority leader gives the Democrats a 7-2 majority on the council until the next municipal election in November 2011.
"I'm definitely more in line with the ideology and beliefs of the local Democratic Party than the Republicans. So after much thought, I resolved to do what I think is right," Davidoff said Monday. "Most of the issues we face on the council are common-sense, not Republican or Democrat or what is politically popular."
If he really wanted to do "what was right", Davidoff would have resigned clearing the way for another Republican to take his seat. The minority party is supposed to have 3 representatives at the table, but that's not going to happen as that stipulation has already been ignored. And if Davidoff truly believed in his statement of "issues not being Republican or Democrat", then why was it so important for him to change parties?
Adler and Hall might as well walk away in protest; it's not like their time is going to be spent effectively with such odds stacked against them. They won't even be able to cover committee meetings in a useful or practical manner.
As for the state of the Republican party in West Hartford.
There is none.
Hasn't been one in years.
Republicans in town can thank the Republican Town Committee shadow leadership for that.
But that's another story.
Gotta admit though, at least when Visconti was on the Town Council things were a little bit more interesting and lively.
9 WH Responses:
I'm not sure what the big deal of him switching parties is. It's not like he's going to vote a different way now that he's a D vs. R. What's the difference if he's part of the Dem's or Rep's....theoretically his position on issues would be the same.
Additionally, I don't understand why voters would be upset (I'm one who voted for him) because again, his position is his position no matter what party he is affiliated with.
So why switch parties? I don't know...just don't think it's that big of a deal.
I do agree that the town GOP is a mess. They have the burden of proof to demonstrate how they're different from Dems...don't think they've done that all that well.
Kick Davidoff out and bring back Joe Visconti. He will fight for us . I think he came in fourth in the election..
the big deal is that he was a Republican when he ran for office and many/most voters don't take the time to get to actually know the candidates...they vote for their party...he would not have been elected, for that matter, nominated and put on the ballot if he had been a democrat...it is unethical and rather disgusting what he has done...he should resign and let the Republican who ran and received the next highest number of votes sit on the Council. If the Dems decide to nominate him next election let him them run then.
Anonymous 2:23pm, I agree that Councilor Davidoff's switch in party affiliation is not likely to make a meaningful difference in the votes that he casts on the council.
I disagree, however, with the suggestion that the local R's have not differentiated themselves from the D's. I think the Republicans have certainly demonstrated how they differ from the Dems, and continue to do so - frequently loudly. The problem for the Republicans is that the West Hartford electorate has on the last several election days stated, at least as loudly, that they are not favorably impressed by the Republican difference.
Anonymous 3:25pm, Joe Visconti polled eleventh of twelve candidates, and fifth among Republicans (Rob Sisk came in fourth among the R's). In any event, a switch in party affiliation is nowhere close to being a legitimate basis to trample the results of a lawful election.
A real question now that I have not seen raised is, who will be on the Democratic slate of council candidates in 2011? At least one of the seven Dems currently on the council will NOT be on the slate, as they are not allowed to run more than six candidates.
Have any of the current Dems signaled an intention not to seek re-election?
It's about time the W.Hart GOP demand the Town follow the State law for minority representation.
It doesn't matter how Davidoff voted, the GOP had to deal with it while he was a member. Now that he had an epiphany and saw the light and converted to the Dems he should resign.
If he refuses the Town Committee should persue the matter legally. It is absurd that this goes on every 2-3 years in this town and the Dems get away with it.
Cynic, I have reviewed both the state statute and the Town Charter provision regarding minority representation. I am not at all certain that Councilor Davidoff's change in party affiliation violates state law; it appears NOT to violate the Town Charter.
Here is a link to C.G.S. 9-167a. Note particularly subparagraph (g).
http://www.lawserver.com/law/state/connecticut/ct-laws/connecticut_statutes_9-167a
For purposes of the state statute, it may well be that Mr. Davidoff will be deemed a Republican regardless of his switch in party affiliation.
Turning to the Town Charter, Chapter II §5 provides that no political party shall nominate and no elector shall vote for more than six members of the council. That language in no way prohibits Mr. Davidoff from switching parties; neither does it prohibit the council from having seven Democrats as a result of the switch.
The Republican Town Committee will doubtless continue to protest Mr. Davidoff's defection and call for his resignation. I expect that they will NOT, however, pursue the matter legally, for at least three reasons:
1) they recognize that such a move would have a limited upside and be politically problematic, as it would be widely perceived as a juvenile temper tantrum;
2) the Committee Chairman's public characterization of the Town Charter provision notwithstanding, they recognize that there is no firm legal ground for a challenge to Mr. Davidoff's serving out his term; and
3) if they considered legal action an appropriate response, they would have sued when Councilor Verrengia bolted. If not then, why now?
Finally, Cynic, I am wondering just what it is you believe the Dems are "getting away with" every two to three years . . .
Anonymous 11:10pm, do you truly believe that it is "unethical and rather disgusting" for a person's position on political issues to evolve, or are you instead saying that it is unethical and disgusting for an elected official's position to do so? Either way, it sounds pretty rigid to me. I would expect, indeed HOPE, that my elected leaders would grow with experience. I also recognize that growth inevitably involves change, often in unexpected ways.
Alternatively, Anonymous 11:10, are you assuming that Mr. Davidoff has in fact NOT evolved, and instead was a "stealth Democrat" all along? A "sleeper agent" who, over the last two decades, cleverly concealed his political orientation during his first term on the council, his prior years of service on the TP&Z, and, for that matter, his two terms on the Newington town council, all so that he could pull the rug out from the WHGOP in 2010?
The man has had a change of heart. Apparently, under the law discussed above, he is allowed to, just as is everyone else.
Oh please, Davidoff didn't "have a change of heart". He was always a RINO.
Davidoff duped the voters.
That is the crime here.
He lied to his constituents.
The fact that this Democrat narrowly beat out a real Republican (Sisk) is the real shame of it all.
But this is what the Republican party in West Hartford gets for continually running RINOs.
Hey Noah W....I ain't no RINO.
Steve Adler (R)
Councilman, Town of West Hartford
Steve "Stop the Budget Petition" Adler says he ain't no RINO.
Now that's rich!
He runs like a whining child into the grocery stores to complain to the management to try to shut down the signature gathering process.
And where did YOU stand Steve, when you were campaigning? In front of the grocery store?? Hypocrite RINO.
Are you afraid of the public having a voice on YOUR pathetic pro-tax vote, Steve?
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