Leonard Paoletta | |
---|---|
48th Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut | |
In office 1981–1985 | |
Preceded by | John C. Mandanici |
Succeeded by | Thomas W. Bucci |
Member of the
Connecticut House of Representatives from the 136th district | |
In office January 6, 1971 – January 3, 1973 | |
Preceded by | William J. Lavery Jr. |
Succeeded by | Alan Harris Nevas |
Personal details | |
Born | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States | November 9, 1934
Political party | Republican |
Residence | Easton, Connecticut |
Alma mater |
Fairfield University (
BA) Georgetown University ( JD) |
Leonard S. "Lenny" Paoletta (born November 9, 1934) is an American lawyer and former mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut from 1981 to 1985. He was a Republican. [1] Earlier in his career, he served in the Connecticut House of Representatives in the 1970s. [2]
Paoletta was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on November 9, 1934. [3] He is a second-generation Italian-American. [4]
Paoletta graduated from Warren Harding High School. He then received his bachelor's degree from Fairfield University, where he was a member of the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team, and his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law School. [4] He was admitted to the bar in Connecticut in 1959. [3]
Paoletta first ran for the Connecticut State Senate in 1962, but lost the general election to Louis Gladstone. [5] He served in the Connecticut House of Representatives in the 1970s. [2]
In 1979, Paoletta ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Bridgeport against Democratic incumbent John C. Mandanici, although Paoletta held Mandanici to his smallest margin of victory in his three elections. [1]
In 1981, Paoletta (then age 48) again challenged Mandanici and was successful, narrowly edging out the incumbent by just 64 votes (17,950 to 17,886 votes, following a recount). [1] [6] The New York Times reported at the time that "In what is virtually a trademark of Bridgeport politics, the mayoral campaign was held against a backdrop of violence and bizarre incidents." [1] Paoletta was sworn in on his 47th birthday, becoming Bridgeport's 47th elected mayor. [7]
In 1983, Paoletta won reelection, defeating both Democratic challenger Charles B. Tisdale and Mandanici (who ran under the third party "Taxpayers Party" ballot line after losing the Democratic primary election to Tisdale). [6] Paoletta received 15,606 votes, Tisdale 14,358 votes, and Mandanici 9,728 votes. [6]
As mayor, Paoletta clashed with Joseph A. Walsh, who had been Bridgeport's superintendent of police for 22 years. [8] Walsh had been a colorful and controversial figure in the city for many years. [9] In December 1983, at Paoletta's urging, the city's Board of Police Commissioners voted 6-0 to force Walsh into retirement. [8] Paoletta immediately appointed Thomas Thear, the former police chief of Battle Creek, Michigan, to be the interim leader of Bridgeport's 420-member police department. [8] Walsh subsequently challenged his dismissal, and the Bridgeport Civil Service Commission ordered his reinstatement. [9]
According to the New York Times, "two burly detectives, acting under orders from the Mayor, blocked him from entering his office. The dispute then shifted to the courts and a lengthy hearing on 185 charges of misconduct that the city drew up against the superintendent." [9] In mid-1984, a state trial referee ruled that "no just cause" existed for Walsh's dismissal. [9] During the seven-month standoff between Walsh and Paoletta, the police commissioners assumed day-to-day control of the police department for a time. Walsh returned to work in July 1984, after an "uneasy truce" took hold. [10]
In 1985, Paoletta was defeated in the general election by Democratic candidate Thomas W. (Tom) Bucci. [11] In September 1989, Paoletta ran in a seven-way Republican primary for mayor, but came in second place, losing by 32 votes to Mary C. Moran, who went on to win the general election and become mayor. [12]
In 1997, Governor John G. Rowland named him as a member of Connecticut's Workers' Compensation Commission. [13]
In the 1990s, Paoletta was a lawyer with Seeley & Berglass, which has offices in New Haven and Fairfield. [2] In 1994, Paoletta moved to Easton, Connecticut. [2] [14] The same year, Paoletta unsuccessfully ran for probate judge. [2]
In September 1994, Paoletta (then 59 years old) was shot on the steps of Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church School in Bridgeport in an apparently random shooting; a priest and a parishioner were also shot. [2] Paoletta was seriously wounded but recovered following emergency surgery at Bridgeport Hospital. [2]
Leonard Paoletta | |
---|---|
48th Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut | |
In office 1981–1985 | |
Preceded by | John C. Mandanici |
Succeeded by | Thomas W. Bucci |
Member of the
Connecticut House of Representatives from the 136th district | |
In office January 6, 1971 – January 3, 1973 | |
Preceded by | William J. Lavery Jr. |
Succeeded by | Alan Harris Nevas |
Personal details | |
Born | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States | November 9, 1934
Political party | Republican |
Residence | Easton, Connecticut |
Alma mater |
Fairfield University (
BA) Georgetown University ( JD) |
Leonard S. "Lenny" Paoletta (born November 9, 1934) is an American lawyer and former mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut from 1981 to 1985. He was a Republican. [1] Earlier in his career, he served in the Connecticut House of Representatives in the 1970s. [2]
Paoletta was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on November 9, 1934. [3] He is a second-generation Italian-American. [4]
Paoletta graduated from Warren Harding High School. He then received his bachelor's degree from Fairfield University, where he was a member of the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team, and his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law School. [4] He was admitted to the bar in Connecticut in 1959. [3]
Paoletta first ran for the Connecticut State Senate in 1962, but lost the general election to Louis Gladstone. [5] He served in the Connecticut House of Representatives in the 1970s. [2]
In 1979, Paoletta ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Bridgeport against Democratic incumbent John C. Mandanici, although Paoletta held Mandanici to his smallest margin of victory in his three elections. [1]
In 1981, Paoletta (then age 48) again challenged Mandanici and was successful, narrowly edging out the incumbent by just 64 votes (17,950 to 17,886 votes, following a recount). [1] [6] The New York Times reported at the time that "In what is virtually a trademark of Bridgeport politics, the mayoral campaign was held against a backdrop of violence and bizarre incidents." [1] Paoletta was sworn in on his 47th birthday, becoming Bridgeport's 47th elected mayor. [7]
In 1983, Paoletta won reelection, defeating both Democratic challenger Charles B. Tisdale and Mandanici (who ran under the third party "Taxpayers Party" ballot line after losing the Democratic primary election to Tisdale). [6] Paoletta received 15,606 votes, Tisdale 14,358 votes, and Mandanici 9,728 votes. [6]
As mayor, Paoletta clashed with Joseph A. Walsh, who had been Bridgeport's superintendent of police for 22 years. [8] Walsh had been a colorful and controversial figure in the city for many years. [9] In December 1983, at Paoletta's urging, the city's Board of Police Commissioners voted 6-0 to force Walsh into retirement. [8] Paoletta immediately appointed Thomas Thear, the former police chief of Battle Creek, Michigan, to be the interim leader of Bridgeport's 420-member police department. [8] Walsh subsequently challenged his dismissal, and the Bridgeport Civil Service Commission ordered his reinstatement. [9]
According to the New York Times, "two burly detectives, acting under orders from the Mayor, blocked him from entering his office. The dispute then shifted to the courts and a lengthy hearing on 185 charges of misconduct that the city drew up against the superintendent." [9] In mid-1984, a state trial referee ruled that "no just cause" existed for Walsh's dismissal. [9] During the seven-month standoff between Walsh and Paoletta, the police commissioners assumed day-to-day control of the police department for a time. Walsh returned to work in July 1984, after an "uneasy truce" took hold. [10]
In 1985, Paoletta was defeated in the general election by Democratic candidate Thomas W. (Tom) Bucci. [11] In September 1989, Paoletta ran in a seven-way Republican primary for mayor, but came in second place, losing by 32 votes to Mary C. Moran, who went on to win the general election and become mayor. [12]
In 1997, Governor John G. Rowland named him as a member of Connecticut's Workers' Compensation Commission. [13]
In the 1990s, Paoletta was a lawyer with Seeley & Berglass, which has offices in New Haven and Fairfield. [2] In 1994, Paoletta moved to Easton, Connecticut. [2] [14] The same year, Paoletta unsuccessfully ran for probate judge. [2]
In September 1994, Paoletta (then 59 years old) was shot on the steps of Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church School in Bridgeport in an apparently random shooting; a priest and a parishioner were also shot. [2] Paoletta was seriously wounded but recovered following emergency surgery at Bridgeport Hospital. [2]