Top 10 of 2019: #1 – Stewart Chamber Presidency Finally Ends

Many important stories have been covered by the New Britain Progressive in 2019. It may be difficult to name only a few articles as the top stories of the year, but there are a few the New Britain Progressive would like to share as our Top Ten. Other Top Ten stories can be found at “Top Ten Stories of 2019.”

In 2019, Republican former Mayor Timothy Stewart was finally forced to resign as President of the Chamber of Commerce after making bigoted comments.

An image showing a misogynistic comment by Stewart, referring to female members of Congress during the 2019 presidential State of the Union address, came to many people’s attention when City Council President Ald. Eva Magnuszewski (D-AL) emphatically denounced it online.

“Former NB Mayor Tim Stewart commented on this FB post featuring a screenshot of the Democratic Women of the US Congress with the following: ‘Bitches in Heat,'” Magnuszewski wrote. (Stewart Under Fire Again for Bigoted Comment.)

Stewart had already been facing a calls that he resign or be removed as the head of the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce from a scandal from 2017 in which he made a comment that was widely criticized as racist. Stewart had made an online comment that, “Unfortunately the inmates continue to run the neighborhood,” in a discussion regarding the city’s North Oak neighborhood, a neighborhood that has a large Latino and African American population.

Stewart’s position at the Chamber of Commerce was protected during the 2017 scandal by the local Republican establishment, despite calls for his removal. Though Republican Mayor Erin Stewart, the elder Stewart’s daughter, sought to distance herself from scandal roiling the city by saying that the Chamber, “is not an entity of the city,” it was Gennaro Bizzarro, who works for the younger Stewart as the city corporation counsel, who announced in 2017 that the elder Stewart would remain as Chamber President, despite the public outrage.

The Chamber of Commerce has had a close relationship with City Hall in New Britain. The elder Stewart became President of the Chamber shortly after the younger Stewart was elected mayor. Between his own position in the Chamber of Commerce and his daughter’s as mayor, Timothy Stewart is reputed to have been exercising great influence in the affairs of the community. On the Chamber’s website, as of 2017, Stewart touted that, “We have a strong working relationship with the Mayor’s Office.”

The renewed in 2019 scandal broke at an uncomfortable moment for Bizzarro, who was, at the time, running in a special election for State Senate. During his Senate campaign, Bizzarro tried to distance himself from the Stewart scandal, despite the fact that, only a little more than a year previously, Bizzarro had defended Stewart during the earlier chapter of the scandal. (Bizzarro Actions Haunt Senate Candidacy.)

Tough questions for Bizzarro came from Magnuszewski and the Council Majority Leader, Ald. Carlo Carlozzi, Jr. (D-5) about whether he was asking Stewart to resign and the terms of Stewart’s departure, if so. (Council Leaders Question Bizzarro on Stewart.)

The Council’s nine Democrats pressed further for Stewart’s removal, introducing a Council resolution to revoke any city funding supporting the Chamber of Commerce, “until the termination or resignation of Timothy Stewart as President of the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce.” (Council Democrats Press Chamber to Fire Stewart.)

Amid the pressure, Stewart resigned as Chamber President. (Stewart Reportedly Resigns from Chamber Presidency.)

Stewart having been forced out the influential Chamber position was a serious blow to a political machine he has headed that has dominated city government for more than a decade and a half. But it was not the end of that machine’s influence, as Erin Stewart was re-elected later that year, and carried in a new Republican-controlled Council, while Bizzarro had won the Senate special election. After the November city election, while Erin Stewart openly gloated at Carlozzi’s election loss, Timothy Stewart made a vulgar middle finger gesture, apparently directed at Carlozzi.

But, whatever the news brings for 2020 and beyond, the forced resignation of Timothy Stewart from such a powerful position was a significant moment in New Britain’s political history, and #1 the list of the New Britain Progressive’s Top Ten Stories of 2019.

Stewart Under Fire Again for Bigoted Comment

February 7, 2019

A misogynistic comment Former Republican Mayor Timothy Stewart made about female members of Congress is escalating calls for his removal from his influential position as President of the Chamber of Commerce.

Stewart’s recent words renewed a scandal from late 2017 in which he made a comment that was widely criticized as racist. His position at the Chamber of Commerce was protected at that time by the local Republican establishment, despite calls for his removal.

Many people learned of Stewart’s recent comment, widely condemned as sexist, when City Council President Ald. Eva Magnuszewski (D-AL) emphatically denounced it in an 11:42pm Facebook post on Tuesday evening (February 5, 2019) after the State of the Union address.

“Former NB Mayor Tim Stewart commented on this FB post featuring a screenshot of the Democratic Women of the US Congress with the following: ‘Bitches in Heat,’” Magnuszewski wrote. “He is the President of the Chamber of Commerce, sits on the Mattabassett District & School Building Committee!”

“During the State of the Union,” Magnuszewski said, “he refers to women dressed in Suffragette White Clothing with such disgusting terminology in the #MeToo era. It’s time for him to resign!”

“Last year,” Magnuszewski pointed out, “he upset an entire New Britain community by referring to them as convicts! Calls for his resignation came but he continued to keep his job & committee positions!”

Magnuszewski was referring to the 2017 scandal in which Stewart said, “Unfortunately the inmates continue to run the neighborhood,” in an online discussion regarding the city’s North-Oak neighborhood, a neighborhood that has a large Latino and African American population.

Many people, including the New Britain Branch of the NAACP called on Stewart to resign or be removed from his influential position as Chamber President, and from the Mattabassett District Commission and the city School Building Committee, two influential positions in the administration of his daughter, Republican Mayor Erin Stewart.

The Chamber of Commerce has a close relationship with City Hall in New Britain. The elder Stewart became President of the Chamber shortly after the younger Stewart was elected mayor. The Chair of the Chamber Board of Directors that employs Stewart, Gennaro Bizzarro, is, himself, employed by Mayor Erin Stewart as the city’s Corporation Counsel.

In 2017, Erin Stewart sought to distance herself from the scandal roiling the city at that time by saying that the Chamber, “is not an entity of the city.” But, meanwhile, it was Bizzarro who announced that the elder Stewart would remain as Chamber President, despite the public outrage.

But the public outrage from Timothy Stewart’s most recent derogatory comment intensified criticism of him and calls for his removal.

CCSU President Zulma Toro said, “As this University’s first woman and first Hispanic president, I am disgusted with the behavior and attitude he shared. It is further evidence that we have much work to do to improve the culture and discourse as it relates to misogyny.”

Democratic Party Chair Bill Shortell commented, “This is the second recent time Mr. Stewart has abused his public trust on FB. A year ago he referred to the people in the North/Oak area of our city, who were struggling to clean up the blight in their neighborhood as, ‘The inmates running the asylum.’ Somehow he survived that insult. Not this time.”

Democratic City Council candidate Bobby Berriault commented, “Barely a year after making a racist statement by referring to fellow New Britain residents living in a particular neighborhood dominated by African Americans and Hispanics as ‘inmates’, the President of the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce and former Mayor of New Britain Tim Stewart has referred to all female Democrats in Congress in a derogatory and sexist manner in a Facebook post last night.

“Tim Stewart must be removed as President of the New Britain Chamber of Commerce!,” Berriault added. “His racist and sexist comments have no place in our community, and therefore I call on the Board of Directors of the Greater New Britain Chambers of Commerce to act to remove Mr. Stewart from President of the Chamber now!”

On Wednesday morning Erin Stewart Tweeted, “To all of those asking; I’m embarrassed and mortified.”

By Wednesday afternoon (February 6, 2019), it was widely reported, such as by WVIT, that that Bizzaro placed Stewart on administrative leave from the Chamber Presidency, pending further action by the Chamber Board, and that Timothy Stewart has resigned, at Erin Stewart’s request, from the two city positions he has held.

Bizzarro Actions Haunt Senate Candidacy

February 7, 2019

Past and recent actions are coming back to haunt Republican Gennaro Bizzarro’s candidacy for State Senate, with the election only weeks away.

In the span of just two days, Bizzarro has found himself under criticism for two different things, one involving a campaign video and the other his leadership of the Board of Directors of the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce.

On Tuesday (Febuary 5, 2019), United States Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-5) took Bizzarro to task for a campaign video that has been called deceptive by leaving a false impression that Hayes supported Bizzarro’s candidacy for State Senate.

“I am deeply disappointed that the video posted by Gennaro Bizzarro was taken out of context and used without my permission as an endorsement for his campaign,” said Hayes. “I was congratulating his daughter for her winning submission to an art contest during a Martin Luther King Day celebration recently in New Britain.”

“The images captured on video of me greeting Mr. Bizzarro and his family are not to be viewed as an endorsement or show of support for his campaign of any kind,” Hayes added. “I have asked him to remove the video from all public media immediately.”

Later on that same day, former Republican Mayor Timothy Stewart made a misogynistic comment during the State of the Union address about female members of Congress.

Bizzarro, who is the Chair of the Chamber Board of Directors employing Stewart, according to a WVIT report, criticized Stewart’s comments, saying, “I could not be more disappointed in the social media post made last night by Tim Stewart. His choice of words was inexcusable and has no place in modern civil discourse.” The article said that Stewart had been placed on administrative leave, pending further review by the Chamber Board.

But, the fact that, a little more than a year ago, Bizzarro had defended Stewart after a similar online comment, also widely criticized as bigoted, has raised questions.

In that 2017 scandal, Stewart had said, “Unfortunately the inmates continue to run the neighborhood,” in an online discussion regarding the city’s North-Oak neighborhood, a neighborhood that has a large Latino and African American population.

Many people, including the New Britain Branch of the NAACP, called on Stewart to resign or be removed from his influential position as Chamber President, and from the Mattabassett District Commission and the city School Building Committee, two influential positions in the administration of his daughter, Republican Mayor Erin Stewart.

The Chamber of Commerce has a close relationship with City Hall in New Britain. The elder Stewart became President of the Chamber shortly after the younger Stewart was elected mayor, and Bizzarro, is, himself, employed by Erin Stewart as the city’s Corporation Counsel.

As Erin Stewart sought to distance herself from the scandal roiling the city in 2017 by saying that the Chamber, “is not an entity of the city,” it was Bizzarro who announced that the elder Stewart would remain as Chamber President, despite the public outrage.

The Hartford Courant quoted Bizzarro at that time, defending Stewart from calls for his removal from the Chamber Presidency, saying, “Tim Stewart has been a tremendous advocate for the entire city of New Britain during his tenure as president of the Greater New Britain Chamber.”

Now Bizzarro’s past defense of Stewart in that position is coming back to haunt him.

“Tim Stewart’s comments last night are beyond outrageous,” said Lindsay Farrell, state director of the Working Families Party. “But while the Chamber’s President’s attack on women is shocking, it is not at all surprising. Men like him are all too often protected by other men in positions of power and decision-making roles.

Farrell continued, “Chamber of Commerce Chairman Bizzarro paved the way for this behavior when he defended Mr. Stewart just over a year ago after his racist ‘inmates’ comment, also on social media. These guys look out for each other; Mr. Bizzarro got his job with the city of New Britain from Mr. Stewart, after all.”

In addition to working as Corporation Counsel for Erin Stewart, Bizzarro also worked for the city in that same position for Timothy Stewart when he was mayor.

“Chamber of Commerce Chairman Bizzarro has not gone far enough in placing Mr. Stewart on leave; he needs to call for his immediate termination,” said Farrell. “Anything less sends a signal to other men with derogatory, outdated views of women or anyone else, that this kind of behavior is tolerable and will go without real consequences.”

Bizzarro is running for the State Senate in a February 26, 2019 special election called after former State Senator Terry Gerratana (D-6) joined the administration of Gov. Ned Lamont (D-CT). Bizzarro will face Democratic State Rep. Rick Lopes (D-24) in that election.

Council Leaders Question Bizzarro on Stewart

February 8, 2019

The City Council’s President, Ald. Eva Magnuszewski (D-AL), and its Majority Leader, Ald. Carlo Carlozzi, Jr. (D-5) are asking Gennaro Bizzarro tough questions about Timothy Stewart.

Council Leaders Question Bizzarro on Stewart

The two Council leaders sent a letter to Bizzarro, the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce, which employs former Republican Mayor Timothy Stewart about the scandal roiling after Stewart made a misogynistic comment about female members of Congress during the national State of the Union address.

In the letter, the leaders say that, “As elected leaders by the residents of New Britain the members of the Common Council feel it is our responsibility to protect the integrity of our great city.”

They then ask a series of pointed questions of Bizzarro. They first asked, “Have you asked Tim Stewart to resign as president of the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce?”

Magnuszewski and Carlozzi asked Bizzarro to clarify, “When will the chamber board hold the special meeting you mentioned in yesterday’s statement?”

The scandal involving Stewart’s recent comments have renewed calls for his resignation or removal from his influential position as President of the Chamber of Commerce that began in late 2017 when Stewart made a comment about the residents of the city’s North-Oak neighborhood that were widely condemned as racist.

In their message to Bizzarro, the Council leaders asked about the possible terms of Stewart’s departure. “Does Mr. Stewart have a contract, or is he an at-will employee?,” they asked, and “Is there any chance that Mr. Stewart gets ‘bought out’ or receives severance or any other form of payment in exchange for his resignation or termination?”

The two Council leaders then turned their questions to the relationship between the Stewart City Hall and Stewart-run Chamber of Commerce.

“You are the city’s current corporation counsel,” they asked, “a position you also held under Mr. Stewart when he was mayor, do you believe either of those facts constitute a conflict of interest in your ability to handle this matter?”

They then asked Bizzarro,”Have you had conversations with the current mayor, Erin Stewart, on this matter, as to how it might be handled and resolved?”

The Chamber of Commerce has a close relationship with City Hall in New Britain. The elder Stewart became President of the Chamber shortly after his daughter, Republican Mayor Erin Stewart was elected as mayor. Bizzarro, is, himself, employed by the younger Stewart as the city’s Corporation Counsel.

In 2017, Erin Stewart sought to distance herself from the scandal at that time by saying that the Chamber, “is not an entity of the city.” But, meanwhile, it was Bizzarro who announced that the elder Stewart would remain as Chamber President, despite the public outrage.

On Wednesday evening (February 7, 2019) Magnuszewski said that Bizzarro had not yet responded to the letter.

Bizzarro is the Republican candidate for the State Senate in a February 26, 2019 special election called after former State Senator Terry Gerratana (D-6) joined the administration of Gov. Ned Lamont (D-CT).

Council Democrats Press Chamber to Fire Stewart.

February 9, 2019

City Council Democrats have proposed a resolution to press the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce to fire Timothy Stewart as its President, because of the misogynistic statement about women members of Congress made the former Republican mayor.

Former Republican Mayor Timothy Stewart has been embroiled in a scandal since he made a misogynistic comment about women members of Congress during the national State of the Union address.

In the proposed resolution, the Council Democrats say that, “in light of the most recent events pertaining to the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce President Timothy Stewart and his misogynistic views expressed on social media, the Common Council will not stand idly by.”

The resolution that the nine Council Democrats are proposing to pressure the Chamber to fire Stewart is proximately directed at any funding that it may receive from the city.

The resolution would require, “a freeze of all funding, including but not limited to, payment of professional services, support services, contract services, staffing, grants, bonding, sponsorships, and reimbursements, take place immediately until the termination or resignation of Timothy Stewart as President of the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce.”

The resolution was proposed by the Council President, Ald. Eva Magnuszewski (D-AL), the Majority Leader, Ald. Carlo Carlozzi, Jr. (D-5), Ald. Richard Reyes (D-AL). Ald. Emmanuel Sanchez (D-AL), Ald. Brian Keith Albert (D-2), Ald. Aram Ayalon (D-3), Ald. Katie Breslin (D-AL) Ald. Iris Sanchez (D-3) and Ald. Francisco Santiago (D-5).

Council Democrats Press Chamber to Fire Stewart

Republican Mayor Erin Stewart told the New Britain Herald on Friday (February 8, 2019) that the city does not support the Chamber financially, repeating her claim that the City Hall under her and the Chamber under her father, Timothy Stewart, are separate.

But, as of 2017, on the Chamber of Commerce website, Timothy Stewart touted that, “We have a strong working relationship with the Mayor’s Office.” The Chamber website expanded upon that, saying that, “In conjunction with a strong working relationship with the Mayor’s office, the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce is able to accomplish various goals regarding the business community and our current and future Chamber members.”

The Chamber of Commerce has a close relationship with City Hall in New Britain. The elder Stewart became President of the Chamber shortly after the younger Stewart was elected mayor, and the Chair of the Board of Directors that employs Timothy Stewart, Gennaro Bizzarro, is, himself, employed by Erin Stewart as the city’s Corporation Counsel.

When Erin Stewart sought to distance herself from the Chamber of Commerce in 2017, as calls rose for Timothy Stewart to be removed as Chamber President, it was Bizzarro who announced that the elder Stewart would remain as Chamber President, despite the public outrage.

In order to determine what funding that the city may, directly or indirectly send to the Chamber of Commerce, the Council Democrats have also introduced a City Council petition to require the city to issue a report on any funds provided, “including but not limited to, payment of professional services, support services, contract services, staffing, grants, bonding, sponsorships, and reimbursements.”

A City Council petition is procedure in New Britain by which an individual member or more than one member of the Council is empowered to require consideration of action from or a report by a city department or commission. Council members frequently use this process to formally propose that the city take action on a particular concern.

The resolution and petition are on the agenda of the City Council meeting on February 13, 2019. The meeting will be in City Hall at 7:00pm with a public participation session.

Stewart Reportedly Resigns from Chamber Presidency

February 9, 2019

Former Republican Mayor Timothy Stewart has reportedly resigned from the influential position of Chamber of Commerce President.

Amid calls for his ouster after a making a misogynistic comment about women members of Congress, as reported by WVIT, the former Republican mayor was apparently forced to relinquish the powerful position of President of the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce, a position he took shortly after his daughter, Republican Mayor Erin Stewart, was elected.

The City Council President, Ald. Eva Magnuszewski (D-AL) commented after the WVIT report that, “This has been a very long week. It has culminated in this.”

“As a woman, if I wanted to open a storefront business, would I choose New Britain knowing this man was the President of the Chamber of Commerce or would I look in a surrounding town?” Magnuszewski continued. “Attracting new businesses, growing the grand list so we could have lower taxes is hard enough without this animosity and lewd commentary.”

Stewart had been facing harsh criticism since his comment. On Friday (February 8, 2019), City Council Democrats also introduced a resolution for the February 13th Council meeting to pressure the Chamber of Commerce to remove Stewart.

Stewart had held out from resigning from the powerful position for days after the scandal broke, and his words, widely derided as bigoted, and his apparent resignation as a result, are a serious blow to a political machine he has headed that has dominated city government for more than a decade and a half.

Between his own position in the Chamber of Commerce and his daughter’s as mayor, Timothy Stewart is reputed have to been exercising great influence in the affairs of the community. On the Chamber’s website, as of 2017, Stewart touted that, “We have a strong working relationship with the Mayor’s Office.” The Chamber website expanded upon that, saying that, “In conjunction with a strong working relationship with the Mayor’s office, the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce is able to accomplish various goals regarding the business community and our current and future Chamber members.”

Stewart’s recent misogynistic words renewed a scandal from late 2017 in which he made a comment that was widely criticized as racist. His position at the Chamber of Commerce was protected at that time by the local Republican establishment, despite calls for his removal.

As Erin Stewart sought to distance herself from the 2017 scandal roiling the city by saying that the Chamber, “is not an entity of the city,” it was Gennaro Bizzarro, who works for the younger Stewart as the city corporation counsel, who announced that the elder Stewart would remain as Chamber President, despite the public outrage.

The recent scandal has placed Bizzarro, who is the Republican candidate in the February 26th special election for State Senate, in an unflattering light, and Council Democrats directed tough questions at Bizzarro regarding the scandal on Thursday (February 7, 2019).

“He is now free to say whatever,” commented Magnuszewski, speaking of Stewart, “but instead I hope he gets the help he needs to overcome the hate in his heart and soul.”

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