New Dem (state) Rep arrested for second time in two weeks

DECEMBER 5, 2012 BY ED MORRISSEY

Perhaps no one is as prepared for a political career as Rep. Christina Ayala (D-CT). She just won her first term, and already she’s telling law enforcement that she’s too important to have to deal with them. Ayala may also have to plea bargain … twice:

Newly elected state Rep. Christina Ayala tried to talk police out of arresting her on domestic violence charges Monday night after she slapped her boyfriend for cheating on her.
“She said that she did not want us involved because of who she was,” the police report states. Ayala and her boyfriend, Pedro Rodriguez-Ortiz, were charged with breach of peace.
Just two weeks ago, Ayala got hauled into court over unrelated charges:

State Rep. Ayala is no stranger to the courthouse. Just two weeks ago she was there to face charges of evading responsibility, failure to obey a traffic signal and failure to renew her vehicle’s registration in connection with a hit-and-run crash in August.
When she appeared before Superior Court Judge Earl Richards on the most recent charge, she stood chewing gum as the judge reviewed the litany of things she can no longer do under a protective order he was imposing on her.
By the way, Ayala also may have lied about her residency in the district during the election:

The arrest also raised questions about whether Ayala, a Democrat who was overwhelmingly elected to the 128th District seat, actually lives in her district. The 49 Hillside Avenue address where the incident occurred is not located in the 128th House district, but in the 129th district. …
During the campaign, Ayala said she lived on Noble Avenue in the city’s East Side. She is registered to vote under that address; but public records show the utilities at the Hillside Avenue address were connected under Ayala’s name in October 2011. She also has a cellphone registered using that address.
She doesn’t seem to have any bills listed under the Noble Avenue address. State law dictates that any candidate who wins an election must move into the district within three months.
The best part? Her mother is the registrar of voters. This may be the worst start ever for a political career. Hopefully, it will be a short career, too.

New Dem (state) Rep arrested for second time in two weeks « The Greenroom

Background:

Keila Torres Ocasio: Once again, Bridgeport deserves better

Published 1:00 a.m., Sunday, September 9, 2012

Bridgeport's Democratic Town Committee sure knows how to pick them.

Several months ago they endorsed Ernest E. Newton II for the 23rd state Senate District. He resigned from his seat in 2005 before pleading guilty to federal corruption charges, including taking a $5,000 bribe to push through a $100,000 state grant and misusing over $40,000 in campaign funds.

But most Bridgeport and Stratford voters were wiser than the DTC and voted in the primary for Andres Ayala, who is giving up his House seat to run for the chance at the Senate seat. Running for Ayala's 128th District seat is his cousin, Christina Ayala.
She was endorsed the same night Newton was chosen. And she may not be any better a pick than he was.
Ayala comes from a long line of politicians.

Her father is Alberto "Tito" Ayala, a DTC member. Her mother is Bridgeport Democratic Registrar Santa Ayala -- yes the same Santa Ayala who in 2010 didn't order enough ballots for the gubernatorial election and in 2011 neglected to tell Mary-Jane Foster that she had one candidate too many on her mayoral primary petition against Mayor Bill Finch, almost torpedoing her run.

On the campaign trail this summer Christina Ayala, by all accounts, seemed to charm voters and offer a freshness that is often missing in candidates, who more often than not are usually recycled politicians, recycled appointees or their family members. Connections aside for a minute (this is Bridgeport after all) Ayala is a new face, had never run for office before, grew up in this city and seemed to care about its people.

On the same night Newton lost his primary race, Christina Ayala won hers. Then, exactly one day later, witnesses said she ran a red light with two children in the backseat of her unregistered car, crashed into another car and drove off.

She only stopped after she was flagged down by one of the witnesses. That same witness spent more than three minutes telling a 911 dispatcher that the police needed to hurry up because he was worried Ayala was going to take off again. When police arrived, Ayala was charged with evading responsibility, failure to obey a traffic signal and failure to renew her vehicle's registration and is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

Yes, everyone makes mistakes. But let's be honest here. Breaking laws when you're running for a chance to create laws is not a mistake. It's proof of a serious lack of good judgment. This is the woman they expect to make decisions in Hartford on Bridgeport's behalf?

Ayala claims she panicked when a mystery man yelled at her and that's why she drove off. Backing her up, DTC chairman Mario Testa said he would only ask for her resignation if someone had died in the accident.

So breaking laws, putting children's lives in danger and leaving the scene of an accident are no big deal unless someone dies? Using the same ridiculous logic, Ayala's father told the Connecticut Post that everyone in Bridgeport ignores traffic signals.

Testa and Tito Ayala are the very same people who seem to forget each year that there is really no need to keep recycling the same people and their family members to run for office. At last count, there were over 100,000 people over the age of 18 in this city. Roughly one-fifth are registered Democrats. But the same favored few are the ones who get endorsed to run for elected office.

The town committee is supposed to be a representative sample of the city's Democrats, not a fraternity or secret society.
I said this when Newton was endorsed but I'll say it again. The DTC needs to stop choosing candidates based on whose turn it is among the favored and start choosing based on who can bring positive change to this city.And candidates for office need to either follow the law or not run for office. Since Christina Ayala didn't do the former, she should do the latter. Bridgeport deserves better.
Read more: Keila Torres Ocasio: Once again, Bridgeport deserves better - Connecticut Post