EAST HAVEN--Seven-term East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo has received his share of negative press over the last several years. And it continued Friday when a Democratic mayoral hopeful hinted at more trouble for the Maturo administration.
The most highly publicized Maturo controversy occurred roughly three years ago, after four East Haven cops were arrested for discrimination against Latinos. In response to being asked how he would assist the Latino community, he said he might go home and have some tacos, which was among the topics Michael Speer feasted on today.
“Joe Maturo has become an embarrassment to this town,” said Speer, a 28-year-old realtor who says his family roots in East Haven extend back nearly a century. “He is the only mayor, other than Phil Giordano, in the state of Connecticut, to be accused of a sexual offense and Mr. Giordano is sitting in a federal prison.” Giordano, the former mayor of Waterbury, is serving 37 years for sexual abuse of 8 and 10 year old girls. Maturo is being sued for alleged of sexual harassment by a former town hall secretary.
Speer’s roll continued, though. He addressed this week’s arrest of East Haven Zoning Enforcement Officer Frank Biancur, who was arrested on extortion charges.
“If you’re coming from another job that you were, where he was in West Haven, and didn’t leave on the best of terms, and we take him over here, because he was a family relative, of somebody in Joe’s administration?” wondered Speer, who again would not expound on his assertion.
Sources tell Fox CT Biancur is not related to anyone in the Maturo administration and that former West Haven Mayor John Picard is the one who helped get him the gig in East Haven.
Speer was a registered Republican when he ran for town clerk two years ago. He spoke a bit about what to expect for the town in the coming weeks.
Speer said, "There will be ethics violations submitted into Town Hall over the next couple of weeks, I’ve been told, that will only further tarnish the Town of East Haven’s name,” but would not comment further. Maturo was unavailable for comment, but the East Haven Republican Town Committee called his comments borderline slanderous, saying, “His allusions to nepotism and predictions of future scandals are simply self-serving, partisan, election year games and intended only to draw attention to his campaign. “
The Democratic Town Committee also released a statement, which read, in part, “We have no comment on Speer’s seemingly gratuitous attacks. We remind the citizens of East Haven that no candidate has been endorsed by the Democratic Town Party yet.”
Maturo, who touts three consecutive budget surpluses, will seek reelection.