On Tuesday morning, some of the state’s most politically powerful Democratic women showed their support for embattled East Haven Mayor April Capone-Almon.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro was among several elected officials who believe the recent political attacks on the mayor are nothing more than dirty tricks.
The incident bringing together women of power, including state comptroller Nancy Wyman, happened on July 19 when the mayor and East Haven Police found themselves at odds over parking violations.
“In my view, a slimy political attack full of innuendo going after a strong woman leader. It is the kind of thing that women leaders have to go through,” DeLauro said.
Capone-Almon and her secretary, Erica Berg, stopped an East Haven cop from ticketing and towing several cars from a beach parking lot. Critics said she was flexing her mayoral muscle where it didn’t belong.
Last month, the mayor and Berg pleaded not guilty to interfering with a police officer.
The mayor’s problems don’t stop there.
In September, a former police board member lodged an ethics complaint against her, claiming Capone-Almon’s secretary received a raise of more than $9,000 because of a personal relationship between the two.
The mayor has publicly described their relationship as the same she has with other aides. Changes were also made to Berg’s job description at the time, and she has since written grants applications that have brought nearly $800,000 to East Haven.
The mayor’s supporters question the timing of the ethics complaint with less than a month to go before November’s Mayoral election.
