Friday, July 13, 2007
John Sennett releases statement over reports of last nights event
"Following a fundraising boat cruise, an exchange did take place between Mayor James Sottile--a staunch supporter of my political opponent--and my wife MaryAnn Sennett. As her designated driver for the night, I was waiting outside for her when the unfortunate incident took place. She tells me that Mayor Sottile made an inflammatory and inappropriate comment about my character and the race for Ulster County District Attorney. She sensed by his conduct and comments that he was acting in a harassing manner towards her. A heated discussion led to poor decisions on both of their parts. This matter could be easily resolved in a professional manner in the light of day with the trade of apologies. It is simple as that. We have much more important matters to deal with concerning this campaign."
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34 comments:
So the mayor is drunk and drooling on himself, he sees that her husband isn't around and grabs her shoulder making rude comments, she spins and shoves him off her and he went flying, knocking over him and half his posse like a set of bowling pins...and HE wants to press charges against HER!
Why he wants publicize the fact that he got beat up by a woman is beyond me.
I'm glad she kicked his ass, she should have thrown his drunken, cowardly, fat ass overboard.
Sottile is a boorish bully. Bradley is like a girl in high school who is being fought over by two boys. She doesn't want the fight to continue, but she loves the attention.
Bradley needs to do the honorable thing and bow out.
Never, under any circumstances is it appropriate for one human being to strike another human being based on words. Mayor Sottile did not pose a physical threat to Mrs. Sennett. He did not strike her, he did not hit her. He did not attempt to hit her. He did not threaten to harm her in any way. If I am Mayor Sottile, I would prosecute.
Now for Sennett, his judgment in thinking that this should just go away is flawed and outright wrong.
"She sensed by his conduct and comments that he was acting in a harassing manner towards her." So? It is OK for her to hit the mayor?
i DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ARTICLE, PROBABLY BECAUSE NO PICTURES OF jEREMY INCLUDED. MAN WHAT A ?
where was the mayor's wife this whole time?
It's very clear by the CBS video that Sottile struck Mrs. Sennett and made the first physical contact.
Sottile hit Mrs. Sennett, that's totally unacceptable. I think what she did to him was totally justifiable under the circumstances.
This is the third drunken incident in a month. The first at the Dem convention when Mayor Sottile got in Matt Ryan's face and called him a coward and a liar in front of numerous witnesses. That incident was told to me by three loyal Democracts, each embarrassed by the Mayor's overindulgence and his lack of maturity. The second was the Jazz Festival when the Mayor had to be driven home, by Jeremy because he was so intoxicated. This time he went too far. Picking on a canditate's spouse is stupid under the best of circumstances. Raising a hand to anyone is wrong. If he had raised his hand to me, I promise I would not have hit him. I would have kneed him to his knees.
The Mayor put Kingston on the map alright. We are now on the CBS news. Thank you, Mr. Mayor for showing the world what a coward you are. I am grateful, you did not march in the Children's parade. Perhaps, you should heed the message of the parade and begin to "Just say NO!" That's what I will do election day. No to the spin artist Mayor, who yells at City employees, berates legitimate canditates and obiviously needs rehab.
Jeremy says both were at fault. Mrs. Sennet is just a citizen. Sottile is our Mayor. He has a responsibility to be a role model, to behave as a mature adult. He wanted the job. Or is it that he doesn't have another option?
I hope Sottile gets treatment soon. He is at risk for another heart attack. I may not agree with him, but I certainly don't want his family to suffer more than he is putting them through now.
Clearly the comments posted on this page are leaning for support for Sennette. We all know Jeremy is a huge supporter of John Sennett. John has a quite a reputation as being nasty and apparently his wife is too. What a great pair they make. Nice try in saying that Mayor Sottile made inflamatory remarks. She was just pissed because the whole boat booed them when they walked on the boat. We all know why John is trying to keep Vincent out of the primary...HE IS SCARED. After his wife's physical attack on the Mayor there is no way he can win. GO VINCENT!!
PS Why is everyone so afraid to post their name. Get some balls and stand up for what you believe in and sign your name.
Dear 3:53 PM,
Watch the video and you will see your beloved Sottile reaching out inappropriately to Mrs. Sennett.
Sottile is a bully. The video speaks for itself and makes Sottile looks like a fool.
I cannot believe what I read in these previous posts. The fact that Sennett supporters actually endorse Mrs. Sennett's behavior speaks volumes about this candidate. Truly embarrassing to our party.
You know, I hear from his supporters, like Jeremy, what a wonderful, compassionate guy Sottile is. Then I read his comments in the Freeman, about many different issues, always personal attacks about anyone who disagrees with him, his lack of concern for the "common city resident," and now this video, and I wonder just how much lying actually goes on about this guy by the party loyalists. I actually think the term "bully" even for a guy pushing 60, seems fairly accurate. I know Jeremy will try to cover for Sottile, as after all, it is the candidate vs the candidate's wife, so in the nam e of politics, I guess the candidate has to be made the lesser of two evils here. But, do the research, read the articles and quotes, and see the real Sottile, not the Jeremy-colored glasses Sottile. (I speak of you Jeremy in the third person, as you seem to do that in your picture captions, so I followed suit.)
Let me say this. I have absolutely no idea if Jim Sottile has a drinking problem, and I am not accusing him of having one. It does appear he has had one too many in the video, but hey, it's his fundraiser, I am sure he has a lot to celebrate, since the residents of Kingston love him for all he has done for them. But, for
about three weeks or so, I have been perplexed, as the Common Council passed a simple (probably one of the simplest on the books) parking meter law, that clearly states (I've read it) that this law supersedes all other parking meter laws on the books. Yet the Mayor is confused, and does not know which law to follow. Now I know supersedes is a pretty big word, but if you've had a few.....well, you decide....if Jeremy doesn't censor this comment I mean. If you do Jeremy, could you please tell me why (I know the other bloggers won't understand, but I will)so I can at least know what "rule" I broke, or if the "I print all comments" is just, well, a lie. And no, I am not accusing Jim of being an alcoholic. Don't use that one. Quite frankly, I am just being sarcastic.Thanks!
Jeremy, you were there. Does pretty much everybody get drunk on these fund raising cruises, but still have a few more at the bar afterwards. Politics and power, gotta love it.
The Mayor clearly has a problem. He drinks too much and in this case his mental awareness was defective. I hope he didn't drive after the incident at Mariners.
The Mayor needs real help - maybe he ought to check himself into rehab as other politicians have done in the past. It may be the only damage control that will help his own political life.
...and yes, where *was* his wife [and other political handlers] at the time?
I think both should receive a full pardon and we need to get back to the bussiness of harrassing, OOPs, stopping kids on Albany Ave, with their tail-lites out.... where is our sense of priorities..... smitty.....
This incident is a problem for everyone who lives in the City of Kingston. Whether the Mayor forcfully slapped Mrs. Sennett or just touched her face, I think its a real problem. You just do not put ones hand on anothers face without realizing that there could be consequences. Its an invasion of one's personal space. Not to mention that the Mayor didn't walk away and even threw his drink at her - perhaps to have the last word.
The comments posted here are not slanted toward Mrs. Sennett. As an elected official Mr. Sottile should have walked away. Instead he fully engaged her.
Some have even suggested that he "hid" from the public eye on Friday. He did not appear on Kingston Community Radio - as he always does every Friday morning, for at least 30 minutes mind you. Nor did he walk in the Children's Parade. This would indicate to me that he did not want to face the electorate regarding this issue.
I don't know Diane Kordt or anything about her. I DO know that she's right about "getting some balls"!
White men really DO need to find their balls...ESPECIALLY in the Kingston area!
We'll be discussing this on "Free Talk Live" Monday evening.
Details: http://thehudsonvalleyfreeman.blogspot.com/2007/07/free-talk-live-monday-71607-outlaw.html
If any of you White men (and White women) reading this can find your BALLS...join us, and perhaps even call in!
Before the lynch mob forms, one must ask--WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED? Can anyone discern who touched who from the videotape? Did the mayor in fact actually touch Mrs. Sennett or did an emotionally charged conversation get out of control?
I have known Mayor Sottile since moving here in 2002. He is passionate about the City of Kingston. I have personally seen him at city hall and neighborhood watch meetings. In one meeting, I observed a lady getting very angry and personally insulting him. He allowed the lady her chance to voice her opinion and then respond. She clearly insulted him, but he did not get angry or violent, but respond to her allegations.
How about reserving judgment against Mayor Sottile or Mrs. Sennett? Why don't we get back to the real issues at hand--crime, business development, and improving our school system? Let's get over this unfortunate situation and continue to improve our city.
Sottile said Mrs. Sennett's husband was a big "pussy" for not allowing Vincent Bradley primary. That was the start of the incident.
Sottile can be seen in the WCBS TV footage touching Mrs. Sennett's face. She defends herself and Sottile reaches in two more times into her "space."
The Freeman footage does not allow viewers to clearly see what happened. They are making allegations on the behavior by showing grainy footage from a distance. Anyone wishing to see what really happend should go to WCBS TV. This is a story by a real news orgainzation.
http://wcbstv.com/video/?id=101498@wcbs.dayport.com
Is our Mayor now turned into a coward! can he look his fellow voters in the eye and still run under the banner of Honesty- Compassion- Integrity? I for one say NO.
Why wasn't he in the Childrens parade why is he hiding? public scrunity will dethrone his mayorship, and what is making him drink so much? this is the third event I have attended that he has been s--- faced he's going to kill someone and really put Kingston on the map. or is itbecause of all the affairs he's been having? How can his wife walk out in public knowing that we all know about the trists? everyone is talking about it. What must his son be thinking and hearing from his friends about his father.It's a shame he's a really good kid I only hope he doesn't follow in his fathers footsteps.Slapping a women or caressing her cheek (which ever story you want to believe) is wrong for any man to do to another man's wife.and public displays of fratboy drinking binges is far below the mentality of a 55yr old man chasing after his youth.
Fact: The video is inconclusive as to what or who started the incident. No dialogue is heard and you can only see that the mayor puts his hand in the vicinity if Mrs. Sennett's face and NOT in a physically threatening matter.
Fact: Mrs. Sennett started wailing away totally out of control and the mayor did NOT retaliate other than by throwing a drink at her.
Now, you can say the mayor's gesture that provoked the attack by Mrs. Sennett was inappropriate, but be real. She was totally out of control taking several swings at him with her hands and her purse.
The biased comments about this incident have been truly amazing.
I am not a Sennet supporter. I am embarrassed that our Mayor behaved in such a crass and infantile manner. If Mrs. Sennet was in the wrong, then the Mayor should have walked away. It is clear from the video, he did not. He stayed put and threw a drink in her face in response to her behavior. Perhaps he was too drunk to move, perhaps he was too drunk to think.
He did not behave appropriately. That is a fact, an undisputable fact. She was no real threat to him. All he had to do was walk away. All he had to do was what I believe the vast majority of decent men would do - walk away.
Where is he? If he were in the right, why did he miss his radio show? Why was the Mayor missing from the Children's Parade? Mr. Sennet was there.
The rumors on the street, for years, is that he drinks too much. The lastest rumor is that his wife drove him home that night. Some who were there said she had a lot to drink as well.
How many of our elected officials, canditates and their supporters drove home over the legal limit? There were police present. Were any of them stopped on a DWI check? Or is that only for the rest of us? How many of Sottile's gang get away with this routinely? And we're suppose to be equals under the law. Bull sh....
Kevin G...you are either blind or stupid (I'm thinking stupid).
Regardless of what the argument was at the beginning, the drunken mayor either attempted to slap or pat her cheek with his right hand the first time. She recoiled then swung at him and missed.
He swiped at her a second time, this time with his left hand and she soundly slapped him in the head.
He reached out to slap her a third time and missed, and she slapped at him in retaliation and missed.
He reached out toward her a FOURTH time and she flung her drink in his face.
Then he threw his drink, a FIFTH attempt at assaulting her, and she responded by batting him with the purse.
Frankly, I see no way to even TRY to construe this unfortunate event as agression on the part of Mrs. Sennett. All five times she struck out at him were in RETALIATION for him reaching out toward her.
Though she could have shown better judgement or self control in even getting into an argument with such a drunken slob, she was clearly NOT the aggressor. She was defending herself. Period.
Inconclusive? Be serious...
Oh No!! You are not going to get away with that crap, 3:11. The video closeup clearly shows Sottile touching her cheek. That is clear. The video also shows Sottile throw a drink in Sennett's face in retaliation of same.
There is no justifying his behavior at all. His behavior was disgusting. Mrs. Sennett's behavior was also disgusting.
Kevin G and Peter Mack, all I can say is, NICE TRY. Are you drinking buddies of the Mayor? Whether Sottile struck Mrs. Sennett, or just put his hand "in the vicinity" (you guys are expert spinmeisters- Karl Rove school graduates perhaps?) the Mayor was drunk in public for the third time in the last few weeks. If you're some average Joe, still not OK, but you're the Mayor. Still, drunk on the cruise, but needed a few more in the bar. Add that to the personal attacks every time someone disagrees with him, refuses to follow the laws of the Common Council (ala Bush with Congress)on the meters, and you guys are trying to sell the idea that this is a compassionate, patient man? Which one of you is his campaign manager, and which one his crisis manager? One good thing, no matter how you spin, you're running about 10-1 behind in the opinion polls. If the election was today, you'd be looking for another job. By November, all will be forgotten, and money and party loyalty will give this moron another 4 years. Hey, maybe you're not on the payroll, maybe just in business selling those "For Sale" signs?
I don't know what the mayor said or did or what mrs. Sennett said or did before the gesture by the mayor. It was not a threatening one for sure. Maybe he said calm down young lady and extended his hand. ( not smart) She clearly was off the wall and loaded. Everyone is blaming him 100% which shows a biased crowd here. She is the one that went nuts. I think she was looking for trouble with the mayor because she felt that her husband did not get a fair shake on the boat. they were bith somewhat out of line.
Hey, give the mayor a break. They were both a little tipsy, she just had a better right cross.
Is Hugh Reynolds on Sottiles payroll?
To 8:30-what kind of emotiona tirade are you on? Hatred, disgust, and more hatred!!! No I am not a spin dcotor or a politician, I am medevac pilot and serve the community--thanks for asking. This was an unfortunate event and both parties were out of line. If we follow your lead, we'll be spewing hatred and letting the issues of the city go unanswered. Since the mayor and Mrs Sennett are not pressing charges, we should follow their lead and let this go so we can concentrate on the important issues. The election is upcoming and we all have our vote to express our approval or disapproval. The mayor has done a lot of good for this city and he cares for the people. As for your emotional tirade, I close with a quote from one of our great American statesmen, Patrick Henry--
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
See entire video from WCBS here. Freeman's staff still refuses to watch, apparently, by their continued misreporting.
http://wcbstv.com/video/?id=101485@wcbs.dayport.com
What is Clint Browns Take on This?
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Voltaire (1694-1778), French writer and philosopher, (Attributed); originated in "The Friends of Voltaire", 1906, by S. G. Tallentyre (Evelyn Beatrice Hall)
For the fan of Voltaire, here is another pertinent quote...
"It is better to risk sparing a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one."-Voltaire
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