US

‘Shut the Fu** Up’: CT Mayor Sorry After Exploding at GOP Councilman During Wild Union Outburst

Mayor Tells GOP Council Member to Shut the F Up During City Council Meeting

The three-term mayor of Bristol, Connecticut, has offered up an apology following an outburst during Tuesday’s city council meeting where he told Republican city council member Ken Cockayne to “shut the f— up” after union members took over the meeting.

The Bristol Press reports that Mayor Art Ward issued an apology Wednesday morning “for the spontaneous outburst” after first denying he ever even used the foul language. When Ward learned his words were captured on video and posted on bristolpress.com, the Democratic mayor then apologized to the three-term Republican council member.

According to the paper, the spat occurred during a portion of a heated meeting when a union leader, Paul Keegan, was railing against Republican council members for their support of exploring privatization of municipal services, while they take advantages of benefits as city employees themselves:

As Keegan’s words grew louder and more personal, drawing cheers from a packed house, Cockayne turned to the mayor — who sits beside him — and demanded that Ward take charge of the meeting or else he would seek to end it.

“Mayor, get control of this council meeting,” Cockayne told Ward. “If you’re not going to control the council, I will make a motion to adjourn.”

“I don’t care,” Ward responded.

“Get control of the council,” Cockayne again insisted.

“Shut the —- up,” Ward responded, his voice slightly hushed but still clearly discernible.

“What did you just say to me?” Cockayne asked.

“I just said, I’ll take care of it,” Ward answered.

“Get control of the council,” Cockayne fired back.

“Back off,” Ward said. “He’s got a right to speak his mind.”

You can watch the outburst below:

Cockayne went on to tell the paper it was “unfortunate that Mayor Ward once again let the union leadership take over the council chambers and turn a council meeting into a union rally.”

Republican legislators in Bristol have been in an intense battle with city public employee unions as the caucus has moved to privatize certain services in the city, The Hartford Courant reports:

The council rejected a four-year deal during a raucous meeting Tuesday that was dominated by a much larger-scale dispute about municipal labor. Several city unions are furious that the council’s new Republican majority is floating the idea of outsourcing their jobs, and filled the council chambers with more than 100 workers, most carrying protest signs and wearing union-produced green T-shirts.

[...]

With several other unions bargaining for new agreements, Republicans wanted to scuttle the police contract, which would have awarded raises of about 2 percent over each of the next four years. In exchange, though, police agreed to gradually double their share of insurance premiums to 16 percent, cap some long-term disability payments and accept random alcohol testing. They also agreed to let the city skip annual $450,000 contributions to their pension fund.

Ward and the union spent months reaching the deal, and Mussen had to go back to his membership twice to get it ratified.

Republicans, though, have complained that Ward kept them out of the negotiations and didn’t press for provisions they wanted. Prior councils routinely approved contracts negotiated by Ward and his last two predecessors, but Tuesday night‘s decision signaled that he’ll need at least one more Republican vote to approve an agreement.

Ward is the same mayor who demanded an apology from conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh in December 2010 after he blasted the city, saying on-air that Bristol has nothing but “ESPN and a couple of cheap hotels.”

The Bristol Press reported at the time that Ward fired off a note demanding an apology from Limbaugh to the people of the city he slurred with his “erroneous venom.”

“I insist that you render us all an apology for your characterization of the city as only having ESPN and a few cheap hotels,” Ward said.

“We are extremely proud of our community, being the home of ESPN, being hard working, patriotic people, with the fifth largest veterans population in the state of Connecticut.”

Comments (133)

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  • barackem
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:08pm

    Gotta agree with the mayor on this one. The speaker has a right to speak his mind as long as he is respectful. He didn’t go over the line. His union may or may not be bankrupting the city. The council may have good reason to privatize. The story doesn’t give us enough info to comment on that. But all citizens deserve to be heard no matter what the situation is.

    Report Post »  
    • Rumrunner3
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:24pm

      Was the meeting turned over to the floor? was it open at that time for the gallery? everyone had the right to speak sure, but when called upon. If they wanted to ralley, purchase the permits and take care of business. Others in the meeting may have been orderly and wanted to take care of thier buisness. And the Mayor denied saying anything bad till confronted with the tape. Hmm demo logis and practice all the way.

      Report Post » Rumrunner3  
    • txjb
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:33pm

      Read the article again begin with the third paragraph , you should see how the meeting first got out of hand .

      Report Post »  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:33pm

      Everyone should check out Andrew Klavan at Pajamas Media, or on YouTube. He did a video on how the Left has a devastating debating point called, “Shut Up.”

      http://youtu.be/lWHgUE9AD4s

      Report Post » Jaycen  
    • ShyLow
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:43pm

      yeah capitalism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpS4fCF4tqo Anyone miss the days when this clip was funny

      Report Post » ShyLow  
    • 000degrees
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 7:39am

      Typical union b.s. I want everyone who does not agree with me to be gone!! Frickin Waaaaaa. Play on fear and emotion and limited knowledge from your membership. And if anyone in the membership does not agree then they are not good “brothers” or “sisters”…..Great problem solving skills

      Report Post »  
    • Bum thrower
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 8:01am

      Same problem as Wisc; and Ohio; Unions vote DEM (AKA Socialist, Communist, Progressive) and give campaign donations; in return the Unions get higher pay and more bennnies for no money; the taxpayer pays the bill; “shut up and pay your taxes”; it is your obligation to pay more. Isn’t that what the Sec. of Labor said yesterday? UNELECT EVERY DEM in every office in every state.

      Report Post »  
    • dr.sphincter
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 8:05am

      I hope the unions completly bankrupt the city of bristol, along with the rest of the north east. Everywhere unions go they leave nothing but ruin in thier wake. Just look at the rust belt… They deserve what they get.. karma will get them.

      Report Post »  
    • Belzar
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 8:52am

      My complaint is the media continues to identify Democrat officials Democratic. There is no political party called Democratic, it is the Democrat Party and they sure as hell aren’t Democratic. The Union speaker asked the dully elected Republican councilmen to resign so there can not be an exchange of ideas to improve the community, only the socialist view of more government/union control of the city.The community where I reside has privatised city services. We had a few problems, that were solved, when we first went to privatised services. The system works great now. However, you can never take politics out of government regardless of the form.

      Report Post »  
    • NHwinter
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 9:04am

      As I tell my grandchildren, only stupid people use dirty words to express themselves. Those with higher intelligence know much better words to express themselves. We have idiots running our country.

      Report Post » NHwinter  
    • TAXEVERYONE
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 9:12am

      This explains what has been wrong with Conn. Unions and ignorant Dem politicians.

      Report Post » TAXEVERYONE  
    • positive1
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 9:36am

      I want to give my 2 cents on “public” to “private” and the problems with it. I’ve seen it first hand with a landfill in our community. The old landfill closed, the “tax money” supporting the landfill went back into the general fund and spent elsewhere, and the new landfill open by a “private company” with very HIGH rates 6 years ago, and has raised it’s rates every year since. No competition, only game in town. We the community, now pay twice, public taxes and private fees for the use of a landfill everyone needs. Things like this are happening all over the county watch the slide of hand with you tax monies.

      Report Post »  
    • old white guy
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 9:38am

      his apology is meaningless. these guys always say they are sorry but really don`t mean it.

      Report Post »  
    • rambosharley
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 10:23am

      This kinda crap is the EXACT reason why states and the fed government needs to get rid of TAXPAYER FUNDED UNIONS. I might add also the TAYPAYER FUNDED BENEFITS for city and state employees that are not in a union. They (TAXPAYER FUNDED EMPLOYEES) should get decent pay (and insurance that they FUND 100% out of their pay)… just like most PRIVATE SECTOR employees.

      Report Post »  
    • lbyrd26
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 10:45am

      I thought this story was about the vulgarity of the mayor after being asked to get control of his meeting. I understand that the liberal defenseive stand is always ” We are vulgar and you should just accept that about us but when the right stoops as low as us, it is intollerable and they should treat us with love and respect” but I just can’t help but wonder who the real knuckle dragging thugs are?

      Report Post »  
    • mils
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 10:50am

      WHAT BOTHERS ME IS….he denied it..until he realized he was on tape…HE IS A LIAR..pure and simple..a liar..

      Report Post »  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 11:30am

      Bristol is typical of old line DEMOCRAT UNION city’s. Mayor’s cowtow to DEMOCRATS. Company’s have fled CT as the separation between State, City and Union, blurs. Our DEMOCRAT GOV just gave into the State Unions on their contracts. Connecticut Sucks. The State Police are maintaining a ticket blitz to fill the Gov’s coffers. Buying DEMOCRAT Taker votes.

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • cessna152
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 11:48am

      After that outburst, the dopes in Connecticut will vote him in for a 4th term.

      Report Post » cessna152  
    • Unix
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 12:01pm

      It’s all about the Unions right? They have priced themselves out of the market and extorted gov’ts to lavish huge pensions, and now cities, towns and county’s are broke. Now they want what is theirs rightfully? What right do they have to command these 90% pensions based on bloated wages, when they take breaks every 15 minutes and discourage workers who bust their azz by telling them ‘you’re making all of us look bad’…man I’ve heard the lines before, and I say unions need to be shut down, there are laws on the books now to protect workers, so unions are irrelevant, IMHO.

      Report Post » Unix  
    • Silversmith
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 1:04pm

      Don’t know what the numbers are here for the city of Bristol and the Union, but the decorum of the meeting was wrong, and the objection to it was correct. A rally has no place in the council chambers and the mayor was remiss in his duty to maintain a civil discourse. He should have cleared the gallery if they could not keep quiet while the ombudsman was speaking. And there is no excuse for cursing out your colleague in the councilroom.

      Silversmith

      Report Post » Silversmith  
  • cal_105
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:03pm

    The Demos are having a melt down. How will they ever make it to Obama’s defeat in November?

    Report Post »  
    • Teabunny
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:07pm

      oh, you mean if things remain in stasis? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! you don’t spend 100 years building a machine…to completion, without a plan to hit the start button! See you in the work camps comrade!

      Report Post » Teabunny  
    • blueracer
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 12:28am

      Teabunny – I agree with you completely. I am too old for camp though. Drats!

      Report Post »  
  • AmericanBorn
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:01pm

    Just another example of how far civility has plummeted. Worse yet, the majority do not seem to think there is anything wrong with this behavior. God help us.

    Report Post »  
    • GeorgieJo
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 7:24am

      seems like we live in times of APOLOGY
      everyone does it after saying_________
      revy sharpo doesn’t say anything
      revy should APOLOGIZE for NOT PAYING TAXES
      ditto for WARREN BUFFET

      OMG 2012

      Report Post »  
  • Teabunny
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:59pm

    Lets all sing the SEIU fight song gang!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IX3lmtVvZ4

    Report Post » Teabunny  
  • Zeke48
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:49pm

    I’m so happy I moved out of that Liberal State. Full of left wing crazys and now you even get married if your a queer. Don’t miss this arm pit of New England

    Report Post »  
    • Reason365
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:56pm

      It’s about time that conservatives start fighting back. We’ve been told to shut up, bend over, a d take whatever the socialist / Marxist have to shove our way. I for one say times up. Speak your mi d with conviction

      Report Post »  
    • happ77
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 8:06am

      Soon to be the Detroit of New England.

      Report Post »  
  • HarryBalz
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:48pm

    Sounds like a thug, looks like a thug, must be a thug.

    Report Post »  
    • Recceman90
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 7:26am

      That’s my thoughts exactly, something tells me the Mayor has had these Union Members working the phones during his campaigns!

      Report Post » Recceman90  
  • 2SENSEWORTH
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:48pm

    I‘m sure he’s sorry and will apologize – how precious.

    Report Post » 2SENSEWORTH  
  • blancojoe
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:47pm

    I was a member of a police union in Texas. We worked with the city and we paid a huge amount of our paychecks to make our pension fund stable, etc. No one got hurt and everyone was happy for the most part. These unions up north were so greedy, and the politicians so corrupt, things got out of hand there and in California many, many years ago. The unions are trying to blame Republicans, but they really need to blame themselves and their political cronies.

    Report Post »  
    • cemerius
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 8:02am

      As far as anyone can tell they just have Nancy Pelosi, Barbra Boxer, Diane Feinstein and Maxine Waters leading in California? IF, you don’t have the support of either one of these “wicked witches from the west” you don’t pass legislation with California support….a shame really cause I have dear family members that live in California…I keep telling them to register as minorities because Conservatives are a VERY rare breed in California not too mention legal citizens!

      Report Post » cemerius  
  • Teabunny
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:47pm

    okay granted the unions are out of control…let me tell you about privatization in the city of Chicago. We had parking meters, run by the city. it cost about $1>50 to park by the lake. we privatized them…they immediately went up to $5.00! on their way to seven! no one wants to go to the lake with their family anymore! or downtown to see the Christmas windows, or the parades! you are stuck between the highly taxed garages, or the ridiculous parking meters! it has reduced business to the vital areas of the city!
    A similar issue is raging right now over privatization of prisons…and how the 90% occupancy guarantee, could be a very bad thing! kinda counterproductive to reducing the crime rate. and it could influence court decisions to incarcerate people for longer terms. Careful! double edged sword! we need to just reduce the current workforce! we need to have the portion of the contract that guarantees jobs invalid in a court of law.

    Report Post » Teabunny  
    • Mateytwo Barreett
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:45pm

      What’s with this apology stuff? Put it out there! Either that , or start hitting the cranerry juice HARD!

      Report Post » Mateytwo Barreett  
    • Patriot Z
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:31pm

      the problem is you still pay for it. you just pay it out of pocket instead of through taxes. The biggest difference is now you have a choice to pay it. The unions are VERY out of control. even if they want unions. the cities and priviate businesses have a right to try each if they feel. but unions wont let them. Unions have long outlived their usefulness. they have gone way past the scope of reason in their demands and beifits. we now pay high prices for poor quality and attitude. ill pay the 7 bucks if it means i can actually control it. the benifits of privatization outweigh the problems.

      Report Post » Patriot Z  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 6:38am

      Exactly PATRIOTZ, exactly.

      Report Post » 4xeverything  
  • Just in time
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:46pm

    Come see, come saw, next.

    Report Post »  
  • hemi49er
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:46pm

    These entitled workers all need to be unemployed for a while so that they understand they do not deserve anything. We all are subject to the whims of the economy. He has no more “right” to future pay or benefits than any other American, but he thinks that he does. And this is the entitlement mentality that pervades the government and unions outside the government.

    I have worked for more than 30 years and have had my butt kicked several times, started over, and I don’t expect my fellow citizens to provide healthcare, income, or anything else. Why do these dimwitted government people think differently? Liberal entitlement mentality. It will be classified as a disease one day.

    Report Post » hemi49er  
  • spirited
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:45pm

    Weiner and Wasserman Shultz bully –tactics?

    Oh, the talk-over, talk louder, dismiss, distract, deny… lie.
    When that doesn’t work, drop an F-bomb and then (gasp, chuckle…ooops),

    ;^. sorry?

    Report Post » spirited  
    • BlenGeck
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:53pm

      That’s what commie democraps do. They talk over anyone they don’t agree with. Fair and Balanced is not part of their background. And it won’t be.

      Report Post » BlenGeck  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:40pm

    .
    The Union has threatened to take away the Mayor’s knee pads…….

    If this get passed it’ll be raw dogging from here out………

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • JustPeachy
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:36pm

    Seems like the left is absolutely BENT lately on using foul language lately. I guess their vocabularies and abilities to argue their points (debate) are limited. . . and likely, they think it’s “cool” as if they are adolescents.

    Report Post » JustPeachy  
    • marhee9
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:45pm

      Just remember, we’re the angry intollerant ones. Just go to any blog and you can instantlt twll who’s on the left, they’re the comments filled with f-bombs and nasty childish name calling.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhpXDNIocJw

      Report Post »  
    • EP46
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 5:42am

      Remember Mom always said ‘people who use ugly words do not have the vocabulary to express their feelings ’.

      Report Post »  
  • momprayn
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:31pm

    That reminds me – please support Gov. Walker in Wis. against the horrible unions – very important what happens there.

    Report Post »  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:15pm

      Mom, you are absolutely right; possibly even more so than evicting obama.

      Report Post » Stoic one  
  • OlefromMN
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:30pm

    I guess we can let this slide. After all how many times have the conservatives burst out in child-like rants?

    Oh wait, we haven’t! The left is definitely the erratic emotional group.

    Report Post » OlefromMN  
  • fmadsen
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:21pm

    When Democrats don’t get their way they demean and attack or just tell you to shut up because they are smart, have all the answers, and believe Republicans are stupid. They have no substantive arguments, their federal and state track record is terrible, and must go on the attack to defend themselves. They take their cue from the number Progressive Community Organizer in Charge (PCOIC).

    Report Post »  
    • Libertarian
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:34pm

      The Republican was wrong for calling to silence this lazy union-lackey. Let those who are wrong, speak, so all can hear the deceit.

      Anyone who believes that you can send your government $35 dollars a month and expect 75% of your wage in retirement has been lied to and is ignorant.

      Austerity will come to the US.

      Report Post » Libertarian  
    • Patriot Z
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:34pm

      liberterian. no he was correct. he wasnt saying anything just insults and talking points just to gain applaus from the zombie union supporters. he wasnt debating anything

      Report Post » Patriot Z  
    • socialism.rocks
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 1:27pm

      austerty will come to red-states they take double what they pay in taxes when austerty hits.. do you think union states which have paid for red-states for 60 plus years are going to give up money to keep red-states going

      the only austerity- that should come is dollar into the fed dollar out~ blue states could afford every social program they want…

      more conservative a state is the more federal bennies it needs i hope for austerity… i dream of it
      it will teach you red-staters that you are nothing but parasites

      Report Post » socialism.rocks  
  • cookcountypatriot
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:19pm

    that councilman should have punched that pos right in the mouth

    Report Post » cookcountypatriot  
  • COFemale
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:18pm

    I guess they never learned you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. You know if you act like adults, you just might get treated as an adult. That seems to escape the Liberals by leaps and bounds.

    Report Post » COFemale  
    • barber2
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:26pm

      They prefer the Chicago style : act like a thug . Does not require good manners, judgement, respect or dignity. Don;t get your way ? Just protest. Just Occupy. Just recall. Just act like a thug ! So simple.

      Report Post »  
  • COFemale
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:15pm

    Okay, so he only apologized because he was caught on tape. Otherwise, he meant every word and is not sorry for saying what he said. Two-faced comes to mind. Is he a Gemini?

    Report Post » COFemale  
    • oldguy49
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:23pm

      communist and socialist don’t want to here another opinon but there own…….why do you think all communist socialist countries have state run news ……..venezula comes to mind……………they closed all the stations there that did not agree with the great leader

      Report Post »  
  • Mark0331
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:12pm

    Some how, some way, he will find a way to blame Bush for his outburst…;)

    Report Post » Mark0331  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:09pm

    Once again we see reason why the day of the unions is long past; and the reaction this Mayor did, even with an apology is unacceptable, hopefully when his term is done he will just go away.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:29pm

      I didn’t say that. Yes you did, here is the tape.
      Oh, so what.
      Oh, wait, it was posted by the press…..I am sorry, but I didn’t really mean it, I just got caught up in the spirit.

      Basicallly, I love how the left has these emotional outbursts, keep shooting themselves in the foot and showing their true colors. Hopefullly the “Sane” people in the middle, swing voters and the like will start seeing clearly, which side they want to be on.

      The way I see it, when I argue with a liberal, I know I won the debate, when they lose their cool and start getting emotional.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • Mark0331
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:41pm

      @Darmok…Facts are like kryptonite to a liberal…they laugh and spin to argue fact vs emotion…quite unnerving to see…they have nothing to argue with but emotional feel good narratives…pathetic bunch, I watch them like I watch the monkeys in the monkey house at the Cental Park Zoo…fascinating yet tragic.

      Report Post » Mark0331  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:58pm

      @Mark0331
      Be careful, like the monkeys in the zoo, Dems also like to throw feces.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • bry
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:08pm

    Maybe the Union should let the people who pay them have voice. Let the taxpayers sit at the bargining table.

    Report Post » bry  
    • railroader
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:26pm

      Oh no, that can’t be aloud. But we’ll aloud them to pay for it.

      Report Post » railroader  
    • Pink_Panther_Party
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:56pm

      @Mark0331
      Be careful, like the monkeys in the zoo, Dems also like to throw feces.”

      Hey DJT, that’s really interesting! Conservatives use (church) pews to worship God and respect morality, while LIBERALS use poo to act like feral humans and mock morality and the Creator of the universe!

      And I thought we didn’t (arghh) have anything in common with the little terds!

      Report Post » Pink_Panther_Party  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:06pm

    Wow, civil discourse at it’s best. I’d have to bring popcorn and soda to those meetings so I could enjoy the show. Is it democrats or what?

    Report Post »  
  • Tri-ox
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:03pm

    Typical obama democrat.

    Report Post » Tri-ox  
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