Real Dems don't back Baines

[marketsquareguy]

Mayor Bob Baines is a scandal waiting to happen.

Today, the NH Union Leader reports that Christian Silvestri, a friend of Mayor Baines, is running sexually-charged "exotic dancing", "pole dancing" and "body painting" events at his Vetro/Sky Bar nightclub.

Baines partied and drank at the grand opening of the club a few weeks ago, and even cut the ribbon.

What makes this fishy is the fact that adult entertainment is prohibited by city ordinance. It appears that Baines has been leaning on the police to protect his sleazy friend.

Silvestri has received a lot of money from the Baines administration. He received the contract to build a luxury condo, with extensive financial support from the city. he has also been granted exclusive rights to develop a downtown parking lot into a commercial property, despite the potentially devestating effect on neighboring low income neighborhoods.

Silvestri also screwed a group of senior out of their homes in Londonderry. After running two years over on a senior housing project (many prospective residents being forced to move in with family after selling their old homes), Silvestri declared bankruptcy and left them without their new homes.

He bails out on seniors, but has money to run his sleazy strip club?

Please, don't give Bob Baines the time of day. He is an embarrassment in search of a place to happen, and I don't want to see you dragged down because of his sleazy antics.

[lcordero2]

1. embarassment?

You have to be kidding me. Embarassing is having one or two elected officials at the DC protest. Embarassing is having a Senate Minority Leader that's too stupid to have a blind trust.

[Mass]

2. A newbie coming here just to bash Baines.

Anybody else from NH able to tell us more what it is about?

[MasonJar]

3. It's the sex thing again. Rob the nation of billions, but do not

mention the "S" word.

[marketsquareguy]

4. This isn't about sex

It's not just about sex. It's about Baines willingness to manipulate the apparatus of city government to benefit his pals while shafting those who aren't in the inner loop of local politics.

It's about Baines track record of political opportunism. He is a Democrat when it is convenient, but he sells out the party's basic principles time and time again.

He tried to destroy a gay and lesbian student club at Manchester West High School when he was the principal. Why? He was preparing to run for mayor and wanted to appeal to theconservative old French ladies who turn out in droves on election day.

He appointed a Republican business lobbyist as his campaign chairman.

He funneled a lucrative city lobbying contract to the aforementioned individuals law firm.

On the taxpayers's dime, the lobbyist fought to maintain a corporate welfare benefit for Verizon Communications. Verizon subsequently rewarded Baines with generous campaign donations.

He scuttled a Responsible Employer ordinance that would have meant better health benefits for workers involved in city construction projects.

He sold off an environmentally sensitive tract of wetlands to a developer who wants to build condos and an industrial park on the land.


He gutted the Community Policing Program that had made strides in reducing gang activity and drug sales in inner city residential neighborhoods, but provided extensive police services to the city's wealthy neighborhoods, as well as the privately-run civic center.

Baines might have a "D" after his name, but he isn't a Democrat. He's an opportunist.

[zanne]

7. A few remarks from an old French lady.

Old French ladies, at least the large majority of them, vote Democratic. Always. And, we always vote. Always. Old French ladies were in shoe shop unions and still support workers. Old French ladies actually LIKE Canada's health care system, and most would like to have it here. I could go on, but it would take all night. (BTW, the only French ladies you have to watch out for are those twenty and thirty-somethings). Now, they're conservative.

[_dynamicdems]

5. Not exactly true...

Research the issue before you believe this accusation. The real issue is that the club started giving pole dancing lessons. The pole dancing lessons to patrons were held fully clothed but the Mayor never approved of this. Mayor Baines asked the club owner to stop doing this because he thought it inappropriate. None of the events were any more sexually-charged than what you see on prime time television. The club owner willingly stopped this practice at the mayor's request, however. End of story.

All these accusations about Bains and Silvestri sound like the come directly from the Manchester Union Leader (the NH cousin of FOX News).

[jf24]

6. Be Truthful

Don't you think you should tell people that you are supporting a candidate for congress in NH's first district, and you are afraid that Mayor Baines will have a big victory and then run for congress so that your candidate will lose in the primary? I don't know if your guy is Dodds or Sullivan, but show some respect for us by telling us you real motives.

[NHDemocrat2005]

8. Baines Upset By Guinta;

Lets hope he sees this as his push to retirement and hope he doesn't run for Congress in 2006.

[NewHampshireDem]

9. Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby

Except maybe a noob fight.:popcorn:

[newyawker99]

11. Hi NHDemocrat2005!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[newyawker99]

10. Hi marketsquareguy!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: