Cassetti Uses Derogatory Term Toward Incumbent, Says It Was Retribution

ANSONIA – Mayor David Cassetti has twice referred to state Rep. Kara Rochelle as ​“Hoe-chelle” in recent social media posts.

Cassetti, a Republican, is trying to unseat Rochelle, a Democrat, in the state House of Representatives.

Rochelle said Cassetti’s comments are sexist and unprofessional.

“It’s really sad and unprofessional and shows a lack of leadership,” Rochelle said. ​“People have real issues in this community. People are worried about paying their bills and building a stronger future for their kids. People are worried about retirement. Nobody has time for people that are that unserious.”

Cassetti doubled down on his comments, saying he deliberately described Rochelle using a slang term for prostitute.

He said Rochelle started it.

“We had a meeting where she, in public, yelled at me and said I’m a drug addict. So she could call me names, and I can’t call her names, I mean it’s tit for tat. I realize that it ain’t good,” Cassetti said.

Cassetti said Rochelle made the accusation in June in front of state officials who were touring the former Ansonia Copper & Brass property in downtown Ansonia. The event was closed to the press.

Rochelle did not deny making the accusation.

“I think a lot of people are questioning the belligerent and erratic behavior, and that’s all I’m going to say about that,” Rochelle said.

The Facebook Comments

In an Aug. 30 comment section on Valley Indy Facebook, Cassetti and Ansonia Democratic Town Committee Chairman Dave Hannon got into an argument. 

In one comment, Cassetti said that Hannon moved to Ansonia to ​“take over the Democratic Party for Kara Hoe-chelle.” 

“All you’re (Cassetti) doing is showing everyone what a pig you are,” Hannon replied.

Two days later, Cassetti and Hannon got into another Facebook fight, this time on the Ansonia Democratic Town Committee Facebook page. In one comment, Cassetti mentioned Rochelle, again using the same epithet.

Cassetti said he chose the term he used because of an allegation made by corrupt West Haven official Michael DiMassa, who is in federal prison for stealing COVID-19 funds with his wife.

DiMassa had helped Rochelle get paid as a consultant on a project in West Haven, which was later deemed an improper use of COVID money. Click here for a 2022 Valley Indy story on the controversy.

DiMassa, while testifying in the federal trial of John Trasacco, claimed to have had a sexual relationship with three women, including Rochelle, according to The CT Mirror.

DiMassa and Trasacco were both sent to prison for corruption.

Rochelle was never accused of wrongdoing. 

In a 2022 Valley Indy story, Rochelle said she assisted in the DiMassa investigation and referred to the personal allegation as ​“politically motivated gossips (using) the oldest sexist tropes in the book” to attack her.

Hannon said there is no justification for Cassetti’s behavior.

“There is no excuse for using that kind of language, just like there’s no excuse for using racist language, right,” Hannon said. ​“I dare him to say the same thing if he used the N word in a conversation about a black politician that he didn’t like. Make the same argument, because it falls apart. It’s not an argument. And what he’s referencing has been settled for a number of years. It’s been settled.”

Reaction

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, who was in Derby on Sept. 5, contacted The Valley Indy to say Cassetti’s comments were unbecoming of a candidate for public office.

“It certainly is not uplifting women and girls to use a derogatory term to refer to a female elected official. It’s sexist and misogynistic to refer to a female elected official in that way, and I believe anyone who is running for elected office, whether it’s for legislative office or local office … should treat everyone, including their opponents, with dignity and respect,” Bysiewicz said.

She said that attacks on female elected officials often include derogatory language and center around their appearance. She cited a 2019 incident in which New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart, a Republican, was targeted in an expletive-laced Facebook rant by a Democratic candidate for office.

Rich Hanley is a professor emeritus of journalism at Quinnipiac University. He said social media has lowered the level of political discourse over the last decade. He said politicians shouldn’t talk trash – they should talk policy.

“When you enter the political arena, leadership matters, and you don’t lead by crass language of the street, language of the locker room, if you will,” Hanley said. ​“You lead by using language that is appropriate for the moment that describes your policies, your positions, and so on, without denigrating your opposition or denigrating a class or group of people in the process.”

Hanley said that times have changed, pointing as an example to the 2007 firing of radio host Don Imus from CBS after he referred to a women’s basketball team as ​“nappy-headed hos.”

“Fast forward to the present day, and that language seems to be acceptable, because the bar has kept getting lower and lower and lower as social media has risen and risen and risen,” Hanley said.

Ansonia Corporation Counsel John Marini said he can’t speak as to whether or not the usage of the word ​“ho” is misogynistic, but that it was in reference to DiMassa.

“When the mayor is upset, he speaks his mind. It’s something that the public does appreciate him for. He’s not willing to hide his thoughts or feelings,” Marini said.

Hanley said that the public should demand more appropriate language from politicians, and that people shouldn’t accept mud-slinging.

“The political discourse should rise above it, and the public should demand it. The public should comment on social media saying ​‘This language is unacceptable,’ ​‘Stop it,’ and ​‘You’re not going to get my vote because of it,’ that sort of thing. And then openly challenge these candidates to grow up, basically, and understand that they’re fighting for a serious job with serious consequences for all people,” Hanley said.

Election Day is Nov. 5. District 104 covers Ansonia and parts of Derby.