Town Democrats should cancel any plans for political events at Danny O’s.
And that goes for both locations.
Those were the words Monday of James Orazietti after town Democrats failed to nominate him for another term on the school board.
His brother owns the popular Shelton restaurants.
“Do not use my family’s restaurants,” Orazietti said.
The Democrats did not say on the record why they didn’t nominate him again, but several Dems who didn’t want their name used said Orazietti is too close to Republican incumbent Mayor Mark Lauretti.
The Monday omission clearly angered Orazietti, who made his feelings known during the Democratic caucus at the Shelton Community Center.
“My position as a Democrat on the Shelton Board of Education has been outstanding. I’ve missed no meetings. I’m the vice-chairman of the Perry Hill School Committee. I am the chairman of the Shelton Public (School) Improvement Committee,” Orazietti said.
Orazietti said he contacted members of the nominating committee several times to tell them he wanted to run.
He was ignored, he said, until just before the caucus. At that point, Orazietti said, he was told no one could contact him — so his name was left off.
“You have fundraisers at my brother’s restaurant. I’m at committee meetings all over town. You can’t get hold of me?” Orazietti asked. “I’ve been personally insulted,” he said.
Orazietti then said Chris Jones, the candidate Democrats nominated to run against incumbent Lauretti, was not “man enough” to tell Orazietti the Democrats no longer supported him.
“Jimmy, am I on the nominating committee?” Jones shot back.
“You should be ashamed of yourselves, after all I’ve done for this party,” Orazietti said before leaving the room.
After the meeting ended, David Gioiello, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, said attempts were made to contact Orazietti.
However, when asked if Democrats would have nominated Orazietti again had they reached him, Gioiello said:
“I don’t know if we would have. There were people on the nominating committee who would have supported him. They are people on the nominating committee who would not have supported him,” Gioiello said. “The executive committee made a decision and we conferred with members of the Board of Education.”
One Republican alderman also won’t be on the ticket for November, but it was his choice. Kenneth Olin in the fourth ward decided to retire at the end of his term. Noreen McGorty will run for the fourth-ward alderman seat in November.
