Two of the top Democrats in the state - gubernatorial contenders Ned Lamont and Dannel Malloy - both said Friday that Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez should resign after being found guilty on five of six charges in his corruption trial.
Perez has supported both candidates at various times. In the 2006 gubernatorial race, Perez was a strong supporter of Malloy and rallied support for Malloy in the capital city. He appeared with Malloy at a North End church when Malloy unveiled his crime plan. This year, despite being on trial on bribery and extortion charges, Perez served as a delegate to the Democratic Party convention last month and voted for Lamont.
"The jury has spoken, and Mayor Perez has violated not just the oath of office he took, but the trust of the people of Hartford,'' Lamont said Friday. "Connecticut is fed up with career politicians abusing their power, and it's no wonder that there is a deficit of trust in our government. When I take the oath to be governor of Connecticut, I'm going to honor that promise, and restore people's faith in the governor's office. Our state has waited far too long for leaders who understand that their jobs exist solely for the benefit of the people of Connecticut, not for their own personal gain.''
Lamont added, "It's time for Mayor Perez to step aside, and give Hartford a chance at a fresh start."
Malloy agreed.
"Mayor Perez has had his day in court, and the jury has spoken,'' Malloy said. "It's my opinion that the best thing for the city and for the people of Hartford is for the mayor to resign his office immediately. Hartford needs strong leadership in the months and years ahead, and the city has in place a process that would allow an immediate and orderly transition to occur. It should be allowed to begin that process as soon as possible."