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After taking fire for his support of a Republican candidate for U.S. Senator, Democratic Alderman Darnell Goldson swung back at one of his detractors — a fellow alderwoman — by invoking a never-before-used rule.
In a submission to the president of the Board of Aldermen on Monday night, West Rock’s Alderman Goldson (in photo at right) filed an official grievance against Fair Haven Alderwoman Migdalia Castro (left). He wrote that she has violated the Guidelines for Aldermanic Conduct by criticizing him in the comments section of the Independent article reporting his endorsement of McMahon. Goldson called for Castro to be reprimanded, suspended or even expelled.
It’s the first time such a grievance has been made since the creation of the guidelines eight years ago, according to legislative staff.
Castro defended her comment, which called for Goldson to resign after he endorsed Linda McMahon, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. She said she has a right under the First Amendment to voice her opinions.
Castro made her defense before Monday night’s meeting of the Board of Aldermen, where she was circulating copies of the Independent article to her fellow aldermen. She said she wanted her colleagues to have the full context of her comment: Goldson’s embrace of a Republican.
“I stand for what I said,” Castro said. “I’m standing for the right that the Constitution gives me. I said nothing offensive or degrading.”
“I’m not taking something back.”
This election is a “pivotal moment for the city of New Haven,” Castro said. That’s why she responded so strongly to Goldson’s embrace of McMahon, she said.
In his letter to the board president, Goldson wrote that he tried to contact Castro to resolve the issue.
Castro said Goldson called her over the weekend, but she was busy working her two jobs and couldn’t talk. She said she told him she’d talk to him at the meeting on Monday.
Goldson said Castro hung up on him and refused to talk.
Before the Democratic caucus meeting at 6 p.m., Goldson approached Castro and demanded an apology. Castro refused. Goldson said he would then file a grievance.
“We have rules,” Goldson said. “She can’t say ‘You are a disgrace.’”
Castro’s comment said, “This is a disgrace.”
Goldson’s letter states that Castro violated subsections of the Guidelines for Aldermanic Conduct that prohibit aldermen from disturbing or interfering with “another member’s sworn legislative duties,” require “the utmost courtesy and respect to other colleagues,” and prohibit “personal insults” or “derogatory remarks” that “impugn the character, personality, or motives of a colleague.”
Goldson said that Castro’s comment that he “cannot stand for the views of his constituents,” and doesn’t stand for “the poor people of New Haven,” amount to violations of the guidelines.
His letter concludes with a request that the president make sure the “transgressions” are “handled.” That could include “sanctions such as reprimand, suspension, or expulsion.”
Those are the consequences laid out in the guidelines, Goldson said. He declined to say which of those he’d prefer. He said he wants to process to take its course.
It’s a process that has never taken any course. The Guidelines for Aldermanic Conduct were created some eight years ago following a dispute between two aldermen. Since that time, they’ve never been cited for a grievance, said Carl Goldfield, president of the board.
“We’re a pretty collegial board,” Goldfield said. Members have always been able to resolve their differences without a formal hearing. He said he plans to talk to Aldermen Goldson and Castro and see if he can mediate a resolution to the conflict and avoid a formal hearing on the grievance.
[Editor’s Note: If Castro had called Goldson a “disgrace,” that would have violated our posting rules. To say that a public endorsement — the action, not the person — is a “disgrace” is considered fair comment.]