Ridgefield News
March 26, 2000

Democratic Leaders Meet With Gephardt, Maloney

Jim Diamond, Rudy Marconi, Join Dick Gephardt To Support Cong. Maloney

Mar. 26 -- Richard Gephardt, the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives was in Southbury tonight to campaign for Fifth District Congressman Jim Maloney. Gephardt praised Maloney for being a "good and decent man" who was widely respected by his congressional colleagues for his intelligence. Gephardt referred to the Fifth District as a "swing" district and said that since he is only six seats away from a Democratic majority, Democrats here need to go to work in their communities immediately to ensure Jim's re-election.

House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt [left] joins Ridgefield First selectman Rudy Marconi in a fund raiser for 5th District Rep. Jim Maloney [right]

Ridgefield DTC Chair Jim Diamond [left] talks with House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt

Jim Diamond, Chairman of the Ridgefield Democratic Town Committee and First Selectman, Rudy Marconi, briefly met with Gephardt and Maloney. "Having Jim Maloney in Washington has made a tremendous difference," Diamond said. "He came to Ridgefield to join with Rudy Marconi to conduct a workshop on land acquisition and conservation. He has been a tremendous asset in preserving the beauty and making the improvements to Weir Farm, Connecticut's only National Park. He has sponsored Brownfields economic development legislation, and juvenile crime legislation. This November, residents of the Fifth District-- Democrats and others-- will join together to unite behind this excellent public servant," said Diamond.

[Left]Rep. Maloney and Minority Leader Gephardt also spoke with Regina Hazel-Yannuzzi, Executive Assistant to First Selectman Marconi, and recently elected Corresponding Secretary of the DTC.

In his remarks to the gathering, Gephardt remembered coming to work in Washington in 1982 under Speaker Tip O'Neill, whom he called a "fierce Democrat." Yet O'Neill worked with Republicans to craft bi-partisan legislation, said Gephardt. By contrast, the current Congress has become a place of bitter partisanship he said.

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