Connecticut Mayor Admits Cocaine Habit
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Mayor John Fabrizi admitted yesterday that he had abused cocaine while in office and said he wanted to apologize “to all the people of the city” but had no plans to resign.
The admission followed the inadvertent release of an FBI document in which an alleged drug dealer claimed an associate had a videotape of the mayor using cocaine.
In a tearful speech to about 200 city employees and residents in City Council chambers yesterday, Mr. Fabrizi said he had not used drugs in 18 months and had sought help for a drug addiction that he had hoped to handle privately.
“I thought that these were personal, private matters to me and my family, that I could deal with these issues with my family and myself,” Mr. Fabrizi said. “I now recognize my actions affected many others, and I want to apologize to my family, my friends, and all of the people of the city of Bridgeport for my actions, my past actions.”
Mr. Fabrizi, a Democrat who took office after a former mayor, Joseph Ganim, was convicted of corruption in 2003, said he hopes to move forward and continue running Connecticut’s largest city.
“I will do everything, and I mean everything I can, to redeem the respect and the support that you the employees of the city of Bridgeport, and of you my friends, and of you the great people of the city of Bridgeport,” Mr. Fabrizi said.
Many employees cheered while Mr. Fabrizi spoke, though there were some boos. He also said he stopped drinking alcohol four months ago.
“I have put this personal struggle behind me and it has never, ever affected my job performance,” Mr. Fabrizi said. “The tremendous progress Bridgeport has made over the past three years is a testament to that. Folks, my record speaks for itself.”
U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Connor said last week that Mr. Fabrizi was not a target of the drug investigation, which led to the FBI report being filed in court. He said FBI reports, which summarize statements made by witnesses but are not always corroborated, are typically filed under seal and apologized to Mr. Fabrizi for the release.
