Politics & Government

Facebook Joke Angers Buscetto

Finizio's treasurer suggests voters write in his dog for mayor

Michael Buscetto III said Monday that he was upset by a Facebook post suggesting a dog would be a better write-in choice for mayor than him.

Buscetto said on his own campaign’s Facebook page that he felt the post was a show of disrespect by Democratic candidate Daryl Finizio’s campaign. He included a screenshot of the post, a photo of a dog with the caption, “Write in Mrs. Dog for Mayor!! She was born and bred in New London. She knows everyone in her neighborhood. She piddles on Easy Street at least once a day. And boy can she dribble!!! Write in Mrs. Dog for Mayor!!”

Easy Street is a subdivision of 10 private homes for 55-and-older residents Buscetto developed off Montauk Ave. In his campaign, he has said he would use the approach he took in developing the subdivision to bring in economic development to the city.

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The photo was posted by Billie Borque, Finizio’s campaign treasurer, and Finizio was one of the people who used the “like” option on it. Buscetto’s post specifically criticized a shared post of the photo by Todd Ledbetter, Finizio’s partner, in which Ledbetter states, “Watch out, Candidates! She’s from New London & she’s smarter than the current write-in candidate! (and the people who are voting for him…).”

“I am disgusted by this utter disrespect shown to our campaign's hundreds of supporters by Daryl Finizio's partner Todd Ledbetter and his treasurer Billy Borque,” Buscetto said on his campaign's Facebook page. “Is this the kind of 'NEW' leadership New London is looking for by disrespecting our taxpayers? - I don’t think so. Our leadership team would never stoop to such levels. Even more disheartening is that Mr. Finizio 'liked' it.”

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“It’s very disappointing to see someone who claims to have a high character condone this type of behavior,” Buscetto said when contacted on Monday.

The photo is one of several of Borque’s dog on his Facebook page, and the same photo was also posted with a different caption in May. Ledbetter has since removed his post.

Finizio said the posts are not a campaign issue.

“It was not on my post, it’s not on my campaign page, it has nothing to do with my campaign, and I have no further comment on it,” he said.


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