By James F. Tracy, with research provided by MHB Reader and Commenter Beth D.
On the day following the most tragic mass murder events in US history and amidst a cascade of local, state and federal law enforcement officials, Al Barbarotta busied himself inside Sandy Hook Elementary School. Mr. Barbarotta directed the transfer of furniture to a renovated school in the nearby town of Monroe where students would eventually resume classes.
The owner of AFB Construction Management and Conveo Energy, Barbarotta is no stranger to such work. AFB is a longtime recipient of lucrative municipal contracts throughout Connecticut, looking after 11 million square feet of public school facilities in addition to parks and beaches.[1]
After reportedly receiving a request from the Connecticut Commissioner of Education’s office within one day of the massacre, Barbarotta sprang into action. “Instantly, on Saturday,” December 15th, “we started bringing in cleaning crews and moving crews to get the furniture out,” he told the New Haven Register.
I’ve seen things I don’t even really want to talk about,” the contractor declared. “There’s markings on the floor.[sic] There’s blood everywhere. You can see the broken windows in the classroom in the whole area where the shooting took place.[2]
Despite the entire lack of law enforcement or medical credentials, Barbarotta nevertheless gained access to the scene where, just hours earlier, autopsies were performed following the most publicized school shooting in the nation’s history–one that is repeatedly pointed to as the rationale for ratcheting up school safety measures and mental health protocols nationwide.
Yet there was really no need for the Education Commissioner’s office to contact Barbarotta. After all, he’s someone who, according to the Connecticut Post, “Gov. Malloy has on speed dial.”
Connecticut residents have long understood that Al Barbarotta is to Dannel Malloy what Bebe Rebozo was to Richard Nixon. Indeed, Barbarotta is quick to point out that he is the governor’s “best friend,” regularly calling Malloy, “Danny.” And, as the Post observes, “the relationship between the two men extends far beyond the realm of friendship to the world of politics, power—and money.”
Barbarotta’s AFB Management has raked in $18.5 million for subcontracted work from Stamford, where Malloy was mayor from 1995 to 2009. AFB won its first city contract in 1999. Over the past few years, “AFB has enjoyed unfettered dominance of major city contracts,” the Stamford Advocate reports. AFB most recently sent Stamford taxpayers a $424,000 bill after “replac[ing] all the fluorescent light fixtures with LED bulbs” in one of its schools.”[3]
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 62-year-old Barbarotta was “a major bundler of campaign cash for Malloy, whose close ties to the governor have previously raised questions of impropriety and cronyism,” according to the Connecticut Post.[4]
In 2003, Malloy was the focus of an 18 month investigation by the Connecticut State Attorney to determine whether the mayor was awarding contracts to those he personally employed for home renovations. AFB figured centrally in the probe, yet Malloy was eventually exonerated.[5]
At Sandy Hook Barbarotta explains that his crews built plywood partitions isolating the crime scene. This must have involved a great deal of plywood, because according to the official story the crime scene extended to the parking lot of the school. As the reader may recall, automobiles like those of teacher Lauren Rousseau were “riddled with bullets,” supposedly caused by one of marksman Adam Lanza’s wayward weapons.[6]
On top of the Obama administration funneling millions to Connecticut officials for their participation in the Sandy Hook massacre event, and Malloy’s office similarly siphoning tens of millions to Newtown pen pushers in an effort to wholly eliminate the crime scene,[7] we now find that a longtime confidante and supporter of Governor Malloy was directly involved in preserving the immediate scene while simultaneously mourning to the press.
It has become almost amusing to observe how yet another “twist” is added to the official narrative–one now including an awkwardly compiled official investigation that overall fails to adequately address any of the unanswered questions brought up in the wake of the initial tragedy.
Notes
[1] Kate King, Neil Vigdor, and Ken Dixon, “The Man Gov. Malloy Has on Speed Dial,” Connecticut Post, August 24, 2013.
[2] Frank Otto and Adam Poulisse, “Contractor Moving Furniture From Sandy Hook Elementary School: ‘I’ve Seen Things I Don’t Really Want to Talk About,” New Haven Register, December 18, 2012. The Newtown Bee reports that Barbarotta’s Conveo Energy was commissioned by the Malloy administration in December 2012 to relocate school equipment from Sandy Hook Elementary School “free of charge.” “State Agency: Logo Misused in Newtown School Move,” Associated Press / Newtown Bee, September 16, 2013.
[3] Kate King, “Board of Ed Under Fire Over Energy Management Services,” Stamford Advocate, January 11, 2014.
[4] “The Man Gov. Malloy Has on Speed Dial.”
[5] Ibid.
[6] Henrick Karolizyn and Larry McShane, “Mother of Substitute Teacher, Lauren Rousseau, Killed in Newtown Massacre Stunned: ‘We survive war, she dies teaching!’’ New York Daily News, December 18, 2012.
[7] “Sandy Hook School Slated for Demolition,” memoryholeblog.com, October 7, 2013; “Obama DOJ in $2.5 Million Sandy Hook Payout,” memoryholeblog.com, September 3, 2013; “Obama DOE in $3.2 Million Sandy Hook Payout,” memoryholeblog.com, January 13, 2014.
