Surprise Visit to Darien Made by U.S. House Speaker John Boehner

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner paid a visit to the Goose restaurant in Darien Friday, the restaurant’s general manager, Matthew Polidoro said.

Boehner, a Republican and, by virtue of his office, second in the order of succession to the U.S. presidency (he would be president if the incumbent and the vice president couldn’t continue to serve), is in the area for a fundraising event.

Polidoro provided a picture of himself, Boehner and the Goose’s executive chef, Piergiorgio Nanni, standing outside the downtown Post Road restaurant. The picture shows Boehner’s distinctive tan.

The visit was a complete surprise, Polidoro said, although Michael Gagliardi, owner of the restaurant, has played golf with Boehner in Florida.

“The [Secret Service] agents came in first,” Polidoro said, then Boehner came in with two other people and sat down at a booth near the entrance in the bar area. Boehner was at the restaurant for about an hour, starting at 11:30 a.m., and ordered buffalo wings. Police were outside in the parking lot.

Polidoro spoke with Boehner briefly. “He seemed like a down-to-earth, nice guy,” he said.

Polidoro said he was told by a Secret Service agent that the fundraising event is in Greenwich, but wasn’t told anything more about it. A Republican official at the state level, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said no public fundraiser featuring Boehner has been announced, but the speaker may well be at a private fundraising event, since Fairfield County is one of the wealthiest locations in the United States and a lot of big donations are made here.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated since it was first posted, with additional information from Polidoro.