Update: 7:34 p.m

A divided General Assembly voted Wednesday night to confirm Shelley Marcus, 61, of Branford as a judge of the Superior Court, despite an effort by her own senator to derail the nomination.

The Senate voted 31-4, with two Democrats and two Republicans opposed. The House voted 79-54, with eight Democrats joining 46 Republicans in opposition.

Marcus, the daughter of former Democratic State Chairman Ed Marcus, was called incompetent by Sen. Ed Meyer, D-Guilford, who represents Branford. Marcus had given legal advice in connection with a civil investigation by the attorney general’s office to women who ran a pyramid scheme.

The Marcus Law Firm, which is owned by Ed Marcus, has been embroiled in local political controversy, including a malpractice complaint over its representation of Branford. Shelley Marcus was not named in that complaint.

In the House, Rep. Lonnie Reed, D-Branford, was among the Democrats voting against her confirmation.

Mark is the Capitol Bureau Chief and a co-founder of CT Mirror. He is a frequent contributor to WNPR, a former state politics writer for The Hartford Courant and Journal Inquirer, and contributor for The New York Times.

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