Rep. Elizabeth Esty defiantly said on Saturday she had no intention of leaving Congress as several state Democrats, including the highest-ranking member of the state Senate and a Democratic gubernatorial contender, called for her to resign.
March 2018
Posted inPolitics
Esty writes mea culpa to colleagues; GOP calls for resignation
WASHINGTON – Republicans on Friday called on Rep. Elizabeth Esty to resign over her handling of a former chief-of-staff accused of abusive behavior, while the Democratic congresswoman sought damage control within her own party.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Education funding inequity in Connecticut ‘among the worst I’ve seen’
I hope that state legislators will see that public charter school leaders want only to be a part of the solution for communities that we care deeply about. We have proven through our results that we are able to help students overcome the bigotry of low expectations. But in order for our schools to truly thrive, we need our leaders fund our students fairly, and allow more success stories like ours to lift up Connecticut’s children.
Posted inJustice
Jepsen turns up the heat on Facebook
Upon revelations that Cambridge Analytica had harvested extensive psychographic information from about 50 million Facebook users, Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen demanded that Facebook Chairman Mark Zuckerberg answer the questions many Americans were asking: “How and why was their personal data exploited?” He spoke with the Connecticut Mirror about why he launched a multi-state inquiry.
Posted inNews
Esty apologizes for failing to protect staffers from abuse
WASHINGTON — Rep. Elizabeth Esty apologized to current and former staffers Thursday for failing to notice that her former chief of staff, Tony Baker, had been abusive to her staffers and for failing to take swifter action in firing him. “It’s awful and I feel terrible for everyone who was hurt,” said Esty, D-5th District.
Posted inPolitics
Rep. Angel Arce delivers his resignation letter
State Rep. Angel Arce, D-Hartford, who promised to resign two weeks ago in response to what legislative leaders and the governor called an inappropriate exchange of text messages with a teenaged girl, delivered his resignation Thursday, a spokesman for the secretary of the state’s office said. It is effective on April 9.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Despite dissatisfaction, committee sends energy bill to the floor
The Energy and Technology Committee Thursday voted to send major energy legislation to the full legislature for consideration, despite widespread dissatisfaction with the bill as it exists now. The approval came after assurances from committee leadership that the bill would be revised further before it’s debated on the floor.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Addiction is a disease, not a moral failure
As the father of a child struggling to overcome a serious substance abuse problem, I’ve been forced to confront deeply held personal and societal beliefs about the relationship between addiction and personal responsibility. A quote from philosopher Brendan de Kenessey’s excellent article, captures how I long thought about the issue. But I’ve come to understand that this deeply held belief is mistaken. Addiction is not a choice. And because it is not a choice, it is also a mistake to think of addiction as a moral failure.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
The NPV will not solve the problem because there is no problem
The is a follow up to John Stoehr’s excellent article a few days ago. Although I agree with very few of the arguments nor his conclusions, it is one of the very few that I have read that presents a cogent and rational argument against the National Popular Vote (NPV). Bravo. I certainly do concur that we should just stick a fork in the National Popular Vote argument and let it go away.
Posted inMoney
CT budget panel going down to the wire again
With last year’s failure to recommend a new budget still fresh in their minds, the leaders of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee were uncertain this week whether they could avoid a repeat.
Posted inTransportation
Boost in federal transportation money unexpected, but welcomed in CT
WASHINGTON — The massive federal omnibus spending bill increased transportation spending by $10 billion, a windfall for Connecticut’s struggling transportation system, which will benefit from Washington’s unexpected generosity.
Posted inNews
Sentencing change would help immigrants avoid ICE involvement
A bill recommended by the Connecticut Sentencing Commission would shave misdemeanor sentences from 365 days to 364 — minimizing the chance immigrants convicted of low-level crimes would face involvement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Posted inMoney
Debt assistance could cost Hartford other state aid
A new state plan to pay off nearly $550 million of Hartford’s bonded debt led some legislators Wednesday to consider reducing other forms of aid to the capital city.
Posted inPolitics
Doctors say seizure, surgery no bar to Boughton’s campaign
With a graphic and detailed presentation from his physicians, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton moved forcefully Wednesday to reassure voters of his fitness to continue campaigning for governor, addressing his seizure at a campaign event two weeks ago and his surgery last summer to remove a benign tumor.
Posted inMoney
Builders, trades launch ad to bolster CT’s transportation program
Though the text of the new ads from Move CT Forward — which are airing on television, radio and online — don’t specifically endorse establishing tolls and raising gasoline taxes — one of the key sponsors of this coalition is backing Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposals to do both.