Gov. Dannel P. Malloy pushed hard today for a ban on the sale of large-capacity gun magazines and tighter national rules on the sale of guns during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” saying he was heartened by the approach he sees being taken by the Obama administration. “I had a great conversation yesterday with […]
Mark Pazniokas
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.
Posted inNews
With a softer voice, Malloy assesses the state of the state
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy delivers his third State of the State Address today, marking the midpoint of his first term, a time when a governor typically reinforces accomplishments and begins to lay the foundation for re-election. A looming fiscal crisis dominated his first address, education reforms his second. Today, less than a month since Sandy […]
Posted inNews
Malloy opposes guns in schools in State of the State speech
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Wednesday in a nationally televised State of the State speech that Connecticut must not turn its schools into armed camps in response to the murders of 26 educators and children in Newtown. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy addresses state legislators “Let me be clear. Freedom is not a handgun on the […]
Posted inPolitics
Solis resigns, so let the Rosa rumors begin
Hilda Solis’ abrupt resignation Wednesday as the U.S. labor secretary will send a jolt through Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District, where would-be successors to U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro have been looking for signs she might join the Obama administration. Ted Kennedy Jr. of Branford, after declining to run for U.S. Senate two years ago, has […]
Posted inMoney
State gives Newtown $500,000 in economic assistance
The administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Tuesday it has given a $500,000 grant through the Small Town Economic Assistance Program to Newtown to help local businesses affected by weeks of street closures and other disruptions after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The money will be administered by Newtown. “Our thoughts and […]
Posted inNews
Malloy names Sandy Hook advisory members
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy today released the names of the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission, the panel he created last week to examine gun control, school security and mental health issues arising from mass shooting of 20 students and six educators in Newtown. Its membership includes the former Hartford police chief and state public safety commissioner, […]
Posted inNews
The potential of Latino political power in Connecticut
When the General Assembly is sworn in Wednesday for its new two-year term, its 187 members will include a record dozen Hispanic lawmakers, including Connecticut’s first two Latino state senators, Andres Ayala and Art Linares Jr. Despite the gains in 2012, the political influence of Latinos in the state the still reflects more promise than […]
Posted inPolitics
Occhiogrosso rejoins firm that advised Malloy campaigns
Roy Occhiogrosso has left Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s employ as senior adviser, but he is returning to the Global Strategy Group, the politics and public affairs company that was his base as he advised Malloy’s campaigns for governor in 2006 and 2010. The move raises the obvious question: Does this mean Occhiogrosso is positioning himself […]
Posted inPolitics
Quote of the day, the understatement edition
“Well, that would be impolitic.” That was Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s reaction Monday when asked about a Facebook suggestion by state Rep. DebraLee Hovey, a Republican who represents Monroe and Newtown, that gunshot survivor and former Democratic Congresswoman Gabby Giffords stay out of her district. Hovey took issue with Giffords’ decision to visit Newtown to […]
Posted inNews
Malloy names first Hispanic to high court
Judge Carmen Espinosa, a former FBI agent and federal prosecutor whose judicial career has been a string of firsts for Hispanics, was nominated today by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to the Connecticut Supreme Court. Espinosa, 63, of Southington was the first Hispanic judge in Connecticut when appointed to the Superior Court by Gov. Lowell P. […]
Posted inNews
Bounced checks to staff led to Newton investigation
The investigation that led to the arrest Friday of former state Sen. Ernest Newton II of Bridgeport was sparked by a campaign worker’s complaint to state elections officials that he had not been paid, according to an arrest affidavit released Monday. Newton, who is accused of falsifying records to quality for $80,550 in public financing […]
Posted inPolitics
Chits for 2014? Boughton to keynote Grassroots East
Another small measure of Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton’s interest in running for governor in 2014 (aside from his recent tweaking Tom Foley): On Friday, Jan. 25, he will be driving to Norwich to be the keynote speaker at a fundraising dinner of Grassroots East, the GOP group in the 2nd Congressional District. Everybody loves the 95.6 […]
Posted inPolitics
Tweak me? Tweet you!
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton’s assets include the fastest pair of thumbs in Connecticut politics. Just follow his Twitter feed @MayorMark. He shares — overshares at times, in the opinion of some fretful friends — trenchant observations on life, pop culture and politics. He also answers constituent questions about whether hockey is allowed on a rink […]
Posted inNews
Economic forecast: a risky year for Connecticut
Hartford — An economic outlook conference greeted the New Year cautiously Friday, pointing to the slow and largely jobless recovery from the 2008 recession and the inability of Congress to reach a grand bargain necessary to avert devastating cuts to Connecticut’s defense industry. “I think everybody here knows we dodged a bullet this week. We […]
Posted inNews
Former state Sen. Ernest Newton arrested
Former state Sen. Ernest E. Newton II, D-Bridgeport, a convicted felon who attempted a political comeback in 2012, was arrested Friday and charged with committing fraud to obtain $80,550 in public financing for his unsuccessful bid to return to the Connecticut General Assembly. Newton, 56, who lost a three-way Democratic primary for the state Senate […]