A federal appeals court Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit by state officials challenging the cost of a controversial federal school reform law. The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an earlier ruling dismissing Connecticut’s complaint that the No Child Left Behind Act amounted to an unfunded mandate costing state and local taxpayers hundreds of millions […]

There are all kinds of fiscal crises in state government. And on Tuesday, state Sen. Gary D. LeBeau wanted to know what kind of crisis Connecticut was in if it could afford to buy a soccer field for Middletown and a community arts center in Vernon – while staring at a monstrous budget deficit looming less […]

WASHINGTON-Two of Connecticut’s corporate giants-Pratt & Whitney and General Electric Co.-have long been at loggerheads over a multi-million dollar spending item in the federal budget: $485 million to fund an alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Pratt makes the JSF’s lead engine, while GE and Rolls Royce are jointly developing an alternative. For […]

The chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court late this afternoon permitted a direct appeal to the high court of a Superior Court judge’s refusal to block Michael Fedele from $2.18 million in public financing. The justice has not acted, however, on a request for a temporary injunction while the appeal is argued, so Fedele […]

Lawyers for Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley filed papers this afternoon asking the Connecticut Supreme Court to block his GOP rival, Michael C. Fedele, from spending $2.18 million in public financing until a review by the high court. A Superior Court judge this morning rejected an injunction request initiated by Foley and joined by Oz […]

In a dizzying one-two punch of state and federal court decisions today, the public financing of campaigns in Connecticut was upheld, but key provisions that could affect the race for governor were invalidated. A federal appeals court ruled that the state cannot give supplemental grants triggered by an opponent’s spending, while a state judge separately denied […]

With just $99,318 in his campaign account, Oz Griebel joined Tom Foley in a legal action Monday to block their rival in the GOP race for governor, Michael C. Fedele, from $2.18 million in public financing. Lawyers for Griebel and Foley told Superior Court Judge Julia L. Aurigemma that elections officials erred  in approving the […]

As Connecticut struggles to control the cost of retirement benefits, one item under consideration may be a health insurance program generous by state government standards and rare in the private sector: discounted lifetime coverage of retirees and the spouses of retirees who log 10 years of service at any time in their careers. A panel created […]

The Foley campaign is engaged in politics of the worst kind by attacking the State Elections Enforcement Commission and attempting to impugn the integrity of a nonpartisan state agency.  To charge the agency as corrupt is outrageous and irresponsible. What is most disturbing is that the Foley campaign flouts the law and then sues the […]

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 is over 2,300 pages long. The Glass-Steagall Act, the landmark bank reform bill of 1933, was about 100 pages long. Less is more. Glass-Steagall gained strength from its simplicity. The 1933 Congress concluded that the combination of investment banking and commercial banking (and other […]

Superior Court Judge Julia Aurigemma said this afternoon she will rule tomorrow by 5 p.m. on GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley’s effort to block challenger Michael Fedele from receiving public funding for his campaign. At the judge’s request, Fedele’s campaign agreed not to spend any public money until after the ruling. Foley filed suit last […]

Democrat George C. Jepsen announced this morning he has raised the preliminary funding necessary to qualify for a $750,000 grant from the state’s Citizens Election Program to support his bid for attorney general. The former state party chairman and former state Senate majority leader submitted records today at State Elections Enforcement Commission headquarters showing he […]

First, it was Susan Bysiewicz. Now, it’s Michael C. Fedele. For the second time this year, the fate of a major candidate for statewide office is in the hands of a Hartford Superior Court judge. Judge Julia L. Aurigemma will hear arguments at 2 p.m. today on an effort by Tom Foley to deny $2.18 […]