WASHINGTON – Connecticut’s largest defense contractors are stepping up political donations to key lawmakers as competition increases for shrinking defense dollars.
Chris Murphy
Chris Murphy, Connecticut’s junior U.S. senator, was first elected in 2012. Sen. Murphy has supported stricter gun legislation and affordable health care.
Posted inPolitics
Following time-honored tradition, CT politicians bet on game
Politicians like to link themselves with winning local sports teams and those from Connecticut are no different. Sens. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both Democrats, say they have a “friendly wager” with Kentucky Republican Sens. Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell over the outcome of tonight’s NCAA championship game between UConn’s Huskies and the University of Kentucky Wildcats.
Posted inPolitics
Revolving door spins for Connecticut delegation
WASHINGTON — Many Connecticut lawmakers who have retired recently have become lobbyists. An analysis by The Connecticut Mirror shows that dozens of staffers for the state’s lawmakers have also swung through the revolving door, the term used for an ingrained, and growing, Washington phenomenon for when lawmakers and their staff leave Capitol Hill for more lucrative lobbying jobs.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Murphy leads Democratic celebration of ACA
“I’m sure that [the GOP] hoped it was an April Fool’s joke,” Murphy said of the high Obamacare enrollment numbers.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Blumenthal, Murphy declare war on heroin
Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy have declared war on heroin, insisting the federal government do more to combat what has become a particularly lethal drug that claims, on the average, one life in the state every day.
Posted inPolitics
Newtown cyclists say gun control campaign now a movement
WASHINGTON — Riding 400 miles from Newtown, 26 bicyclists hoping to change the nation’s gun laws faced some strong headwinds on their way to Washington, D.C. When they reached the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, they faced even more — of the political kind.
Posted inPolitics
Murphy addresses Ukraine in New Haven
New Haven — Last weekend during a visit to New Haven, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy predicted that Russia would never send its military into Ukraine. Murphy was back in New Haven Saturday, addressing Ukraine at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Church on George Street, after Russia had in face marched in to seize control of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.
Posted inPolitics
Murphy asks FBI to crack down on ‘kidnapper’s’ phone scam
Washington – There are countless phone scams claiming victims in Connecticut every day, but Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., has asked the FBI to crack down on an especially bold one that involves a caller claiming to hold a family victim hostage and asking for ransom. “Several Connecticut residents have fallen victim to this fraud, even […]
Posted inMoney, Politics
Connecticut officials lead charge against federal plan for Indians
Updated, 1:15 p.m. Washington – Connecticut officials are bracing for new Indian recognition rules that could upend the state’s gaming agreement with the Mashantucket Pequot and the Mohegan, takes swaths of land out of the state tax base and likely result in new casinos.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Obama’s labor secretary brings minimum wage campaign to CT
U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez Monday brought the Obama administration’s campaign for a $10.10 minimum wage to Connecticut, where the congressional delegation and governor already are among the president’s strongest supporters on the issue.
With no congressional votes to win, a visit to highlight President Obama’s push for a higher minimum wage likely had multiple goals, including giving a measure of early re-election support to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who was seated next to Perez at a White House dinner for governors Sunday night.
Posted inPolitics
CT lawmakers use PACs to help other Dems
Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy don’t have to run for re-election this year, but they are still in the thick of the 2014 Senate political campaigns.
Posted inPolitics
Despite reforms, CT lawmakers, staff, take free trips
WASHINGTON — – Scandals that involved pricey outings to Scotland and elsewhere, paid for by notorious lobbyist Jack Abramoff, prodded Congress to implement tough new travel regulations — yet congressional travel is again on the uptick, and members of the Connecticut delegation have not been immune to offers of free trips.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Malloy considers blocking federal food stamp cuts
WASHINGTON – Gov. Dannel Malloy is looking at a way to block cutbacks in the food stamp programs for as many as 68,000 Connecticut families next year, a result of changes to the program in a farm bill President Obama signed into law last week.
Posted inNews
CT defense industry wins big in U.S. budget bill
Washington – The massive omnibus spending bill creates winners and losers – and at first blush it seems that Connecticut is chiefly in the winner’s column.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Murphy is in new Senate climate group
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy is among a group of Democratic senators unveiling a climate change task force on Tuesday. Its goal, he said, is to combat what he called “Republican intransigence” on issues related to climate change.