WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch on Tuesday confirmed he found President Donald Trump’s criticism of federal judges who ruled to block his travel ban “disheartening and demoralizing” – statements Trump said had been “misrepresented” by Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
Donald Trump
Posted inJustice, Politics
Hartford, East Haven listed in first DHS report of cities limiting cooperation with ICE
WASHINGTON — Connecticut is hardly mentioned in the Department of Homeland Security’s first list of law enforcement agencies that fail to hold jailed immigrants beyond their release dates for federal authorities. But the DHS did list Hartford and East Haven as cities which limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Posted inPolitics
Himes: Manafort, Stone likely witnesses in Congress’ Russia probe
WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Himes on Monday said Connecticut natives Paul Manafort, a former Trump campaign manager, and Roger Stone, a self-described Trump campaign consultant, are likely to be key witnesses as the House Intelligence Committee continues its investigation of Russian hacking and the U.S. elections.
Posted inJustice, Politics
Blumenthal to grill Gorsuch on independence from Trump
WASHINGTON — While showing sympathy for the embattled nominee, Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Monday laid out his strategy for questioning Judge Neil Gorsuch, saying he would press him on his relationship with the man who appointed him to the Supreme Court, President Donald Trump.
Posted inPolitics
Trump’s move to end heating aid also would trim food stamps for many
WASHINGTON — The Trump budget blueprint was silent on the government’s largest social welfare programs, but elimination of federal help to pay heating bills also would cut back on food stamps for about 71,000 people in Connecticut.
Posted inEnergy & Environment, Money
Trump would slash CT environment funds; hit to Sound feared
The Trump administration called massive cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency an attempt to ease the burden of unnecessary federal regulations. Connecticut’s environmental commissioner called it an assault on public health and the environment.
Posted inPolitics
Trump’s double down on defense would buy more Black Hawks, F-35s
WASHINGTON — On the same day President Trump rolled out his fiscal 2018 budget, which boosted defense spending, he also asked Congress for $30 billion in extra funding for the Pentagon, in part so it could immediately buy more F-35s and Sikorsky Black Hawks.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money, Politics, Transportation
Trump budget would end CT heating aid, housing, after-school programs
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s first budget proposal would strip Connecticut of tens of millions of dollars in federal grants, eliminating programs that subsidize heating bills for nearly 110,000 Connecticut households and provide housing for the homeless and after-school care. But the budget would boosting the state’s defense industry and fund a border wall.
Posted inPolitics
Syrian refugee talks about the impact of Trump travel ban
WASHINGTON – Fadi Kassar of Milford, 40, traveled a long, hard road through several countries before arriving in Connecticut and being granted asylum in 2015. He spoke to the Mirror about the human cost of the Donald Trump’s travel ban – and how it is changing the perception of the United States in the Muslim world.
Posted inPolitics
Murphy: Campaign donations proof of ‘fledgling progressive resistance movement’
WASHINTON – Sen. Chris Murphy said in a fundraising appeal Wednesday that said he has had a “staggering number of individual contributions” since the beginning of the year. He called it evidence a “fledgling progressive resistance movement” against the Trump administration and the GOP-led Congress “is only getting larger.”
Posted inJustice, Politics
It’s a guessing game on how Trump will pick U.S. attorney for CT
The abrupt departure of Deirdre Daly as the U.S. attorney for Connecticut gave new immediacy over the weekend to the legal and political parlor game of identifying not only who might be in the running as a successor, but who will guide the Trump administration in making the choice.
Posted inPolitics
Murphy: The GOP health plan is a ‘dumpster fire’
WASHINGTON – It’s surprising Chris Murphy is only in his first term in the Senate because he’s had a an amazing amount of visibility for a freshman on a number of hot-button issues that have ranged from gun control to diplomatic flash points. The Connecticut Mirror spoke to him about the prospects of the Republican “American Health Care Act” and a few other things.
Posted inPolitics
Courtney to Malloy: Use HUD funds to help fix crumbling foundations
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s budget would eliminate a housing grant program that pays for projects in nearly two dozen Connecticut towns – and Rep. Joe Courtney wants the Malloy administration to also use it to help residents with crumbling foundations before the money disappears.
Posted inEnergy & Environment, Transportation
Easing auto emissions rules would set back CT clean-air efforts
Anticipated action by the Trump administration to roll back auto emissions standards would threaten Connecticut’s greenhouse gas emission goals, its air quality and its push for more electric vehicles.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Larson joins partisan fight as GOP struggles to advance health care bill
WASHINGTON – During a day of acrimonious partisanship over the future of America’s health care system, Rep. John Larson on Wednesday was among the Democrats who tried to alter and slow the progress of a bill that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.