Tag: Connecticut

The Story: Robert F. Hyde is running a long-shot campaign to win the Republican Party's nomination for the US Senate from Connecticut. If he wins...

Parents in Connecticut have filed a lawsuit against Cheshire Academy in Connecticut alleging that their son was expelled from the school because of his conservative views. The school has denied that the student, Michael Mancini, was punished because of his political views. “As some of you may be aware, earlier this week, following a fair process, a student was expelled. This student was given a number of chances to adhere to our expectations, and the rules and code of conduct of Cheshire Academy. Contrary to what you may have read, our decision was not based on an opposition to political dialogue," Julie Anderson, head of schools at the academy, wrote in a letter to parents from the school, according to myrecordjournal.com. Mancini's parents have claimed he was expelled for saying that people who are transgender have "legitimate hormonal or mental disorder" and are "just looking for attention," according to myrecordjournal.com. The parents also alleged that classmates began "verbally attacking" Mancini over his opinions. The family's attorney, James Sullivan, told the New York Post that it is "a precious thing to have competing ideas." “We should have a healthy fear of an autocratic, monolithic government or school," Sullivan said. Anderson, the head of schools, said in the letter to parents that the school generally does not publicly discuss cases involving student discipline.

Lamont, a Democrat, has since said that the only way to raise enough money for overdue transportation improvements is to toll all vehicles on 91, 84, 95 and Route 15. Romano’s letter says Connecticut Republicans need to raise $40,000 over the next 21 days and asks supporters to chip-in $500, $250 or $100. “Acting like arrogant kings and queens in a monarchy, the regal Connecticut Democrats love to tell you what to do and take your money and make it their money,” the letter reads. Lamont senior adviser Colleen Flanagan Johnson said the only transportation funding alternative offered by Republicans, a plan known as Prioritize Progress, would take on long-term debt for the state and runs counter to the “debt diet” plan of the governor. “Instead of exploiting the state’s crumbling infrastructure for campaign contributions, we suggest donations to offset the $65 billion loan the Republicans want to saddle the tax payers with to pay for it." Romano said Democrats are creating a false narrative that they have sworn-off bonding. He pointed out the state, under Lamont’s Democratic predecessor, Dannel P. Malloy, and Democratic majorities in the legislature, has bonded for discretionary projects such as playground splash pads. “Bridges and roads is actually what bonding is supposed to be for.” Drivers with Connecticut-issued E-ZPass transponders would pay an average of 4.4 cents per mile during off-peak travel periods, which DOT officials have said is a 30 percent discount off the 6.3-cent-per-mile price for out-of-state vehicles. "Ned Lamont was elected governor last November and he’s doing his job; maybe the Republicans should focus on creative solutions and not schoolyard taunts.” A number of cities and towns have adopted anti-tolling resolutions that are mostly symbolic in nature, but are intended to put pressure on lawmakers to reject Lamont’s plan. There is another one scheduled for May 18 at the Capitol that’s being organized by NoTollsCT.org, which has said it has collected more than 95,000 signatures as part of a petition drive against tolls.

There are those who hope Joe Biden, as he weighs a 2020 presidential run, hasn't lost his touch for personal connections. A Connecticut resident is among the two women who came forward this week with complaints that the former Democratic vice president violated their personal space when greeting them at campaign events. Amy Lappos, a former staffer for U.S. Rep Jim Himes, says Biden pulled her toward him to rub noses. As it was happening, Lappos thought Biden intended to kiss her, she says. This week, we judge the appropriateness of the 76-year-old's ways of expressing affection on the campaign trail, and that of his response to the women's criticisms. Does he really get the message of the #MeToo movement? It's also the dawn of a new day for Connecticut. Gov. Ned Lamont is calling for an end to the era of unguarded spending on the state's credit card. This week, the State Bond Commission gave us a taste of what a "debt diet" will mean.

Statewide - The chances of Connecticut giving the green light to recreational marijuana increased dramatically when Democrat Ned Lamont won the race for Governor earlier this month. The Senate President Pro tem told News 8, "It's pointless to continue to have it be illegal in Connecticut since people can now travel just across the border to Massachusetts. It's a significant revenue item for us. Looney, who pushed it last year, said it could raise up to $100 million a year in revenue for the state and will help take marijuana sales off the illegal street market and insure quality. But the Deputy Minority Leader in the House, Rep. Vin Candelora (R-North Branford) noted, "It's an issue that really transcends party. There are Democrats that oppose it and there are Republicans that support it." He added, "Until we get some sort of a test in place, I think it's inappropriate for us to even move forward on this issue." Related Content: Lamont ready to support recreational marijuana legislation Governor-elect Lamont sees it differently. There's a lot of other states that have a history here and, in fact, it's brought down opioid abuse and other things in other states." Massachusetts legalized marijuana by referendum.

Fox News contributor sounds off after a Connecticut official kneels during the Pledge of Allegiance to protest the president. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service dedicated to delivering breaking news as well as political and business…

Then the chairman of the New Britain delegation, Bill Shortell, stepped forward to announce vote switches in his delegation, an integral part of every convention that allows, even encourages deal-making before the vote closes. Now, five days later as the Democrats open their two-day convention, a political debut that could have been a feel-good moment for Democrats, no matter who ultimately wins the nomination in a primary in August, has turned into something else, with angry questions from the NAACP about the motives for the vote-switching away from a black woman, resentment from some Glassman delegates about Murphy’s involvement — and just a whiff of a voting irregularity. Shortell had announced three vote switches Monday night. On Monday night, other delegations announced vote switches at the 5th District convention, a practice allowed by the rules and common to Democratic and Republican conventions in Connecticut, a state with a hybrid nominating system of conventions dominated by insiders and relatively open primaries. Winning enough votes to primary on that ballot, he released his delegates on the second. The voting system is simple: Each delegation chair has a form with the name of every delegate from their community. On Shortell’s paperwork, he identifies only one delegate, Peter Kochol, who switched from Hayes to Glassman. His explanation about how the vote switches came about was succinct: “The switchers made up their own mind.” Robert Berriault, who says he also switched his vote, said, “When it comes to close votes like that, you have to do what’s best for New Britain.” Glassman got the edge as a New Britain native. The problem is votes being switched with nobody’s name on that,” Esdaile said. “I’m a teacher.” Outside the state convention on Friday, Murphy wondered if the time had come to forgo conventions.

A progressive powerhouse in New York politics thinks Nevada is ready to move left. Giunchigliani is facing off in the Democratic primary against fellow commissioner Steve Sisolak, a candidate with a hefty war chest who began his campaign last summer by touting himself as a moderate. The group, known for its powerful and coordinated ground games, has also been instrumental in bringing policy issues such as a $15 minimum wage and government-mandated paid sick leave to the top of the national Democratic Party agenda. “My platform, I think, mirrors what they’ve been talking about,” Giunchigliani said. “I want to build a Nevada that works for everyone and not just the privileged few, and I think that resonates with them.” Dan Cantor, the national committee chairman for the WFP, said the group chose to endorse the Giunchigliani after an hourlong phone interview with her last month from which he and the other committee members came away with the same thought: “What is it about Nevada that is producing a leader like this? We want to bottle it,” he said. But unlike in most other places, third parties in New York can carry serious weight. There, minor parties can appear on the ballots and even cross-endorse candidates, meaning that a candidate’s name could appear multiple times on the ballot in the same race but with a different party endorsement next to their name. Three lines down, his name was listed next to the WFP endorsement. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, last week got himself a primary opponent in Cynthia Nixon, the actress known best for her role as Miranda in the HBO series “Sex and the City.” If Nixon can manage to get the WFP’s endorsement, Benjamin said, “the governor has a real problem.” In Nevada, however, where the minor parties have historically had less influence, Benjamin isn’t sure what kind of measurable effect its endorsement will have.

PLAINVILLE, Conn. — When William A. Petit Jr. was campaigning door to door here for a seat in the State Legislature, he did not have to worry about getting residents to remember his name. Mr. Petit gave up his diabetes practice immediately after the killings to focus on the foundation. In the 1990s, Carolyn McCarthy won a seat in Congress after her husband was among six passengers killed when a mentally ill man opened fire on a Long Island commuter train. Mr. Petit declined to be interviewed for this article; his office said that Mr. Petit wanted “to decrease his personal publicity, choosing instead to focus on his family and legislative work.” Friends and colleagues said that it made sense that Mr. Petit would seek a life in public service, pointing to his family’s longstanding involvement in politics in Plainville, where he grew up. “I’m not surprised that he entered politics at all,” said Ms. Tompkins, noting that both Mr. Petit’s father and sister served on the town council. “The Petit family is a big deal in Plainville.” Every year since the home invasion, Bob Heslin, a former high school classmate of Mr. Petit’s, and Mr. Heslin’s brother, Gary, have organized a road race to benefit the foundation. There was a time, according to interviews Mr. Petit has given, when he seemed doomed to endlessly replay his family’s suffering. In the early months of the foundation’s existence, Mr. Petit struggled to make it through meetings without crying. “I said, ‘You need to get some experience in Hartford before you run for governor,’” Ms. Bergenty recalled. “That he actually came back to life was such a good thing.”