Ken Dixon's Blog-O-Rama

Friday May 29, 2009

It’s 8 p.m. amd Rep. Chris Perone, D-Norwalk, vice chairman of the Finance Committee, was just removed from the Capitol, via stretcher, to Hartford Hospital. He walked to the stretcher, located outside the second-floor Democratic House caucus, breathing from an oxygen tank. He was smiling as he was wheeled away.

Friday May 29, 2009

It’s about 10 hours after the Democratic Senate majority, minus Sen. Ed Meyer of Guilford, rejected a GOP proposal to create a six-member bipartisan ethics panel.
The proposed Senate rule finally emerged for a floor debate in the late hours of Thursday night.
Missing, however, from the debate and vote, were two Democrats who may be in most need of ethics rules: Sen. Tom Gaffey, D-Meriden and Sen. Joe Crisco, D-Woodbridge. Gaffey was fined $6,000 last month for using campaign-finance money for personal expense and Crisco this week was fined $4,000 for writing the names of others on sworn documents applying for taxpayer-financed campaign money.
A Senate Democratic spokesman told reporters last night that Gaffey and Crisco thought it was good form to abstain from the debate.
The Blogster hopes they were watching the debate on TV. The resolution failed 20-13 at 12:21 after an hour-long vote.

Friday May 29, 2009

The Thrifty 37 just…couldn’t….squeeze …. out that full nine hours of filibuster/debate during yesterday’s long day’s journey into night on the House floor.
The issue is eminently veto-ready and it’s likely that Gov. Rell will dispatch it forthwith, if it ever comes up in the Senate and gets approved as the days dwindle before the midnight June 3 adjournment of the budget-setting session that wasn’t/isn’t.
The bill in question would require businesses with fewer than 50 employees to provide paid sick days. If signed into law, it would make Connecticut the first state in the nation with such a requirement.
Republicans led by House Minority Leader Larry Cafero, R-Norwalk, warned that it would increase the cost of doing business at a time when the economy is in the tank. One after another, most of the 37 GOP members (Rep John Hetherington, R-New Canaan, probably did a solid hour by himself) stood to ask time-consuming questions of Rep. Kevin Ryan, D-Montville, co-chairman of the Labor Committee, who was up and down like a jack-in-the-box most of the time between 1:18 p.m. when the bill was called, and 10:12:59 when the final 88-58 vote was tallied.
Yep, five minutes short of a 9-hour debate.
Since 101 votes would be required for a veto override, the Republicans seem to have won this one with their rear-guard action.
Cafero praised his little caucus, which is a 37-114 minority.
“We understand that there were some people in this chamber who believe it is the wrong move to vote for this bill, believe they had an obligation to themselves, to those who elected them and the state they live in, to let the world know why,” Cafero said at the end of the debate. “If your time was wasted, your sleep deprived, I apologize, my friends,” he said. “But I needed to answer that question that has been asked of me as leader of this caucus so often in the last few weeks and I assume in the next few days: Why do you do it? Because we feel we have to.”

Thursday May 28, 2009

It’s a little after 7 p.m. and the House, in its own twisted way, is about the commemorate the start of its seventh hour of debate – and we use the term loosely because it’s really a coordinated filibuster – on the union-backed paid-sick-leave legislation.
We’re still on the first amendment and the plucky 37 House Republicans, whom I’m calling the “Thifty 37,” have slowed action down to a crawl. One after another, for hours on end, they have stood, one by one, with existential questions for Rep. Kevin Ryan, D-Montville, co-chairman of the Labor Committee.
Ryan has been on his feet for hours, occasionally getting bailed out by fellow Democats who will stand up and vamp for a few minutes while Ryan scurries to the men’s room.

Wednesday May 27, 2009 10 p.m.

And the Blogster just finished transcribing tape of a Marx Brothers-like encounter Senate President Don Williams, D-Brooklyn had earlier tonight with the magpies in the Capitol Press Room.
Reporters asked him about the seemingly bicameral ethics of the state Senate.
Reporters recalled Sen. Lou DeLuca, R-Woodbury, who resigned after copping a state misdemeanor plea and asked Williams to put that case in context with Wednesday’s State Elections Enforcement Commission ruling penalizing Sen. Joe Crisco, D-Woodbridge, $4,000 for signing the names of his campaign officials on documents he had used to apply for up to $85,000 in taxpayer funded campaign cash.
Crisco’s embarrassing case arrived almost two months after Sen. Tom Gaffey, D-Meriden, was fined $6,000 by the SEEC for using campaign money for personal purchases.

Reporter A: What is going to happen in the Joe Crisco case?
Williams: I don’t foresee other action being taken over and above the very thorough and lengthy investigation that was conducted by Elections Enforcement.
Reporter B: They said he signed falsely several times for other people on sworn documents and stood there while they were notarized. And they didn’t use the word forgery. That’s the word (State GOP Chairman) Chris Healy used. But how is that not forgery in your mind.
Williams: You know, from my understanding, from what I’ve been told, they did not find… they didn’t have a finding against Sen. Crisco in terms of unlawful behavior…
Reporter B: That’s not true.
Williams: Is that not true?
Reporter B: They said he violated the campaign laws.
Reporter C: Numerous state laws.
Reporter B: Numerous times, yeah.
Williams: Well…in terms of what we do as a Senate, our tradition has been to weigh these issues very carefully and look at the specific conduct in terms of criminal law, in terms of the reflection on the chamber…This was exhaustively investigated by Elections Enforcement and Sen. Crisco has accepted responsibility for that. I don’t believe that further action is necessary.
Reporter D: Not even a Committee of Inquiry to look into it?
Williams: No.
Reporter E: How about Sen. Gaffey? Where do things stand with that?
Williams, exhaling: Same, same…
Reporter E: You don’t see anything going with him either?
Williams: Correct.
Reporter B: So you’re still satisfied with him in his leadership position?
Williams: Yes.
Reporter B: How much extra does he make for that?
Williams: I don’t know.
Reporter B: What would you guess? $5,000?
Williams: I wouldn’t want to guess.
Reporter B: So Gaffey makes about a few thousand dollars extra?
Derek Slap, Williams communications director: I’m sure I could find that out.
Reporter B: You’ll find that out?
Reporter E: Don, in terms of ethics discussions with Senate Republicans, where do they stand?
Williams: They’re filed amendments to many GAE bills and we plan on taking up one of those bills, most likely the Senate vacancy bill and having a debate on their amendments sometime this week. Maybe as early as tomorrow.
Reporter E: So ‘debating their amendments.’ So there is no agreement? Because your agreement at the beginning of the session was ‘if we reach agreement we’ll open up the rules and change them.’ So now it sounds like there’s not going to be an agreement and you’re going to give the Republicans their debate and vote?
Williams: Right. That was always the agreement: that we would give them an opportunity for a debate and a vote.
Reporter E: But only if you couldn’t come to an agreement.
Williams: Correct.
Reporter E: So there is no agreement?
Williams: At this point in time there is no agreement. Correct.
Reporter F: Do you regret not having a special committee formed this year on ethics?
Williams: No, no.
Reporter F: Maybe I should ask how badly do you regret.
Williams, laughing: But I don’t regret it, Ken.
Reporter F: Well, you’ve got a senator, Crisco, who’s admitted forgery. I can’t even count the number of times there. Is like, what’s the line? If he were Republican it would be OK because the state SEEC performed its duties?
Williams: My view would be the same there. There’s a specific professional commission that’s set up for campaign and elections issues and violations. They conducted a lengthy investigation and Sen. Crisco has admitted his mistakes and he’s been fined and he’s moving on.
Reporter F: So the Senate doesn’t have higher standards than a state agency, then?
Williams: What do you mean a state agency?
Reporter F: Shouldn’t the Senate have higher standards than the SEEC?
Williams: Our policy has been to respond in those fortunately rare instances where a case rises to a level over and above what may already be out there in terms of a law- enforcement issue, a campaign-bookkeeping issue, an ethical issue, et cetera.
Reporter G: But by your own logic you’re saying Elections Enforcement, a specific designed to look into something like, they investigate, they come up with a resolution and that’s it?
Williams: Correct.
Reporter G: But you don’t apply that logic when you’re talking about state prosecutors and Lou Deluca? How is that remotely consistent?
I mean, Lou DeLuca said ‘hey I’ve dealt with law enforcement. I’ve pled guilty to something. I’m done. But it was that important for your own internal purposes to mete out some justice of your own.
Williams: yeah.
Reporter G: How is that consistent with what you just said?
Williams: I’d rather not go back into the Lou DeLuca case and talk in detail about that case. I think there are striking differences and it rose to the level when both Sen. John McKinney (R-Fairfield) and I came together, after a time, I mean not immediately thereafter. As you all recall, quite a bit of time went by as we considered the matter and as additional details came out. And I really don’t want to get into it further than that other than to say the differences in my mind are very significant.
Reporter E: Are you disturbed, though, by a member of your caucus that actually falsified signatures that were notarized…
Reporter G: …on a piece of paper that said it’s against the law.
Reporter E: … on a piece of paper that said penalty of the law?
(A vote is called down in the third-floor Senate chamber)
Williams: yeah. I think this was a matter that was taken up by the Elections Enforcement Commission and I’m satisfied that their resolution, you know, puts this to rest.
Slap: You have to vote.
Williams: Do you want me to come back?
Reporter F: Wait for the bell before you say you are saved by it.

Wednesday May 27, 2009

During last night’s marathon debate on Election Day registration, which passed the House, but not with enough support to override a potential veto down the road, Rep. James Spallone, D-Essex, the chief proponent, said states that have had Election Day registration for about 30 years, such as Wisconsin, Minnesota and Maine, have not had problems with fraud.
Under the Connecticut proposal, if a registrar suspects fraud, a vote would not be cast and the case would be brought to the State Elections Enforcement Commission, which could refer cases to the chief state’s attorney for prosecution.
Rep. Chris Caruso, D-Bridgeport, said the key is to increase participation. He noted that Hawaii recently experimented with telephone and computer voting. He called concerns about fraud “weak at best,” as a reason to oppose the bill.
“This legislation does what it has to do: it puts in the oversight that’s needed,” Caruso said. “I think the time for Election Day registration has come. What’s so wrong with the word convenient? We should make it more accessible.”
Rep. Andres Ayala Jr., D-Bridgeport, asked a half dozen pointed questions of Spallone and said he’s concerned about the validity of voters trying to sign up at the last minute and the strain on local voting officials.
“Elections in Bridgeport seem to be a full-contact sport in many incidents and one of my concerns is the registrars of voters will be used,” Ayala said, criticizing the lack of state resources included in the bill for implementation of the changes.
He detailed incidents on the days of presidential elections in Bridgeport City Hall that “the lines start from the town clerk’s office and they stretch to the opposite end of the building and often out of the building itself, which can create chaos.”
Rep. John W. Hetherington, R-New Canaan, said that lawmakers have to balance the integrity of the system with the issue of convenience.
“It seems to me that this measure goes to the direction of not having adequate safeguards,” Hetherington said. “Is there any indication that the vote is being suppressed? Why do we conclude that it needs to be easier to vote? I submit it doesn’t.”
“The last thing we need to do is foist additional mandates, unfunded, on our municipalities,” sasid Rep. David K. Labriola, R-Naugatuck. “I predict there will be a lot of problems with fraud and abuse.”
He said there seems little public interest in the issue. “Where’s the outcry?” Labriola asked. “It’s voter apathy that’s the problem.”
Rep. Livvy R. Floren, R-Greenwich, said the bill has evolved over the nine years she and other lawmakers have worked on it.
“In my opinion, the time for Election Day registration is today,” said Floren, who was the only Republican to vote for it.
Rep. Margaret Reeves, D-Wilton, said that the states with the top turnout rates have Election Day registration. “Yes, it’s a change and not every single registrar is going to like it,” Reeves said.
Rep. Emil Altobello, D-Meriden, said he believes that the legislation, if approved by the governor, could not take effect this year because state statutes indicate that towns and cities don’t have to adopt laws that create new fiscal mandates on municipalities unless they are signed into law within five months of a new local fiscal year.
Rep. Mary Ann Carson, R-New Fairfield, said she was worried about the logistics of enforcing the rules against campaigning within 75 feet of a polling place, given the small size of her hometown’s town hall.
“All in all I think this is very cumbersome,” she said, adding that registrars need more time to double check whether new voters had cast ballots elsewhere the same day. “We need to serve with integrity and I believe the integrity of the voting system would be better served if there were more time to make these checks.”
Democrats who voted against the legislation included Ayala, Rep. Terry Backer, D-Stratford, Rep. Barbara L. Lambert, D-Milford, Rep. Carlo Leone, D-Stamford and Rep. Joe Mioli, D-Westport.

Tuesday May 26, 2009

And it’s 8 p.m., shortly after the House culminated a six-hour debate on Election Day voter registration with a soft 81-65 vote that should scream “veto ready,” if the Senate passes it and the bill chugs along to Gov. Jodi Rell.
The Blogster wants to scroll back to May 13, when the House staged its debate on the death penalty. How long was that one? Slightly more than five hours.
Does anybody in the General Assembly recall that there’s a June 3 deadline to pass a new two-year budget? Oh yeah, that June 3 deadline is as soft as the support for the Election Day voter registration. Besides, there will be plenty of time to do the budget in August.

Tuesday May 26, 2009

And the Blogster was derelict in leaving the Capitol last week without paying homage to another of the walking-wounded lawmakers, Rep. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford, who came in, the day after arthroscopic knee surgery, to lead debate on the bill Friday that would ban bisphenol-A (BPA) from baby bottles and other drink containers.
In more good news, Rep. Jason Perillo, R-Shelton, is back in the saddle today after collapsing in a first-floor men’s room last week and smacking his noggin on the floor. And Rep. Chris Caruso, D-Bridgeport, returning from an infection means the House of Reps is in full-blown recovery.