Phone it in. It Seems Like Only Yesterday

The Blogster likes Billy Ciotto, the former state senator from Wethersfield, now 80, who is U.S. Rep. John Larson’s legislative liasion. Today, Ciotto, representing Larson, spoke at a Capitol news conference attended by federal Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The subject was distracted driving and the subtext was the use of cell phones by drivers. There’s a new law enforcement crackdown on it. LaHood praised Connecticut’s 2005 law banning their use. Ciotto read a statement from Larson supporting the campaign. The Blogster remembered that for years, as co-chairman of the legislative Transportation Committee, Ciotto, a retired DMV employee, was singularly responsible for killing the cell-phone ban, finally giving up in 2005 and providing Rep. Dick Roy, D-Milford, with a hard-earned legislative victory.