Ken Dixon's Blog-O-Rama

Sen.-elect Dick Blumenthal today announced that he has hired a former aide of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton named Laurie Rubiner, to be his chief of staff.

“Laurie brings to my office and to the people of Connecticut a passion for public service, invaluable experience in the Senate, unparalleled policy expertise, and mostly importantly, she shares my commitment to make Washington work for the people of Connecticut,” Blumenthal said in a statement. Rubiner has also worked for the late Senator John Chafee, R-RI.

 Most recently Rubiner served as vice President for public policy and advocacy for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Between 2005–2008, Rubiner was legislative director for then- Sen. Clinton. From 1990-1999, Ms. Rubiner was legislative assistant to then-Sen. Chafee.

 Rubiner, according to Blumenthal’s news release, received a BA from Barnard College and JD from the Georgetown University Law Center. She’s 48 and votes in the District of Columbia.

Gov. Jodi Rell will be decamping the Capitol for retirement in less than a month, but former TV reporter Jodi Latina will be joining the Senate Republicans’ communications department next week. Latina, a former Channel 8 and News 12 Connecticut reporter, was Linda McMahon’s press person during the wild US Senate campaign. She will now fill a big spot in the Senate Rs staff. Seven long-time staffers , including Catherine Sarault, were recently fired as the minority caucus changes gears.

“As with any organization, the caucus is constantly evaluating how it operates and how it can improve,” said Brett Cody, communications director. “Particularly at the start of a new legislative term, the caucus looks to make sure it is moving in the best direction it can be.  This restructuring is part of that effort.”

Cody this morning called Latina “a skilled communicator with a breadth of experience in news and politics that will be valuable to the Senators she represents and their constituents.  She will be assigned to several Senate Republicans and responsible for establishing and executing all of their communications goals.  That means she will serve as their primary media contact and also be responsible for managing the content of the senators’ official webpages, social media accounts, cable-access programming and direct mail.  We are excited about welcoming her to our team. The caucus plans to make additional new hires soon.”

Lt Gov.-elect Nancy Wyman has announced the avilability of “additional” tickets for the Inaugural Ball on January 5, 2011 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, following a quick sellout of  the first1,750 tickets. 

“The response to this event has been overwhelming,” she in a statement. “Governor-Elect Malloy and I are incredibly humbled by the number of people from across the state who want to be a part of this historic night with us. There is a lot of work for us to do once we take office, but for a few hours that night, we can spend some time with friends, old and new, as we start this new chapter in our state’s history.”

 Tickets are $225 or $175 each and are available online at http://www.ctinauguralball.com/ Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the event begins at 8 p.m.

 Gov.-Elect Dannel Malloy just indicated that the 600 resumes he’s received for those 100 patronage jobs might not be enough. He has announced nationwide searches for the next commissioners of the Department of Transportation, the Department of Education, the Department of Social Services and the Department of Environmental Protection.

 Here’s Malloy’s statement:

“As I’ve said before, I’m not looking to rush the appointment of commissioners simply to have someone named by the time I take office on January 5. I’ve been very impressed by the skill level and caliber of applicants for any number of positions in my administration. But for these four agencies – the Department of Transportation, the Department of Education, the Department of Social Services and the Department of Environmental Protection – I’ve also chosen to pursue a national search in addition to seeking out talent right here in Connecticut. To that end, I’ve already spoken with Secretary LaHood, Secretary Duncan, and Administrator Jackson about helping to identify qualified, interested applicants from across the country. This only expands the applicant pool, and does not narrow it – no one has been eliminated and current agency commissioners, should they wish to stay in their current positions, may relay that to Tim Bannon, who will be speaking with them shortly in order to ascertain their level of interest and to ensure the continuity of government.”

The Blogster devoured the Saturday Times’ front-page obit (“A New York Fixture Who Fed and Fussed Over the Famous”) and inside “Appreciation” of Elaine Kaufman, whose eponymous restaurant at 88th Street and Second Avenue fostered some of the major writers and journalists of the 20th century and beyond, including Joseph Heller, Gay Talese and George Plimpton. I walked to the bookcase in the front hall and picked up A.E. Hotchner’s 2004 paen to Kaufman’s place, called “Everyone Comes to Elaine’s.” Hotchner, you probably know, lives in Westport and was buddies with Paul Newman. Hotchner also wrote one of the best late biographies of Ernest Hemingway, called “Papa.” 

Anyway, Hotchner’s book on the restaurant and its quirky, insecure, brash, good-humored, well-read proprietor, is an obvious labor of love, including quotes from artist LeRoy Neiman, writers Norman Mailer, Bruce Jay Friedman and Nora Ephron, a poem from Roy Blount Jr., the list goes on and the names in the index are impressive. Imagine Leonard Bernstein, whose family still owns the mansion in Fairfield, walking into the restaurant with Jackie Kennedy, in one of her first public appearances after the murder of her husband. Imagine a place where writers could get a cheap meal or even a free one, if they were hungry enough. You might also have to imagine a time when budding writers and artists could live in NYC on very little money as they slaved away at their visions during the day and consumed concoctions of icy gin and vermouth until the wee hours on the Upper East Side.  

So as the Blogster was paging through the book, there was a great quote by Dominick Dunne, the late, lamented novelist and name-dropping Vanity Fair crime columnist who had a place along the Connecticut River in Chester before his death in August of last year: “I love it when she sits at my table when I’m in the restaurant. She likes to laugh and she likes to dish and I’m a willing partner in both categories. This lady is a New York presence of very high wattage. She is part of the lore of the city. She is a player in its social history, with landmark status, like Mrs. Astor. Way down the road, when her time comes, I’ll bet money she makes the front page of the New York Times.”

Too bad Kaufman’s time came last week, at age 81.

 Then go to the departing governor’s open house on Wednesday. She will meet and greet folks from noon until 2 o’clock.

“What I will miss most of all, without question, are the good people of Connecticut. They have shared with me their joys and their tears, their hopes and dreams. It has been a humbling experience to be their Governor and doing the right thing for our families is what inspired me throughout my time here,” Rell said in a statement. “I began my Administration in July 2004 with an Open House and it was an opportunity to say ‘hello’ to hundreds. I look forward to closing out my tenure with one final chance to visit with our citizens and offer my heartfelt farewell and thanks.” The Room is 200 on the west side of the Capitol, where there is limited visitor parking on the grounds. You can also park in the Legislative Office Building garage and walk to the Capitol through the underground walkway, which is wheelchair accessible.

Rell asks that visitors not bring gifts, but non-operishable food can be donated to the 27^th Annual Governor’s Holiday Care & Share Campaign to benefit Foodshare and Connecticut Food Bank.

 Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury, one of the smartest lawmakers in the House who was recently elected to his twelfth term, is the new chairman of the Council of State Governments. The appointment came last weekend during a convention in Providence. He will lead the national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, representing state officials in all three branches of government in all 50 states, Canadian provinces, and U.S. territories.  Its slogan is “sharing capitol ideas.” The year-long position came after a vote of the council’s governing board.

“The Council of State Governments is one of the top resources for law and policy makers from around the country.  We can use them when we’re crafting laws, policies and regulations that are fiscally sound and produce the best results, often because another state has already tried it out,” Godfrey said.  “Through thorough, comprehensive, nonpartisan research, CSG provides states and member jurisdictions with concise information. Having access to CSG puts Connecticut in the forefront of advocacy among the states.  I particularly look forward to working with Governor-elect Malloy, his incoming administration and my colleagues as Connecticut upgrades its relations with our federal government.  We’ll have a greater voice and be more competitive nationally.”

 Godfrey, the organization’s vice chairman in 2009, will host the CSG’s Growth & Prosperity Summit in Connecticut on March 26-30, 2011. He has also been mentioned as a potential canidate for state auditor when the term of the current auditors ends with the 2010 calendar.

Gov.-elect Dannel Malloy to reporters this morning, on a request from Gov. Jodi Rell to 100 high-ranking state employees, asking them to resign in advance of the next gubernatorial administration:

“I originally understood that with higher-level appointees that she was expecting their resignations. I understand a number of people on the executive-secretarial level received those letters. i want to send out a message. I need to run this thing come Jan. 5 and if you’re not replaced, or not scheduled to be replaced, I’d appreciate it if you hang in there and work with us.”