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David Moffa of Middlebury, caught by the feds in the influence-peddling scheme that touched on the inner-circle of state Speaker of the House Chris Donovan’s now-failed congressional campaign, is set to change his plea on Friday in U.S. District Court. He will face a maximum five-year term and $250,000 fine for Conspiracy to Cause False Statements to the Federal Election Commission
and to Defraud the U.S.
The announcement of the change of plea was just announced by US Attorney David Fein.
The governor said this morning that it’s up to local officials to decide whether to go ahead with Halloween trick-or-treating tonight. “That’s a call for them to make,” he said. “Kids like Halloween. I’m anxious for the state to be on a trajectory to return to the greatest normalcy it can. If your community is safe and you’re comfortable having Halloween, I’d encourage you to have Halloween.”
He said that at the Governor’s Residence on Hartford’s Prospect Avenue, he’ll have about 1,100 candy bars on hand tonight for young ghouls and goblins. “I will be open for business,” he said. “I am returning to the closest thing I can get to normal on Halloween.”
Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy has had more than one public go-round or two with Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, but Hurricane Sandy puts the political jostling into perspective, Malloy said today. After announcing that he would offer state resources to New York and New Jersey once Connecticut is over its recovery crisis, reporters tried to bait Malloy to comment on the public friction between he and Christie. Finally, Courant reporter Jon Lender asked him to describe his relationship with Christie. “It’s fine,” Malloy chimed with a grin. “It’s transparent.”
During Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s noon news conference in the State Armory, reporters tried to pin him down on who are and are not essential workers who can use state roads during the hurricane emergency. Hospital workers? Yes. Emergency workers? Of course. Supermarket shelf stockers. Yes. “People who are already at work, obviously have to get home. We understand that. This is a time for people to use their judgment.”
A reporter then asked what kind of advice the governor was giving to grocery stores. “Obviously I think they’ve all tried to get as much in and on shelves as possible…We probably have enough Grey Poupon. We might need bread and milk.”
Here’s their release:
DEEP Says State Parks to Close Monday As a Result of Storm
Courtesy Docks at Boat Launches Also Being Removed
Agency says other steps being taken to prepare for storm
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that all state parks will be closed starting Monday, until further notice, due to the approaching storm.
DEEP Commissioner Daniel C. Esty said, “We regret any inconvenience caused by the closing of the parks but our first priority is to protect the safety of the public. Once the storm passes we will assess and address any impacts to our parks and determine when they can be reopened.”
DEEP also announced that:
Waterbury smoke shop owners, including George Tirado, 35, a 14-year Waterbury Police veteran and his business partner Paul Rogers, 39, of Watertown, were also indicted, as was a former official with the union representing prison guards, H. Ray Soucy of Naugatuck, who pleaded guilty to bribery and awaits sentencing, although he cooperated with the FBI. Soucy is tentatively scheduled for sentencing on October 16, but it’s likely to be postponed, said Thomas Carson, spokesman for US Attorney David B. Fein, in response to a Tuesday inquiry.
Tirado and Rogers allegedly attempted to kill then-pending legislation that would have added fees to their cigarette-rolling operation at Smoke House Tobacco in Waterbury and other such businesses. An employee of theirs, Benjamin Hogan, 33, of Southington, was also indicted, along with David Moffa, 52, of Middlebury, former president of Local 387, the correction officers’ union affiliated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; and Daniel Monteiro, 33, of Wolcott, a Waterbury businessman.
Anyway, here is the latest schedule:
You know what the phone calls are like. Someone dials you during dinner asking for contributions for local police and fire departments. Do you know that often the groups get a fraction of the amount donated? A small fraction, at that. And it’s getting toward that donation season. The Blogster always asks the phoners what percentage of their take actually makes it to the charity.
Here’s the release from Attorney General George Jepsen and Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein, who are warning people to find out more information from people soliciting over the phone for charities.
“Telephone and mail solicitations for legitimate charities – and scammers — typically increase during the holiday season and the Attorney General and Commissioner said residents should know where their money is going before making a telephone or online donation.
News reports last month focused on one telemarketing company, InfoCision Management, which is used by more than 30 non-profit organizations to solicit donations. In some cases, the company was keeping nearly 80 percent of the donations without telling the donors.
“Connecticut residents are generous people, but don’t be pressured into giving a donation over the phone. Make sure you know who is calling, what charity they represent and how much of the donation will go to the charity. Ask for written information before making a gift. When in doubt, hang up and get more information,” Attorney General Jepsen said.
Commissioner Rubenstein said that information is available on the state Department of Consumer Protection website because charities that solicit money in Connecticut must first register with the department. Complaints may also be registered there.
“Our website, at https://www.elicense.ct.gov, not only provides charity registration information online, but also displays any active solicitation campaign notices for a registered charity, the paid solicitor they hired and the minimum percentage that is guaranteed to go to that charity,” Rubenstein said. “This information is intended to help donors make wise choices when choosing a charity to support.”
Attorney General Jepsen and Commissioner Rubenstein are partnering to lead a national effort that as early as next year may make information easily accessible about charity solicitations nationwide.
The Singlepoint website is designed to be a single point of contact for nonprofits and professional fundraisers seeking to register their solicitation campaigns, and for consumers looking for more information about charities seeking donations. Currently 40 states register charities.
Connecticut will be one of eight states participating in a three-year pilot of the website, which is expected to launch late next year or in early 2014. Joining Connecticut will be Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri and New Hampshire.
The website is a joint project of the National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO), the Urban Institute and the Charities Regulation and Oversight Project of the National State Attorneys General Program at Columbia Law School.
NASCO is a national coalition of all state regulators involved in registration and enforcement of charities and protection of charitable assets, including Attorneys General from all states, and Secretaries of State or Commissioners of state agencies that manage registration functions in the 18 states, including Connecticut, where the Attorney General does not have that responsibility.
Assisting the Attorney General and Commissioner Rubenstein on the Singlepoint website issue are Assistant Attorney General Karen Gano, Special Litigation, and Michael Elliott, the Department of Consumer Protection’s director of licensing.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General and Commissioner said there are steps Connecticut residents can take to help protect themselves from scammers and from being misled by professional fundraisers.
More information is available on the Federal Trade Commission website: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/charityfraud; at Charity Navigator, http://www.charitynavigator.org and the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance at http://www.bbb.org/us/charity.”
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