Political Capitol

In response to the story carried today by our newspapers about the budget-driven decision to bring back early release furloughs for prisoners, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell issued the following statement:

“Re-establishment of the 45-day re-entry furlough program was included in the budget passed by the Legislature that became law without my signature. While the previous program required little supervision of the former inmates after their release, the new program places far more control over newly released inmates and puts even more emphasis on their successful reintegration into society.”

“Public safety is always the first consideration when evaluating an inmate for the re-entry furlough program. An inmate’s overall criminal history, his or her behavior while incarcerated and the inmate’s participation in counseling, education and other programs is also considered.”

“After release, inmates on a re-entry furlough are required to meet with a parole officer on a regular basis; the frequency of those meetings varies with the severity of the original offense. Furloughed inmates must also seek job training and look for work, take regular drug tests and may even be required to wear GPS bracelets or other electronic monitoring devices.”

“I want to stress again: Throughout this process, the focus is always on public safety, first and foremost. The experience of the Department of Correction is that inmates are more likely to succeed in returning to society through this gradual process than if they are simply released the day their sentence ends.”

However it should be noted that Rell does indeed have her fingerprints on the furloughs.

It is true Rell did not sign the General Assembly’s budget BUT in early October legislators reconvened to vote on bills to implement the budget. And Rell did in fact sign the bill that authorized the furloughs. Click here, then click on “Bill Analysis” and then scroll down to section 35.

UPDATE:

I recently had a conversation with a Democratic lawmaker who did not understand why our newspapers were making such a big to-do about the return of the furloughs.

I reminded this individual that the General Assembly’s Democratic majority made a big deal of getting rid of the furloughs back in January, 2008.

Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele of Stamford today officially launched his campaign to replace his outgoing boss – Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell – in 2010.

He accused the legislature’s Democratic-majority of increasing big government programs and raising taxes at a time when lawmakers should instead be focused on job growth.

And I couldn’t help but think “What about Charter Oak?”

Charter Oak is the sometimes controversial initiative the Rell administration, through the state Department of Social Services, launched in mid-2008 to provide a form of affordable health care to uninsured or under-insured adults.

Charter Oak qualifies as a new big government social program paid for by taxpayers. In fact Rell, as part of a plan issued last week to address Connecticut’s growing deficit, proposed freezing enrollment in Charter Oak to save $1.8 million.

And Rell considers Charter Oak a high point of her administration because she referred to it as such on Nov. 9 when she announced she would not seek re-election.

“It’s not the pundits or the politicians who live and breathe for party politics and constant campaigning that drive me to serve and to work hard. It’s the people of Connecticut,” Rell said. “The woman whose cheeks were wet from tears of appreciation and relief as she signed up for the Charter Oak program.”

There’s also this press release she issued to mark the program’s one-year anniversary this past summer.

So I asked Fedele his plans for Charter Oak if elected Governor, since, aside from being implemented by his Republican boss, the initiative is a prime example of the big government-type Democratic social programs he spent Wednesday criticizing.**

“If elected we’re going to look at everything,” Fedele said.

But he quickly added he believes Charter Oak is working.

Fedele said there will be a place for social programs in his administration.

“You have to be kind-hearted, too,” Fedele said. “Clearly there’s a role for government to provide to individuals.”

But, he said, he continues to believe the best way to empower people is through creating jobs.

** It should be noted that the legislature’s Democratic-majority spent quite a few months in 2008 and early 2009 arguing Charter Oak does not do enough, is poorly managed by DSS and that the resources might be better spent elsewhere, but that’s a whole other topic.

The Advocate today ran a profile by another reporter of state Rep. William Tong, D-Stamford, one of four candidates being considered by the White House to be Connecticut’s next U.S. Attorney.

The article did not mention what I’ve always thought would be a vote that would garner a bit of scrutiny – Tong’s support during the 2009 legislative session of a bill abolishing the death penalty.

Tong was among the 24 members of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee who on March 31 passed the bill, which went all the way to the desk of Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who vetoed it.

Earlier in March it had been reported that Tong was in the running for the U.S. Attorney post.

I asked Tong tonight about the death penalty vote and if/how it might factor into the White House’s decision-making process.

“I think they will look at my entire record and the way I’ve served the people of this state,” Tong said. “I’ve served it honorably and honestly and I leave it up to them.”

He continued: “Being U.S. Attorney is not like being a legislator. I’d be a U.S. Attorney reporting to the Attorney General and President of the United States and my job would be to implement their policy priorities. It’s different.”

Tong added: “I want to be very, very clear that I will enforce the laws of the United States to the fullest extent of the law.”

I should also point out that on March 31 he voted “no” on another high-profile criminal justice issue that was before the Judiciary Committee – a bill decriminalizing marijuana.

State Senate Democrats just a few minutes ago issued a press release announcing their appointees to a new panel formed by Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

The group will look at Rell’s recent proposal to cut $84 million worth of municipal aid in order to help the state cope with a growing budget deficit, which as of today stands at $549 million.

The panel is also supposed to consider the long-standing complaint from mayors and selectmen that the state imposes too many unfunded mandates on cities and towns. The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities keeps track of such mandates for its members.

Hopefully, rather than wasting time re-inventing the wheel, Rell’s panel will blow the dust off of copies of the Jan. 30, 2007 report issued by the Commission on Unfunded Mandates the Governor formed  in 2005.