As If Connecticut Is Not Grappling With Enough Troubles Today.

Dodgy U.S. Representative Bill Shuster is in town to talk about putting a tunnel through Hartford. Shuster is the controversial Pennsylvania Republican whose girlfriend, Shelley Rubino, lobbies for the airline industry. That’s the same airline industry that Shuster has a lot of sway over as head of the House’s transportation committee. Rubino was a lobbyist in Connecticut and enjoyed a close relationship with both Democrat Thomas Ritter and Republican Lawrence Cafero. She also worked in Washington for Larson.

Shuster was one of the first two House committee chairmen to endorse Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016.

Shuster, who has had some close calls in his recent re-election bids, appeared at the LOB today as the legislature tries to gather itself in the aftermath of Thursday’s chaos. He brought his seal with him. Should Congress pass a massive pork-filled infrastructure bill, people like the highly social Shuster will have some influence over its contents. Shuster–whose father was chased out of Congress over ethics issues involving a former aide–is the sort of politician who makes it hard to be optimist.