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In the competitive world of available property listings, it’s not uncommon to hear of individuals searching for that perfect home that matches their previous standards of living. Take, for instance, State Senator Alex Kasser’s scenario, which seems to illustrate this trend vividly. Last year, she made headlines by declaring a war on privilege, yet recently, she voiced her dissatisfaction through a court motion. Kasser described her current $5,200 a month Greenwich apartment as a significant downgrade from her former “palatial…modern mansion on two manicured acres.” Amidst her ongoing divorce, Kasser is adamant about selling the marital home, where her estranged husband and children currently reside, in hopes of procuring a more spacious residence for herself from the available property listings that match her accustomed luxury.

The apartment, the Greenwich Democrat claims, makes one of her children “uncomfortable and unwilling to spend time” with her.

Kasser, elected in 2018 as Alex Bergstein before changing her surname, made the unusual decision to use her access to publicity as an elected official to fight her high-stakes divorce from Morgan Stanley investment banker Seth Bergstein. The Greenwich Democrat filed for a dissolution of her marriage in December 2018.

In July, Kasser delivered a monologue of her complaints against Seth Bergstein on the floor of the Senate during the legislature’s special session to consider a police accountability bill that Kasser supported.

Seth Bergstein has responded. He complains in a September 23rd court filing that Kasser’s desire to play out her divorce publicly and in the press negatively has consequences. Bergstein’s motion claims Kasser’s “posting extensively on Instagram announcing to everyone her relationship with her 31 year-old girlfriend without so much as letting her children know that she was doing so, giving a TEDX talk at Wesleyan, available online, during which she criticized [Seth Bergstein] and their family life, filing a motion in which she inappropriately included deceptive portions of emails and alleged misconduct by [him] which was then picked up by CNBC and many high profile networks, and changing her last name to Kasser, announcing it publicly without ever letting her children know, and then giving a press conference stating that the reason she was doing so was to ‘disassociate herself with the person she was married to.'”

Bergstein denies that his behavior toward Kasser was ever “threatening, volatile or intimidating. It is the plaintiff [Kasser] whose behavior was irrational and abusive.” He claims in a response that the $30,000 a month in alimony he pays Kasser and her additional $21,000 a month income are sufficient to afford “a more luxurious home for herself…” without forcing the sale of the home where her children live.

Seth Bergstein points out that Kasser owns “a multi-million-dollar two house compound in the two of Nantucket.” In addition, Kasser owns a home in New Milford that she designed and “spends significant amounts of time at this residence, including many weekends.”

The pending dissolution continues with disputes over the parties’ scores of millions of dollars of assets. Bergstein claims Kasser has undervalued her assets, including a $19 million trust fund. Kasser alleges that Bergstein manipulated her financial decisions throughout their decades-long marriage. She asserts in a motion that she “has no experience in finance.”

Bergstein responded that he “only began depositing his income into an account of his own name after the commencement of this actions. Prior to that, the entirety of the Defendant’s income for the entire course of the parties’ marriage was deposited into the parties’ joint accounts.” Bergstein continues, Kasser ‘stopped depositing the earnings from her investments into joint accounts after [Bergstein] found out she was having an affair with a woman from Greece in 2008.”

Bergstein says Kasser’s claim of ignorance of finance “is concerning given her claimed proficiency in finance during her successful campaign to become a Connecticut State Senator as well as her position as the Vice Chair of the Banking Committee.” Kasser is the co-chair. Bergstein points out that Kasser was an associate at a large New York law firm “for four years working on complex financial and real estate transactions.”

Kasser, according to Bergstein’s pleading, “has admitted under oath that she did not include a variety of assets on her five financial affidavits” submitted over the course of the contentious action.

This makes sense. The energy bill the legislature is expected to consider at this month’s special session invites competition into the state’s energy efficiency programs. Not everyone is pleased, but changes in monopolies always cause some resistance.

The bill, according to Energy News Network, “would potentially make utilities compete for control of the energy efficiency programs they’ve operated for more than 20 years.” It has always seemed counterintuitive to put the distributors of power in charge of efficiency programs. Innovation has never been a characteristic of monopolies. The proposal would invite independent entities to promote and test their ideas to reduce energy consumption. That seems like a sensible policy to adopt.

The distribution of energy does not lend itself to the benefits of competition, as Connecticut residents are reminded at unhappy intervals. Generation and conservation do–as long as regulators restrain the instincts of monopolists.

House Minority Leader Themis Klarides (R-Derby) became the First Lady of EversourceCT Sunday with her marriage to the power monopoly’s general counsel and executive vice president Gregory Butler.

The cakes marking the occasion celebrate love of things. The tower of luxury consumer brands appears to be an announcement by Klarides that if she runs for governor in 2022 it will be in the previously undetected Marie Antionette lane.

The self-proclaimed shopping addict is leaving the legislature in January after eleven terms, three of them as minority leader.

State Comptroller Kevin Lembo’s office is seeking proposals for pet insurance. The 13-page document sets forth criteria for insurance companies to provide pet insurance for state employees. Premiums will be administered by the comptroller’s office and paid from employee paycheck deductions.

Proposals are due October 1st.

Democrats were surprised to learn that a pollster is calling Democrats to solicit opinions about two state officials not on the ballot this year. The survey asked Democrats if they view Governor Ned Lamont and Attorney General William Tong favorably or unfavorably.

The random Democratic voters, Daily Ructions can report, were also asked about Tong’s accomplishments in office. The Stamford Democrat, who aided anti-Semites in their vicious 2018 defeat of the renomination of Superior Court judge Jane Emons, may be the beneficiary of the poll. Lamont, who has seen his leadership of the state win public approval during the coronavirus crisis, is not conducting a poll.

The contents of the poll suggest Tong has cast his eye on the 2022 race for governor in the event Lamont does not seek a second term. The Greenwich Democrat may have plenty of options. He endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden early in 2019 when the former vice president’s campaign was faltering. Biden might be happy to consider Lamont for a range of appointments in a new administration. That would give Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz a head start on the 2022 Democratic nomination for governor. As a self-funding candidate, Lamont does not need to make his intentions clear for months. He has spent $50 million in three races for statewide office. There’s no reason to think he would hesitate to spend millions more on a re-election campaign, which would discourage any challengers, even the self-regarding Tong.

Tong has created a political action committee to fund ongoing activities.. In a September 1st email hymn to himself, the Stamford Democrat wrote, “To expand our reach and impact, my team and I formed the Firewall Fund, a political action committee to support Democrats across our state.” He warned, “We’ll be reaching out to you soon with more information about the Firewall Fund and updates on what our office is working on.” The message included an invitation to join Tong in a conversation with his predecessor, George Jepsen, to benefit Stamford Democrats.

Firewall Fund has raised more than $26,000 since it was formed in October last year. A hefty portion of the contributions were in the maximum amount of $1,000, including one from Democratic party chair Nancy DiNardo, who is listed as chairperson of the committee. Lawyers have been generous contributors.

After 28 years at WFSB, popular anchor Dennis House will begin something new. He made the announcement Tuesday in a gracious statement on his website.

What adventures await our friend Dennis in this new world of media. Talents finds its way.

Ructions readers, here is an immutable fact of Connecticut life in uncertain times: You can learn a lot from Dennis House.

Another hurdle for Republican candidates running for the state legislature. The Independent Party line has been home to Republican hopefuls for a decade–seen by many as a counterweight to the Working Families Party reliable endorsements of Democrats.

The Independent Party played its most pivotal role in the 2010 race for governor when its nominee, Tom Marsh, won 17,000 votes as Republican Tom Foley fell fewer than 7,000 votes short of defeating Democrat Dannel P. Malloy. This week’s endorsement of Democrats and libertarian-minded candidates will add to the woes of Republican hopefuls in a presidential year that is expected to see Joe Biden and Kamala Harris sweep Connecticut in a high-turnout election.

The candidate questionnaire above, which not every candidate received, reveals the the small party’s philosophy has taken a sharp turn to the left.

Republican candidates were confused on the party’s new nominating rules. Many appear not to have participated in the selection process. The party did endorse 17th Senate District Republican incumbent George Logan. Candidates and their campaign teams are baffled that they received no direction from embattled state Republican chairman J.R. Romano and his vice chairman Susan Hatfield. Candidates are turning today to legislative leaders for an explanation and some help.

The Connecticut Bar Association and the Connecticut Bar Foundation have included state Senator Said Anwar (D-South Windsor) in a lecture for lawyers on “Systemic Racism, Voting and American Democracy.” U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes and University of Connecticut School of Law professor Douglas Spencer will join Anwar on the panel Tuesday, August 25th. Former WFSB political reporter Duby McDowell is the moderator.

Anwar used a June 4th virtual vigil marking the death of George Floyd by police violence to attack First Amendment rights of free speech and a free press. “There was a nasty article written about me by somebody at the Journal Inquirer, Chris Powell, who hates when I speak about minorities,” Anwar charged. “And there’s a person who lives in South Windsor, on Main Street, who hates me because of what I look like, and what can I do? He’s a writer. He can write whatever he wants but I cannot change the color of my skin. I cannot change my faith. … We will have to silence the voices which are nasty and hate-based, and they are among us.”

I am the writer in South Windsor who was the target of Anwar’s smear. Truth is the demagogue’s persistent adversary. Anwar’s coarse bid to intimidate me and incite others failed. He inadvertently included one truth in the pernicious nonsense of his June rant: There is a hate-filled voice among us. It is not mine. 

An enduring glory of freedom is our confidence in extending it to those who would deny it to us. The demagogue in his rancid fantasies exercises that freedom in furtherance of his abuse. Malice and intimidation are his companions; imagination and subtlety are not. The demagogue reveals himself as he spews his venom. We cannot claim we did not know.

The fundamental democratic act of voting in frequent and fair elections has no meaning without free speech and a free press. Today’s democracy panel provides a glimpse of the sponsors’ own poverty of commitment to the liberal values that ought to inspire their work. Freedom is doing its vital revelatory work today for 1.5 continuing legal education credits.

Senior United States District Judge Charles S. Haight, Jr., Friday denied a request by the Connecticut State Police Union (CSPU) to enjoin the expansion of the Freedom of Information Act to contract and disciplinary matters.

The legislature included in its July police legislation, Public Act 20-1, prohibitions on secrecy that it narrowly enacted in 2019. CSPU, claiming the new law violates the Contracts Clause of the United States Constitution, sought to block the implementation of the law by asking the court for a temporary restraining order. Judge Haight denied the request and established a briefing schedule and set September 1st for oral arguments on what is now an action for a temporary injunction.

“On the present record, Plaintiff [CSPU] has not demonstrated the requisite likelihood of success on the merits of its Contract Clause claim, and irreparable harm to Police Union members between today and the preliminary hearing if a TRO is not issued at this time.”

Oral arguments will be heard on Tuesday, September 1st.

Newington Democratic Town Committee condemned nine Facebook posts that appeared on Republican state legislative candidate Michael Camillo’s social media account. DTC Vice Chair Rob Rioux condemned the nine posts as “racist, homophobic, xenophobic, and otherwise hateful and inflammatory….” They are also Islamophobic and virulently hostile to immigration. One claims that the polio vaccine gave 90 million people cancer. The quote attributed to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz is fake.

Camillo, who was elected to Newington’s town council last fall, denies the texts are his. Asked by Daily Ructions if he posted or shared the posts, which were provided by Rioux, Camillo replied, “The answer is no but you’re more than welcome to come visit me and have a cup of coffee and I can show you my computer and you can get to meet me you will be pleasantly surprised we went through this the last election.”

Camillo declined to elaborate. He faces incumbent Democrat Gary Turco in November.