Arce and the Bronins in happier times.

Arunan Arulampalam will make his 2018 ballot next to slate mate Angel Arce in Tuesday’s Hartford Democratic town committee primary. Town chairman Mark DiBella is also on the slate. Nice company you keep, fellas.

Jenna Carlesso has an update on the curious reluctance of the Arulampalam/Arce/DiBella endorsed slate to distance themselves from the disgraced legislator.

The Courant’s Jon Lender revealed a series of creepy Facebook Messenger texts that the three-term state representative sent to a 16 year old New Britain girl.

Arce was an early and enthusiastic supporter of Luke Bronin’s successful 2015 campaign for mayor.

UPDATE: In an email to Daily Ructions, Arunan Arupalam urges Arce to withdraw.

It’s endorsement season. The herd of candidates seeking high office is large and busy. Each aspirant is eager–sometimes proud, too–to share the unveiling of supporters. Jonathan Harris this week released a list of 59 supporters of his long-shot bid for governor. Here is a link to his news site.  Candidates and campaign staffers, this is how it’s done. It’s organized and logical. It is not burdened with a sea of repetitious quotes in an island of information. It is in your interest to follow this model.

Gubernatorial hopeful David Stemerman joined Dennis House Thursday for his first television interview. The Greenwich Republican’s appearance on WFSB’s Face the State public affairs program continues an increase in campaign activity after the career investor shutdown his Connecticut business at the end of 2017 to run for governor.

Stemerman made a splash last fall when he funded his campaign start-up with $1.8 million of his own money. He’s recently been making the rounds of town committees but has not yet appeared at party-organized forums.

Face the State is broadcast Sunday at 11 a.m. and is available online.

State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr. (D-Branford) will announce Thursday that he will not seek a third term, Daily Ructions can reveal. Kennedy, who disappointed many Democrats when he declined last year to run for governor, never seemed to enjoy the small stage of the Connecticut legislature. He is expected to continue his good works on behalf of the disabled, a family tradition.

Kennedy’s shoreline district has been held by Democrats since Republican seven-term incumbent and John Rowland ally William Aniskovich was defeated in a 2004 upset by Ed Meyer.

Republicans believe they have a formidable potential candidate in the race for the about-to-be open seat in Madison business woman Marietta Lee.

The fiscal stability commission is expected to vote Thursday on recommendations for the legislature to consider. House and Senate members may regret creating the unusual 15-member body. It’s recommendations, Daily Ructions can reveal, are likely to include expanding and increasing the sale tax, reducing the income tax, repealing the estate tax, increasing the cost of driving with tolls and a higher gas tax.

Expect the commission to avoid taking a serious run at the unfunded liabilities that are squeezing state spending and taxing policies. While there is still time for changes, don’t expect the commission to confront the state’s spending crisis in a meaningful way.

Much of the commission’s time appears to have been spent on averting the simple requirements of the Freedom of Information Act.

James Tracey, a fixture of more than 30 years at the legislature, will be leaving his post as head of the Office of Legislative Management later this year, Daily Ructions can confirm. The executive director has been a guardian of the legislature’s secrets and no friend of the Freedom of Information Act.

His departure this year provides Democrats to select a new executive director before a possible change in partisan control of the legislature next January.

If it was your good fortune to know Dan Caruso, then you knew tireless kindness.

An extract above from an affidavit from state Senator Gayle Slossberg (D-Milford) detailing her treatment by Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald.

More to follow.

A Connecticut tradition continues. Former speaker becomes lobbyist.