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.

Lobbyist favorite Arunan Arulampalam took his bid for state treasurer to The Owl Shop in New Haven Saturday for a stogie with Democratic town chairman Vincent Mauro, Daily Ructions can report. Arulampalam, a Hartford Democrat, is searching for delegates in his race against Shawn Wooden and, more recently, wealthy Greenwich Democrat Dita Bhargava.

Toni Harp, New Haven’s mayor, gave an early and full-throated endorsement to Wooden in the competition to succeed five-term incumbent Democrat Denise Nappier. That ought to provide Wooden with a significant tranche of the city’s large delegation to the state nomination convention, even in this tumultuous year.

Neither Arulampalam nor Bhargava has held elective office. Wooden served a term on Hartford’s city council before losing a ferocious 2014 primary to then-state Senator Eric Coleman. Bhargava was exploring a race for governor, shopped herself around for lieutenant governor without finding any takers, and last week settled on a run for treasurer.

Take that, Timothy Larson. The East Hartford Democrat used his influence on the legislature’s insurance committee to veto a public hearing on a bill to require insurance companies to participate in a solution to the crumbling foundation crisis east of the Connecticut River. The petulant Larson’s gambit won’t work. State Senator Paul Doyle will use his position as co-chairman of the judiciary committee to hold a public hearing on crumbling foundations.

Doyle, who is running for the Democratic nomination for attorney general, made the announcement Thursday night when meeting with Democrats in Danielson. William Tong, who is co-chair of judiciary and also running for attorney general, was at the meeting, offered no support. Larson is Tong’s campaign treasurer.