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Katz’s Broadband Office Disdains Communications Workers in Favor of Australian Conglomerate.

In its ardent pursuit of Australian conglomerate Macquarie for municipal fiber network deals, consumer counsel and broadband boss Elin Katz and her people have been disdainful of Communications Workers of America leaders in Connecticut.

As Katz’s chief broadband subordinate William Vallee wrote in one of many cloying messages to his boss, “Yo da Hammah.”

May 14, 2017   4:52 pm   Comments Off on Katz’s Broadband Office Disdains Communications Workers in Favor of Australian Conglomerate.

OCC Elin Katz on Communications Workers Who Opposed Her Corporate Favorite.

Utilities consumer counsel Elin Swanson Katz has spent much of her term diverted by her scheme to put strapped municipal governments into the speculative internet service provider business. Her determination caused her to lose her way and compromise her office. Katz has been a relentless booster of Australian financial company Macquarie Capital. Katz has been Macquarie’s biggest booster in Connecticut, especially in a potentially disastrous deal for gigabyte service in New Haven. At the same time, Katz is supposed to be a conflicts-free watchdog of the Macquarie conglomerate’s water division, Aquarion.

Katz’s nomination for a second term is double-starred on the House calendar and no one seems to have taken a look at the vast haul of Katz emails that highlight her persistent conflict. Click to enlarge the one above in which Katz sets out her dismay that Communications Workers of America leader Bill Henderson and his members want to keep their good jobs–in the private sector.

May 13, 2017   7:53 pm   Comments Off on OCC Elin Katz on Communications Workers Who Opposed Her Corporate Favorite.

Candidate School: No Mother Emails This Weekend.

We know you love your mother and your mother loves you. There’s nothing like a mother’s love. We know. Maybe you are a good mother. Your wife may be a great mother–second only to your dear ma. Your mother was wise, kind and wonderful. You are very lucky in the mother fate gave you. Candidates, please, lay off Mother’s Day and your mums as fundraising tools. Give your mater a break, and the rest of us, too. Save the cloying desperation for next year when you’ve realized just how hard it is to get to that $250,000 or are struggling with the reduced requirements of an under ticket candidacy.

May 12, 2017   2:24 pm   Comments Off on Candidate School: No Mother Emails This Weekend.

How a Bill Becomes Law: Dominion Hands $10,000 to Duff for a Local Favorite.

You’re right to feel uncomfortable. Dominion Resources is pushing hard to win approval of legislation to broaden its access to energy markets in the complicated and regulated world of energy generation. On May 1st, the chief lobbyist for Dominion made his way to Norwalk to present a $10,000 check to state Senator Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) for his hometown’s Maritime Aquarium. Duff was delighted, as you can see in this Facebook post. Dominion lobbyist Kevin Hennessey is doing the handover. Not very subtle. And that’s how a bill’s chances of becoming a law get better and better.

They usually aren’t so bold, but social media has changed many ways business is done.

UPDATE: A Dominion representative adds that the company has made an annual contribution to Maritime Aquarium several times in recent years.

 

May 9, 2017   4:44 pm   Comments Off on How a Bill Becomes Law: Dominion Hands $10,000 to Duff for a Local Favorite.

Doyle on Boyle: Unhappy Union Leader Explains Letter Opposing Boyle Reappointment.

Yesterday’s email from union leader John Doyle explaining the prosecutors’ union’s opposition to the reappointment of Leonard Boyle as Deputy Chief State’s Attorney.

Click to enlarge:

May 9, 2017   12:11 pm   Comments Off on Doyle on Boyle: Unhappy Union Leader Explains Letter Opposing Boyle Reappointment.

Letters Seeking Emergency Meeting of Prosecutors.

Click each to enlarge:

 

May 9, 2017   11:55 am   Comments Off on Letters Seeking Emergency Meeting of Prosecutors.

Prosecutors Mount Fightback Over Union Opposition to Boyle.

Frontline state prosecutors want an emergency union meeting to express their dismay at their union leaders’ secret opposition to the reappointment of Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Leonard Boyle. The rank and file were surprised by a Courant story revealing union leaders have written to the Criminal Justice Commission opposing Boyle’s reappointment over his handling of an investigation of several prosecutors and the proliferation of non-dues paying, per diem prosecutors.

Prosecutors know something about getting their hackles up. On Monday the emails and recriminations were filling cyberspace. Angry prosecutors are using union rules to force an emergency meeting of the bargaining unit. Boyle is popular with many of the troops.

Union leaders blundered if they thought they would get a serious hearing of their complaints at the Criminal Justice Commission. The commission is chaired by relentless inside operator and Supreme Court justice Richard Palmer, a longtime Boyle friend. Palmer and Boyle are so close they joined together during the Rell administration to woo favors from chief of staff Lisa Moody at evening social gatherings at local watering holes. Thus judges were made and promoted. Boyle and Palmer have been through the fires together.

May 8, 2017   6:42 pm   Comments Off on Prosecutors Mount Fightback Over Union Opposition to Boyle.

Connecticut Republicans Butler and Klarides Together in DC.

Greg Butler, Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy’s favorite Republican, and Themis Klarides, Democratic Speaker Joseph Aresimowicz’s favorite Republican, attended April 29th’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.  Butler and Klarides are pictured together above at the table of right-wing news service Newsmax.

Butler is Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Eversource, one of Connecticut’s biggest state contractors. Eversource continues to sustain the largest contingent of lobbyists at the legislature. Eversource came in for some unflattering scrutiny in March when 60 Minutes highlighted the utility’s practice of firing American workers and replace them with less expensive visa holders.

Klarides is House Minority Leader in the state’s lower chamber.

Butler and Klarides have each been mentioned as a potential candidate for the 2018 Republican nomination for governor, Klarides mostly in a Newsmax puff piece. Butler and Klarides are closely associated with Republican campaign consultant Liz Kurantowicz. Butler served on Malloy’s transition team at the dawn of the Stamford Democrat’s first catastrophic term.

Don’t expect Butler and Klarides to run against each other. An alliance between the two, however, is a possibility.

May 6, 2017   4:29 pm   Comments Off on Connecticut Republicans Butler and Klarides Together in DC.

Campaign School: Know Your Brief.

The British are holding a general election on June 8th. A senior Labour official, Diane Abbott, tried to explain her party’s plan to hire and pay for 10,000 new police officers. It’s unusual to hear an experienced politician in an epic struggle with her own proposal. The host was not posing difficult questions.

May 5, 2017   9:16 am   Comments Off on Campaign School: Know Your Brief.

Ganim Next to Enter Race for Governor.

Expect Bridgeport Democratic mayor Joseph Ganim is expected to join the crowded contest for governor Friday when he files an exploratory committee. This is not Ganim’s first trip to the rodeo. He ran for governor in 1994 and settled for the second spot on his party’s ticket. Ganim and running mate Bill Curry lost that November to Republicans John Rowland and Jodi Rell–neither of whom lives in Connecticut now.

Ganim’s candidacy, should he seek to qualify for the state’s generous public campaign finance program, will face an early hurdle with the State Elections Enforcement Commission. State law prohibits a candidate convicted of certain felonies related to public corruption from participating in public financing.

April 27, 2017   5:01 pm   Comments Off on Ganim Next to Enter Race for Governor.