There goes Praxair. The Danbury gas giant is about to merge with fellow giant Linde, of Munich and will lose its corporate identity and Connecticut headquarters. Handelsblatt has the story. New headquarters, according to the story, is likely to be in London, the Netherlands or Ireland.

You may recall much hip-hooraying on the eve of the 2014 gubernatorial election when Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Danbury’s Mark Boughton met to tell the world of Praxair’s big plans for Connecticut. No one mentioned a flight to Europe.

The Handelsblatt story will give Malloy and Boughton a chance to explain how their individual economic plans for Connecticut cope with blows like this one.

How delusions blossom under the summer sun. It’s only August and Republican John Shaban is weaving a fantasy in his shoestring race for Connecticut 4th Congressional District seat against Democratic incumbent Jim Himes. With a great big helping of push polling against Himes, Shaban is just 0.6% behind, according to a campaign survey that drenches your screen with flop sweat. You can read the mercy poll here.

Wait, there’s more. A tranche of 20% of the Republicans surveyed has not made up their minds–even after being pushed. These, Shaban and campaign manager Jason Perillo believe, are destined to come home to the Weston state representative. Don’t count on it fella. It’s not that kind of year. At least that many will be put off by Shaban’s support of loathsome demagogue Donald Trump.

The Democratic Governors Association is meeting in Aspen. The beleaguered head of the money raising, influence peddling organization, Governor Dannel P. Malloy, has advice on how to cope with Connecticut’s heat wave from his luxury perch in Aspen, where it’s a delightful 70 degrees.

Here’s Malloy’s advice for those who haven’t flown to Aspen and paid a big fee to sit in the audience at a bogus “policy panel.”

GOV. MALLOY URGES PEOPLE TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS DURING EXTREME HEAT 

        Residents can call 2-1-1 to find their closest cooling center

(HARTFORD, CT) – With excessive heat forecasted to continue over the next few days and heat advisories issued for most of the state, Governor Dannel P. Malloy is asking people to take precautions and to call 2-1-1 if they need information on cooling centers in their town or city.

 The current forecast is calling for hot and very humid conditions to continue today through Sunday with highs in the mid 90’s and the heat index between 100 – 110 F range. 

“High temperatures can be dangerous for your health, especially for the elderly, young children, and people who work outside,” Governor Malloy said. “Remember to keep cool and follow common sense. Please drink lots of water, stay in the shade, and monitor those who are at greatest risk when temperatures are extremely high.”

Members, Please join Chairman Romano for an URGENT conference call tonight at 6 p.m. All questions will be answered then. Please hold all questions and keep the matter confidential until the chairman has an opportunity to brief the committee tonight.
Thank you.
Here is the Conference Call Info:
Call in #:
712-432-1500

Access Code:
920965*

Sincerely,
Nicholas Stone
Political Director

Connecticut Republican Party

Office: 860-422-8211
Not receiving Connecticut Republicans email updates? Click here: http://eepurl.com/bxiVP9
The content of this email is confidential. Please use discretion.

State Representative Jason Perillo has won his local primary by a staggering 10-1 margin. The Shelton Republican defeated Ruth Parkins 1,051 to 109.

The size of the victory may cause Perillo’s local Republican tormentors to abandon their futile quest to harass and dump him.

Veteran New York reporter Fredric U. Dicker has details on a cooperation agreement in U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s political corruption agreement. Dicker broke the story in his must-read Monday column in the New York Post. The agreement is between law enforcement and longtime insider Todd Howe.

The first insider to flip often gets the best deal. Howe, according to Dicker, has been feeling ill-used by his close associates in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration.

Bharara’s convictions in the corruption probe he revived after Cuomo shut it down include the former speaker of the Assembly, Democrat Sheldon Silver, and the former Senate leader, Dean Skelos, a Republican.

A statement from George Jepsen to lawyers in the Office of the Attorney General considering a bid to unionize:

As you know, there is currently an effort underway for attorneys in this office to organize into a labor union.   The Office of Labor Relations has primary responsibility for managing labor relations on behalf of the State of Connecticut.  However, we wanted to reach out to you directly to emphasize and clarify the position of the administration of the office with respect to the organization effort.    That position is one of strict neutrality – we have not expressed a view, will not do so, and are neither supporting nor opposing the organization effort.    We think this is the position that best respects the right of each and every attorney to make his or her decision, unaffected by any perception of an opinion on the part of the administration.    We certainly respect your rights to explore organization and, if it’s your choice to do so, to organize and collectively bargain.   We will support your decision – whatever it is – and will continue to do our best not to influence it.    To that end, we hope and expect that there will be a full and fair process, including an election if the necessary preliminary indications of support are obtained.    Thank you.

New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart, who was elected to office as a Republican, has taken an unusually keen interest in two local Democratic primaries. The potty-mouthed two termer used one of her Facebook accounts to launch an attack on incumbent state Senator Terry Gerratana in the August 9th Democratic primary. Gerratana, who has long been entrenched in New Britain politics, faces Sharon Beloin-Saavedra in the 6th Senate district party tussle.

Stewart’s enthusiasm for challenger Beloin-Saavdra may stem from her fear that the popular New Britain Democrat would make a formidable challenger in next year’s mayoral contest. It may also explain why Stewart, who says she is a Republican, has discouraged any locals interested in running for the senate seat that includes New Britain and parts of Farmington and Berlin.

Gerratana defeated Tim Stewart in a 2011 special election for the seat. Stewart was serving his final term as mayor of New Britain when he fell short of nabbing the seat he was expected to win.

Erin Stewart, perhaps reflecting her expanding ambitions, substituted her ErinStewartNB with ErinStewartCT. This may add to tensions among local chief elected officials who have their eye on 2018.

Federal criminal authorities have picked up the torch. The State Election Enforcement Commission (SEEC) abandoned its public trust when it entered into an agreement to drop its investigation of state Democratic fundraising practices on behalf of Democratic Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s 2014 re-election campaign before seeing crucial evidence. Jon Lender reveals today that the U.S. Attorney has empaneled a grand jury and begun serving subpoenas.

What a fertile fields to plow the Malloy re-election campaign finances will be for investigators with wide authority. Emails will be read, calendars examined, and bank records reviewed this time. Agents and prosecutors will no doubt inquire into the dual role of at least one high ranking Malloy administration official who micromanaged campaign and party affairs while also exercising broad authority inside state government. Adding to the complications for people involved in the 2014 Malloy campaign will be figuring out who it’s safe to talk to. Probably not each other.

The criminal investigation into Malloy’s re-election campaign financing is the second day of bad news for the surly head of the Democratic Governors Association.

House Majority Leader Joseph Aresimowicz and leadership ticket partner state Representative Matthew Ritter will raise money for a party campaign committee next week in Rhode Island. The July 21st event will take place at the Bonnet Shores home of John and Barbara Hooper. That’s a far cry from the Foxy Lady, the Rhode Island strip club that brought Thomas Ritter, the lobbyist, fixer, and former speaker unwelcome attention in 1996. He’s the father of Matthew Ritter.

Suggested contributions range from $250-$1,000. The duo do not pretend to be campaign finance reformers. Ads are available for $50 for individuals and $250 for businesses. The higher price for businesses must reflect deluded the Aresimowicz/Ritter view of their stewardship of economic opportunity in Connecticut.

Democrats and Republicans are each defending more seats than they expected in this November’s legislative contests. The caucus with the majority will select the new speaker.