This podcast from the expanding media platforms of The Times newspaper of London provides a sensible discussion of what a second wave this winter might bring.

Listen to it here. You can also download it on whatever app you use to subscribe to podcasts. It’s one episode in the commendable Stories of our times podcast.

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.

July brought disappointing job gains in Connecticut with just 26,500 jobs recovered, according to state labor figures. The July numbers were a dramatic fall off from June’s encouraging 87,500 report. The state was home to 1.699 million jobs in February–the last full month before the global pandemic caused a shutdown of much of the state’s economy by emergency declaration of Governor Ned Lamont, effective March 16th.

June’s jobs report came as the lockdown began to ease. The state has yet to return to its high of 1.716 million jobs in March, 2008.

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.

Republican former state Representative John Shaban, seeking to return to the state legislature this fall, was arrested October 19th last year and charged with disorderly conduct at his Redding home. Shaban’s longtime girlfriend was charged with the same misdemeanor in the domestic incident.

Shaban was a member of the legislature in 2016 when he declined to seek re-election in order to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative Jim Himes in Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District. Shaban lost. He sought the Republican nomination for attorney general in 2018 and suffered a landslide defeat by party-endorsed candidate Susan Hatfield.

Asked by Daily Ructions about the October arrest, Shaban said he and his girlfriend arrived at his home at the end of a night out. Shaban believed she had consumed too much alcohol to drive home. The Greenwich lawyer said he took her keys and called for an Uber. His girlfriend, whose name Daily Ructions is not disclosing, called the police. The police arrived, spoke to each adult separately, assessed the situation and charged both with disorderly conduct. Shaban’s girlfriend contacted Daily Ructions Wednesday by text, writing, “[T]he two of us had not really been drinking. John was the designated driver. We had an argument about getting home late that night.”

Both defendants, who have maintained their relationship with each other, were referred to the court’s Office of Family Relations to complete a diversionary program. The matter has remained on the Superior Court docket in Danbury, its disposition delayed to the public health crisis shutdown. Shaban expects both cases will be dismissed later this month.

Shaban will face first term incumbent Democrat Anne Hughes in the race for the 135th House District, which includes Weston, Easton and part of Redding.