Ned Lamont, you remember Joe Lieberman’s biggest nightmare, says he is considering a run for Governor. He’ll make an announcement tomorrow at Centeral Connecticut State University.
Lamont told me a few months ago that he was not considering a run for Governor. I wonder what changed?
Sources tell us that Lieberman could be his Lt. Gov.
Here is a copy of the Press Release he just sent out.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
NED LAMONT ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE
Norwalk, CT – Ned Lamont, successful businessman, co-founder of the state policy center at Central Connecticut State University, and Democratic nominee for US Senate in 2006, announced that he will be filing papers today with the State Elections Enforcement Commission establishing an Exploratory Committee for statewide office:
“As I have continued to meet with citizens across our state over the last three years, as co-chairman of President Obama’s Connecticut campaign and on behalf of health care reform, I have been constantly reminded that Connecticut is not living up to its potential and that too many of our families are being left behind,” said Lamont.
“Like businesses, states thrive with strong executive leadership, and they fall behind with weak leadership. As measured by the loss of jobs, young people leaving our state, and the never-ending budget crisis, Connecticut’s Chief Executive is simply not getting the job done.”
Since the 2006 campaign, Lamont has continued to serve as Chairman of the Board of Campus Televideo, a Connecticut company he founded twenty-five years ago. He is also a distinguished professor of political science at Central Connecticut State University, where he co-founded a policy center which has brought together leading business, labor, and non-profit leaders to formulate a strategic plan for the state of Connecticut. In addition, he serves on the boards of Conservation Services Group, a leading provider of energy efficiency programs, Teach for America/CT, and Mercy Corps, an international non-profit organization that focuses on job training and small business start-ups around the world.
Internet bullying and threatening language could be hindering the University of Connecticut’s police investigation into the weekend murder of football star Jasper Howard, or at least according to the student run newspaper, “The Daily Campus”.
Reporter Kate Monohan broke the story in today’s newspaper and said some of the threats were in networks only UConn Students would have been able to see and access. One comment posted on a blog dedicated to UConn Football and Basketball threatened students not to talk to police.
“Stop snitching! Post the names of anyone you know who gave info to the police,” Monohan read from one of the comment posted on the blog. In that same posting, a person who goes by “CJ” also wrote that Jazz didn’t deserve to die and that the person who killed him didn’t intend to kill him. The entry also warned that anyone who snitched would face consequences and wrote in all caps, “BURN IN (expletive) HELL SNITCH MOTHER F*** (another expletive).”
“I think because some of them are so specific and they say things like almost they were there.” said Monohan who is a senior majoring in journalism. “Maybe not too many people saw this but for the people that did, I mean, it is really terrifying to read.”
The intrepid reporter also found a posting on Facebook in the “R.I.P Jasper Howard” group network which would have only been seen by those in the network. In it, someone wrote in caps, “F*** THE SNITHCES. THIS NEEDS TO BE A LESSON FOR ALL OF UCONN.” This post has since been taken down.
UConn police would not talk on camera about the internet threats but did say the story in the Daily Campus is accurate and that police are actively pursing any leads at to who is behind the threats.
As for Kate, she said the night Jasper died, so did some of their innocence. The stabbing happened in a busy part of campus close to the police station. The area was well-lighted and there were a lot of people around. She said It was a place where students were supposed to be safe.
“This is something that is really a tragedy on so many levels. Just to happen in the heartbeat of the UCONN campus in front of the student union,” she said. No arrests have been made in the investigation.
Ouch! Not exactly the Holiday spirit but then again, it’s only October so I guess anything flies!
The investigation into Governor Jodi Rell’s office over a focus group is picking up speed, in part, because of two men–Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and State Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy.
First in the ring, Richard Blumenthal who says his office is “following the money” to see if any laws may have been broken and if tax dollars may have been used to conduct polls for Governor Jodi Rell, as some are alleging.
“There apparently was not an official contract but a memorandum of understanding. The money may have been paid to an institution or an individual; we want to follow that money, “ Blumenthal said.
Next in the ring, Healy throws a one-two punch at the Attorney General for getting involved.
“Blumenthal is looking into anything. He would sue Santa Clause if he could get away with it,” Healy said.
In a mild manner tone, Blumenthal just left me a voice-mail message not surprised at all by the Republican Party Chairman’s response
“Chris Healy has used that line before and I don’t think it’s worth a reaction,” Blumenthal said. “It is simply an investigation and not a lawsuit. The results will speak for themselves.”
The Governor had said that her office hired Ken Dautrich to conduct studies on how to better streamline State Government and that no polls were conducted.
Meanwhile, if Chris Healy wants some presents from Santa, he’d better be a little nicer.
WATERBURY POLICE SAY 12 ELEMENTARY STUDENTS COULD FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES TIED TO A SEXUAL INCIDENT ON SCHOOL BUS.
By Shelly Sindland.
As school buses left Margaret M. Generali Elementary School in Waterbury, some parents were coming to the school to pick-up their children instead.
”I was going to put my daughter back on the bus but after this, I refuse to put her on the bus,” said Heather Bunker whose daughter goes to the kindergarten through 5th grade school.
Parents are reacting to the news that 12 students from the elementary school have been suspended after an incident last week on a school bus. One of those students also faces expulsion.
Waterbury’s police department is investigating the incident.
“The complaint involves an allegation of inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature on a school bus. The children were riding home from school on a Friday afternoon,” said Lt. Chris Corbett with Waterbury Police. Lt. Corbett said no contact occurred and no assault took place but still the students suspended could be charged with risk of injury to a minor. Lt. Corbett said even though the suspects are minors themselves, older children can be charged with the crime.
”Potentially, it’s a criminal matter.” Lt. Corbin said. “The school has already taken action against the students involved to discipline those students but potentially, those students could also face criminal charges.”
Parents said they’re frustrated with the lack of information they are getting from school administrators and police. While some said they did get letters from the principal informing them about the suspensions, some parents said they want more specific information as to what really happened on that school bush last Friday.
”I just want to know what happened!” said Sherryll McCowon. “My daughter takes the bus; I want to know what happened! As the parent, we need to know that.”
School Administrators, who would not talk to us on Camera nor agree to an interview–told the Republican-American newspaper and the Associated Press that a fifth grade student did something to a girl on a school bus and that the others egged him on and laughed. That fifth grader, according to those reports, is the one who faces expulsion. School administrators say the other students will be transferred to other schools so the girl will not to see them. Heather Bunker said she wonders what this world is coming to.
“This only goes up to 5th grade and things like this are happening. What is going to happen in middle school?” Bunker said.
That is good news and it was Vice-President Joe Biden who spilled the beans today at an event in Fairfield! Biden was in the State talking stimulus money and Chris Dodd, (BUT DON’T CALL IT POLITICAL!!!))
Check out my story tonight on the Fox 61 News at Ten.
Meanwhile, I am off. Sorry for not BLOGGING for a few weeks but I have been cleaning my basement–hoping to move!
For years, Linda McMahon has been a heavy hitter in the world of wrestling. Now, the co-founder of the WWE, is looking to be a heavy hitter in Washington, D.C.
”We need fresh faces. We need new blood,” said McMahon during an interview with Fox 61. “I am putting my hat into the ring because I think it’s time.”
The 60 year old Fairfield County woman, along with her husband, created a wrestling empire. She announced today that she would be leaving the ring for the world of politics but don’t call her a politician.
“Washington is over-run by career politicians. I’m not a politician, I’m a business woman,” she said.
MaMahon is the latest Republican looking to get into the ring with Senator Christopher Dodd. Colleen Flanagan, the communications director for the Connecticut Democratic Party, said the long-line of Republican Candidates will only help Dodd in his bid for re-election.
“Obviously their goal is to take on Chris Dodd but they’re going to have to take on each other first. So, it’s looking to be an entertaining next few months,” Flanagan said.
McMahon, who was recently appointed to the State Board of Education by the Governor, said her real-life experience is what sets her apart from the other Republican candidates.
“You know, I didn’t start out exactly where I am today. Early on in my career, Vince and I went bankrupt. We lost everything. We lost our home. We couldn’t get any credit. We didn’t have any credit cards. I can relate to a lot of people in Connecticut and our country who are afraid of losing their jobs; who can’t make their mortgage payment.” she said.
Former Second District Congressman Rob Simmons, State Senator Sam Caligiuri and former U.S Ambassador to Ireland, Tom Foley, are the other Republicans vying for their party’s nomination. In a statement, Foley said this about the crowded race. “I welcome Linda McMahon into the race. When I got into the race I knew it would be a fight, but I didn’t know I’d need to be prepared for smackdowns.”
On the Democratic side, political newcomer Merrick Alpert is launching a primary campaign against Dodd. The General Election will be in November of 2010.
The day before the primary election, J. Paul Vance, Junior, predicted a major upset in the Democratic Mayoral race for Waterbury. On that same day, Mayor Mike Jarjura said he wasn’t too worried about it.
However, I am guessing now, he’s changed his tune a little bit. The Associated Press is reporting that Jarjura pulled off a victory but barely! The four-term incumbent was only ahead by SIX votes at the polls but through the absentee votes pulled ahead by 164 votes. Vance gave a concession speech Tuesday night and said the close vote meant that Waterbury residents were not and are not happy with the way things are going in Waterbury. Vance’s voice-mail on his cell phone is full so I could not leave a message to get a temperature read on what his next move will be. But for a petitioning candidate, losing by 164 votes against a man who has been Mayor since 2002, is hardly a bad showing. Vance said on Monday that he would only run for Mayor as a Democrat and nothing else. I wonder now he if too is having a change of heart. Will he run as an independent? It’s a question I will ask him when he calls me back.
As people get ready to head to the Polls on Tuesday for local Primary elections, one perceived under-dog is predicting a major upset. J. Paul Vance, Junior, the Waterbury Alderman who gathered enough signatures to force a Democratic primary in the City’s Mayoral race, said in so many words that he thinks he will win when all the votes are tallied.
“I think that change is coming to Waterbury,” said Vance who is looking to send four-term incumbent Mayor Mike Jarjura packing. “I think there will be an upset.”
But Mayor Mike Jarjura appeared not to be losing any sleep over it. “I’ve been in a lot of elections and I know when I’m in trouble and I know when I am not in trouble and I don’t think I am in any trouble this time.”
Mayor Jarjura said. In 2005, Jarjura pulled off a political miracle by winning re-election as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic Primary. This time around, he said his record speaks for itself. Jarjura said Waterbury is in good financial standing even with the downturn in the economy. Jarjura said Waterbury currently has no operating deficits, no tax increases and no lay-offs.
However, Vance said the Jarjura years have not been good ones. “Eight years of being number one in unemployment and number two in taxes, just isn’t good enough,” Vance said. “The eight people that I went high school with, my best friends in the world, all decided to leave Waterbury for various reasons–taxes, jobs. It’s quality of schools and the condition of the parks and streets.”
Even if Vance gets his wish on Primary Day, it doesn’t mean his race against Jarjura is over. Jarjura, who was cross-endorsed by local Republicans, could run in the General Election as a Republican if he loses the Democratic Primary. While Jarjura downplayed that scenario, he didn’t rule it out either saying if that were to happen, he would “offer it back to the Republican party and they would have to tell me if whether they would want me to continue on their line or not.”
Republican State Lawmaker, Larry Cafero, doesn’t take it personally. However, he knew the first he saw the Associated Press photograph that it would be a big deal.
“They just don’t get it.” House Minority leader Larry Cafero said.
Cafero was the guy stiffed by a game of solitaire. The Associated Press photograph snagged two Democratic Lawmakers playing solitaire on their lap tops while Cafero was speaking in the House Chamber during the final hours of the budget debate on Monday Night. Since then, the picture has become viral and Cafero said he has heard from people as far away as Malaysia. This morning Cafero was on “Good Morning America” with Diane Sawyer.
“The reason why this thing has gone viral, the reason why this thing has become international news is because it captures the frustration of the public.” Cafero said. “People expect a lot of us and they sure as heck don’t expect us to be playing games when we are facing an economic and budget crisis.”
For the first time today, the Democratic Speaker of the House weighed in on the controversy and defended his two solitaire-card carrying members.
“First of all, it is a funny picture, right?” Speaker Donovan said. “If you look at the picture, actually no one is looking at the minority leader.” Donovan went on to say that maybe one person was kind of half way looking at the minority leader.
Donovan said the reason why was because it was at the end of a long 13 hour day and those two lawmakers in question, already knew how they would vote.
“You know, we’re not getting paid by the hour. We’re not State employees.” said the Speaker. “We’re here. We know what we’re doing. Is it blown out of proportion? I believe so. “
However, State Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy–didn’t see the humor in it it. He said that the two Democratic lawmakers should apologize.
“I think if speaker Donovan thinks it’s funny–well, I think the joke is going to be on him in 2010.” Healy said.
Meanwhile, the two Democrats under the microscope are keeping their cards close to their chests on this one. Representative Barbara Lambert, a great-grandmother serving her first term, has not made a public statement. Assistant Majority Leader Jack Hennessey, who represents Bridgeport, did not return calls seeking comment.
He was there that night when two intruders broke into his Cheshire home, beat him and left him for dead, bound and gagged in the basement.
He was there that night his wife Jennifer and their two young daughters, Hayley and Michaela, fought for their lives–a battle they would eventually lose after a night of terror.
He was there that night his entire family was murdered yet; an attorney for one of the suspects in the Cheshire home invasion believes Dr. William Petit is getting unfair treatment from the State.
Today, as a judge heard the State’s request to try the two suspects together in one trial but with two juries, the attorney for Steven Hayes accused the State of giving the Petits special treatment because the case involves, “a prominent physician and a white family from a predominately white suburb,” said Thomas Ullman who didn’t stop there.
“This makes me sick,” Ullman told Judge Roland Fasano. “
“The suggestion that the State is treating this case differently because of race and social class is ludicrous,” said New Haven State’s Attorney Michael Dearington, who went on to say that nothing else parallels this case.
Defense attorneys for both Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky contend that there isn’t a court room in the State big enough to hold two juries and that it will require special construction and ultimately lead to a mis-trial. The attorneys also claims the defendants are antagonistic and will be “pointing fingers at each other” which is why they should be tried separately. But prosecutors contend that having one trial will ensure both suspects are tried within a reasonable time period and spare the Petits from having to endure the pain of going through two separate trials.
As for the claim that he is getting special treatment, Dr. Petit only alluded to it in a written response he read to a group of reporters after today’s hearing.
”Some fairly heinous things were said in court today,” Dr. Petit said. “We are choosing to take the high road and again, we are certain as a family that justice will prevail.
The Judge will have a final decision on October first. Meanwhile, jury selection is scheduled to start in January and could take three to six months because of the media exposure tied to the 2007 case.
Call me crazy but it seems like Governor Jodi Rell just gave me the scoop after completely dissing me this weekend by deciding NOT to do my show. Yes, “The Real Story” was the ONLY show the Governor did not appear on last weekend! Rell appeared on “Face The State” with Dennis House and on “Connecticut News Makers” with Tom Monahan but did not appear on “The Real Story.” I wear Rell’s rejection as a badge of honor because she knew I would ask the tough questions. When I asked Rell why she ditched me and decided to do Dennis’ show (who doesn’t even cover the Capitol, mind you) and not mine–Rell told me quote, “I can’t do them all!” But here is where I know better. Mr. House moved up the taping of his show to accommodate the Governor which means she could have done my show as well. (WE tape on the same night, a half hour apart.) Either way, I am getting ready to wear my “RELL DITCHED ME” pin around the Capitol in the very near future.
SO BACK to the SCOOP, after Rell’s press conference wrapped up today in her Capitol Office and I was done sulking and feeling sorry for myself, I went up to the Governor and asked her, off-camera, what she thought about all the Democrats lining up to take her job. Rell kind of laughed. Then, when I asked her which of the three would she vote for, Dan Malloy, Susan Bysciewicz or Jim Amann,? Rell told me, and I quote: “I’D VOTE FOR ME!”
Sounds to me like she is running again! I think Rell just gave me the scoop because she feels badly that she blew me off and got me into trouble with my boss!
Her up-beat demeanor could be in response to a new Quinnipiac University Poll which just came out today. The Q-Poll shows Rell is still scoring high with the voters. Seventy-five percent of those polled approve of the job she is doing. Meanwhile, the poll also found that out of the three Democrats eyeing The Governor’s job, Susan Bysciewicz is in the lead.
Hmm… Susan Bysciewicz is already booked for “The Real Story” this week. I think I will give her the ENTIRE show or at least most of it and we can talk about Sadie, babies and kittens and how she helps train seeing eye dogs for the blind.
BYSCIEWICZ AT FOX 61 FOR THE TAPING OF A PREVIOUS SHOW
GOVERNOR RELL DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE IN HER OFFICE
Governor Jodi Rell said today that she did not watch President Barack Obama’s national, televised speech last night on the economy and stimulus package. Rell did not give a reason why but said she backs the President’s plans despite some concerns. That’s because the compromised version of the Stimulus Package means cuts for Connecticut.
Rell is counting on 2 billion dollars from the Federal Stimulus Package, over the next 3 fiscal years, to balance her budget. While things can change and still are changing, Rell’s office says the latest version of would mean fewer dollars for the State, about 430 million dollars less.
Despite this fact, Rell believes it is still better to do something than nothing. The Republican Governor is getting her inspiration from a book about the legendary Democratic President, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The book is called “The Defining Moment” by Jonathan Alter and it tells the story about F.D.R’s handling of the financial crisis during the Great Depression and his push to get his “New Deal” through Congress.
“He talks about the delay, they talk about the delay in getting something done and what and how that created such problems,” Rell said.
It is unclear what page Rell is on in the book but we do know she has been reading it since December.
My blackberry went off at 8 O’clock this morning but it wasn’t Jim Amann, Dan Malloy or Senator Dodd’s office, this time, it was Cromwell Police. This blog is certainly eating into a lot of my free time these days which isn’t much but I am happy to do it.
Captain Roy Nelson wanted to set the record straight concerning my recent posting on the Carol Sinisgalli/Rep. Jim O’Rourke case. He had an issue with this line from my posting over the weekend. To see the entire posting click here
((Cromwell police were called to the bar to break up the fight. I don’t understand why Sinisgalli wasn’t taken into police custody then? Perhaps if she had been hauled away in handcuffs, at least today, the 41 year old woman would be alive. In all fairness to Cromwell police, I never called them for a comment about this. The Cromwell police factor is just something I thought of the other night when I went out into the snow barefooted and in a sense, felt the bitter cold Sinisgalli must have felt that night as she curled up along side the train tracks and died.))
Carol Sinisgalli
Well, the long and short of it is that Cromwell police couldn’t arrest her if she was no longer at the cromwell tavern.
Capt. Nelson said his officer did respond to an altercation at the tavern that night at about 11:34 p.m. “Upon our officer’s arrival, we found a man in a wheel chair accosted by the woman but the woman had already left in an unknown vehicle, in an unknown direction,” Captain Nelson said. According to the Captain, the officer found the woman’s purse at the bar along with a pair of sandals and the hood to a a jacket. Her car was also still in the parking lot but this is where Nelson says his officer’s hands were tied. The man in the wheelchair and the owner of the bar refused to press charges against the woman.
“Any complaints from the bar or man and we would have pursued her,” Nelson said. “Without it, our hands were tied.” Nelson says his officer waited for 45 minutes at the Tavern for the woman to return to her car. He says the officer even called her residence more than once and left messages on her home answering machine.
“The issue is how far can we take things because we don’t have a complaint,” Capt. Nelson said. “We are not going to pursue someone out of district if we don’t have a complaint. We are extremely comfortable with what we did. I don’t know what more we could have done.”
Meanwhile, a Rocky Hill Police spokesman– whose department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death–says they are waiting for the toxicology reports to come back on Sinisgalli which could take weeks. Detective are also still interviewing people.
“This is an active investigation,” Lt. John Herbst told me on the phone on Monday. Other than that, he would not say much. This is a story which is far from over.
To see my first story on the case with details from the police report click here.
As the race for Governor heats up so do the words of Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz about her potential Democratic Rival, Jim Amann.
Susan Bysiewicz says former House Speaker Jim Amann’s 6 figure job offer with House Democrats will hurt Amann in his run for Governor in 2010. Bysiewicz says she has heard from a lot of people who were furious with Amann’s 6 figure gig, at tax payers expense, during these hard economic times. ( Mind you, it was a gig that later fell through!) I asked Bysiewicz what she would do to make sure she didn’t use her State position to gain headlines in her race for Governor– You’ll have to tune in to see what she had to say. “The Real Story” airs Sunday morning on Fox 61 at 8:30 a.m.
Susan is leading the pack in Governor's race with Democrats in recent poll
Second Segment–DODD’s POLITICAL FUTURE IN TROUBLE? A new poll also shows Senator Christopher Dodd’s time in office could be nearing an end. Why the Countrywide Mortgage controversy could cost him his office.
Guest: Rick Green, The Hartford Courant Kevin Rennie, The Hartford Courant
Dodd's Political Future
Plus, a new segment on The Real Story,MAKING THEIR CASE—why they say they should be spared by Governor Jodi Rell’s Budget Cuts. This week, how Rell’s cuts will hurt those living with AIDS and HIV.
Advocate Shawn Lang and Charles, who has been living with HIV for 26 years.: Charles says people living with the virus will die because of Rell’s cut.
The Jim Amann camp isn’t too happy with The Secretary of The State Susan Bysiewicz these days, especially with her recent comments on my show “The Real Story”.
THE AMANN CAMP THROWS SOME PUNCHES
To see the show, play here.
In fact, insiders said Bysiewicz should be on “Dancing with the Star” given the way she avoided my quote, “very direct and important questions”; like, is she committed to the race and how will she avoid campaigning on state time?
Apparently, Amann is pretty fired-up and plans to fight fire with fire. I am learning that the Amann campaign plans to contact every Democratic Town Committee in the state to point out that Bysiewicz is already starting to go negative on her fellow Democrats by claiming to have met dozens and dozens of constituents who were appalled by Amann even considering the 6 figure job offer from House Speaker Chris Donovan.
The Amann camp wants to know if Bysiewicz talked to those dozens and dozens of constituents on State time? They call her tatics “disappointing but not surprising” going on to say that her “m.o. from previous campaigns is coming through.” They accuse Bysiewicz of putting her political ambitions over the good of the party to a “stunning degree.” The Amann camps says, ” No one in the party forgets her tactics against Ellen Scalettar in the 1996 primary for secretary of state. It’s unfortunate we are seeing more of the same.”
I really need to go to bed but I have to write just a little something about the stand-off today on I-84 in Hartford with the allegedly suicidal man. My baby-sitter (part-time Nanny, actually, Sadie’s babysitter) was caught right in the middle of it all. Linsey Hall could see the man held up in his car and the swat team surrounding the vehicle. She saw the guns drawn. She had that lump in her throat. She called me, worried that she might be late. She was really nervous when cops warned her and others to stay put.
“They said he had a gun. They told me to stay in the car because it’s not safe,” she told me during her frantic yet calm cell phone call explaining to me why she might be a little late.
“I’m scared.” She texted me later.
She was diagonally across from the man’s car except on the other side of the highway. I’ll told her, “don’t worry, you’ll be safe. They’ll take him out before he gets to you.”
While Linsey was no doubt afraid for her own safety, her words after the fact struck me straight to the bone. She wasn’t so much concerned about herself, she was more concerned about him. Imagine that? More concerned about him. To be quite honest, that hadn’t crossed my mind.
“How sad,” she said, “that he felt so alone and this was his only option.”
Imagine if more people thought the way Linsey did and does? Yes, I am cynical. I’ve covered a lot of crazy people with guns during my 17 years as a reporter. Yet, Linsey’s compassion resonates with me. We need to be more like Linsey. I need to be more like Linsey. I am just so thankful that she is all right and that she is the one, kind, gentle soul watching my most beloved possession –my daughter, Sadie. I have a lot to be thankful for tonight.
If you’re a woman, or have a mother, grandmother, daughter, sister , or wife– this is a story you can’t afford to miss or it could cost you, or your loved one, their lives. I am not being dramatic here. This is the gosh, honest, truth.
It was a story at first I couldn’t believe myself. Nancy Cappello pulled me over at the Capitol one day to tell me all about her personal battle with breast cancer. I am so glad she did.
TWO MAMMOGRAMS MISSED HER BREAST CANCER
Nancy says her struggle to survive started five years ago. At 51 years old, she was diagnosed with stage three cancer after an ultra-sound discovered a once-inch tumor in her right breast. It was something that slipped through a mammogram not once but twice! Her doctor delivered the devastating news after finding a lump during a routine manual breast exam and then making her go back for an ultra-sound.
“I said to her, why didn’t the Mammogram find the cancer? And she said, you have dense tissue,” Cappello said. It was all news to her despite the fact that that information had been in her Mammogram reports for years. It was just that no one bothered to tell her or warn her of the risk factors. Experts say having dense breast tissue can make it difficult for radiologists to see tumors.
“Dense tissue appears white on a Mammogram and cancer is white so there is no contrast,” Cappello said. “It’s like looking for a polar bear in a snow storm, you can’t see the contrast. You can’t see it.” By the time an ultra-sound found her cancer, it had spread to 13 of her lymph nodes. After 8 rounds of chemotherapy, 24 treatments of radiation and a mastectomy, Nancy lost her hair, her nails, and she nearly lost her life.
FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE
“What really annoyed me was that fact that I was kept from information about my health,” Cappello said, “eventhough, I did everything right!” Now, determined to keep the same thing from happening to other women, Cappello is taking her fight to the State Capitol. She has already convinced lawmakers to pass one law having to do with dense breast tissue and now, she is hoping for another. In 2006, a new law was passed requiring insurance companies to pay for ultra sounds for women with dense breast tissue. Now, Senate Bill 458 would take it a step further and require a woman’s breast density automatically be disclosed when she has a mammogram.
“It’s just critically important to get that information and to know about your own body and to fight for what is right,” a determined Cappello said. While she is now cancer free, she will never be totally in the clear. “I had stage three cancer and the reality is, it could come back. I don’t live thinking that it will, but I am a realist.”
GETTING THE WORD OUT THERE
Cappello tried last year to get similar version of the bill passed but it never made it to The House floor for a full vote. In the meantime, this year, the only opposition seems to be Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. In written testimony submitted to the Insurance Committee, a Government liaison for the giant insurer went on record against the proposed legislation calling it a mandate which would drive up the cost of insurance for everyone.
Meanwhile, Cappello has her PhD in higher education and works for The State Board of Education. She lives with her husband in Woodbury. To learn more about dense breast tissue, click here to check out her web-site.
So, what do you do when someone calls you from Senator Dodd’s office, not once, not twice, but three times in less than one week, saying they want to have an “off-the-record” conversation with you? Or with me, that is! I was told the conversation would only take a few minutes but it wasn’t for broadcast or for my blog ( I guess the good news is, they read my blog. I guess the bad news is, I am sure I will take some heat from them about this post) I assume the off-the-record call was concerning the Senator but I am not sure what exactly they wanted to talk to me about because that “off-the-Record” conversation never happened. I declined saying I wasn’t comfortable with the request.
DURING A PREVIOUS INTERVIEW WHEN I ASKED DODD ABOUT HIS LOW INTEREST LOANS.
My journalism professor at Seton Hall taught me a lot of things and one them was to never have an off-the-record conversation! Listen, I have done them before but only under extreme circumstances, like, when someone’s life is in danger or the information could cost someone his or her job. The problem is with “off-the-record” stuff is you can never report it, ever! You can’t say “anonymous” sources, you can’t say anything. Reporters will have that “off-the-record” conversation if they think it will lead them to someplace else, where someone will go on the record. Otherwise, if that doesn’t happen, that information is just stuck in your mind driving you crazy. Some would say I am already crazy enough!
Anyhow, this case involved an elected U.S Senator and it didn’t seem extreme to me. Elected officials and people who represent them– should go on the record, all the time! I find this to be even more important with someone like Dodd who is already under scrutiny for two questionable things. 1) Two low interest loans he received from Countrywide mortgage. 2) Money he received from a financial Group under federal investigation for fraud.
Dodd says he will give it all back, or at least to charity. That was the story that broke today and I can’t help but wonder if this would have been part of that “off-the-Record” conversation that never happened.
I told Dodd’s office that I would happy to chat “on-the-record”. So far, no call back!
Meanwhile, here is what the Associated Press wrote about today’s developments.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd says he plans
to donate the thousands of dollars he received from Stanford
Financial Group, a network of financial services companies under a
federal fraud investigation.
Dodd, who appeared at a state Capitol news conference on housing
foreclosures, said he’s still trying to determine exactly how much
money he received in campaign contributions from Stanford.
The Connecticut Post reported he accepted $27,500 since 2002.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed
civil fraud charges against Texas financier R. Allen Stanford. He’s
accused of perpetrating an $8 billion fraud against his companies’
investors.
Dodd says he doesn’t recall meeting Stanford, but is
double-checking to see if he did at some point.
We’ve heard that “double-checking” before. No word yet on when we will hear back from him.
State Senator and former Waterbury Mayor Sam Caligiuri says he is seriously thinking about running for Dodd’s Seat in 2010.
“I am very seriously considering running for The U.S Senate Race,” Caligiuri told me over the phone within the past hour. “I am a few weeks away from making a final decision.” The Republican from the Brass City says this isn’t something you enter into lightly especially with two young kids. Caligiuri says he is thinking things over with his wife but will have a final decision soon.
As for Senator Christopher Dodd and the latest controversy surrounding Connecticut’s Senior Senator–campaign money he received from Robert Allen Stanford who is the subject of a Federal Fraud investigation–Caliguiri wasn’t ready to take any swings!
“I don’t think that (the Stanford matter) is much of an issue, ” Calguiri said. “I can see how that can happen in a campaign. I think Senator Dodd is an honorable person, I just think he has been there so long that he has forgotten who he represents.”
Not exactly a full-on punch but I would say the last line is at least a pinch in the arm. I am trying to book Caligiuri for my show next week. Right now he has out-of-town plans but is trying to move things around to make the show. We shall see.
Apparently, Robert Allen Stanford didn’t leave an impression on Senator Christopher Dodd, eventhough he donated thousands of dollars to his campaign.
“I don’t remember meeting him but I am told I did back in 2001 or 2002. I don’t remember the event but we went back in the records and looked and he was at an event, a fundraiser, I believe, that’s right.” Dodd said today as he looked to his staffer for confirmation.
Dodd was in Hartford today speaking to students at Weaver High School about the Economy, the Stimulus Package and Governor Jodi Rell’s proposed budget cuts. That’s where we caught up with him to get the latest on Stanford who is accused of bilking investors out of billions.
SENATOR DODD SAYS HOW COULD HE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT STANFORD?
“I certainly didn’t know in 2001 or 2002 that I was talking to someone or in a room with someone who was going to end up being, to put it mildly, a problem!” Dodd said today after the high school event.
DODD SAYS HE'S NOT WORRIED ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION JUST YET!
That’s why Dodd says he will donate the money he received from Stanford to charity. Dodd says he received $3,000 from Stanford himself and $27,000 from employees who worked for Stanford at his financial company.
When I asked him what he would say to those who say this doesn’t look good? Dodd responded by saying “I don’t disagree. Of course it doesn’t!” But Dodd, who is chairman of the powerful banking committee, insists he has done nothing wrong. Dodd says current campaign fiance laws leave politicians vulnerable!
“As long as you are out there having to raise money to compete in campaigns, unless you are self-funder where you have personal wealth and don’t have to do this,” Dodd said, “then, there is always the risk that you are going to have people who contribute to you that you don’t know about.”
Meanwhile, State Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy says the fact that Dodd is claiming to be the victim is laughable.
“People just aren’t buying it,” Healy said. “The polls show it. The people have had enough of it.”
HEALY SAYS DODD IS NOT THE VICTIM
Citing the Countrywide low-mortgage deal and now Dodd’s dealings with Stanford, Healy went on to say, “Many of these companies, these financial institutions, have donated hundreds of thousands, millions of dollars, to his Presidential and Senate campaigns–that has influenced his judgement!” Healy proclaimed. “He has been missing out on his responsibilities because he’s been too busy collecting campaign cash.”
Dodd knows the polls right now aren’t in his favor. Last night at an event, Dodd says he joked about how he was the most unpopular politician in the State. As for now, Dodd who says he will run again, says thinking about the election next year is not a top priority.
“People are struggling here at home,” Dodd said. “And candidly, they’re not terribly interested in if I’ve got a job. They want to know if I am doing anything about their job. “
MEANWHILE, HERE are some more pictures of Dodd and some behind the scene shots of my photographer, myself and my friends at Channel 8!
DODD–SHORT TERM MEMORY?
SENATOR DODD SAYS HOW COULD HE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT STANFORD?
SAYS HE’S NOT WORRIED ABOUT NEXT YEAR’S ELECTION JUST YET!
I was trying to take a break from blogging because it is taking up a lot of my time these days but I just can’t take it anymore.
The story that has really struck a chord with me is the story everyone is talking about–Ken Krayeske’s questioning of Uconn Basketball Coach Jim Calhoun.
KRAYESKE PLAYS HARD BALL
Simply put, Ken was right. Calhoun was wrong! Whether he likes it or not, Krayeske’s question was valid and one worth answering. You can’t tell someone to “shut-up” or that they are “stupid” just because you don’t like their questions. Last I knew, we lived in a free society–Freedom of The Press, right? I guess Calhoun thinks The First Amendment doesn’t apply to him or the basketball court! He was rude, arrogant and down right mean to Krayeske. The debate seems to be whether or not Krayeske is a valid journalist. Under Connecticut’s Reporter Shield Law, Bloggers are covered. So, that would make Krayeske a valid journalist. We in the field call them “pajama journalists” because they tend to write about things from the comfort of their own homes with no real world experience. This was not the case with Krayeske. He took the time out of his schedule and “volunteered” for the difficult task–a task, I might add, many others in the biz would be too afraid to venture into.
I spoke with Ken on the phone today and he is taking a lot of heat for his “one-on-one” with Calhoun and his “full-court” press on the issue. (okay,enough from my sports’ writing days) No question is a “stupid” question. Mr. Calhoun had the power to avoid the controversy. The ball was is his court and he fouled big-time!
CAUGHT OFF-GUARD
If Mr. Calhoun worked for a private university, the question would be off-limits but Calhoun does not work for a private university, he works for us. There is no doubt that Mr. Calhoun brought UCONN basketball to the point it is at now! There is no doubt that Mr. Calhoun has brought Connecticut into the competitive and profitable world of College Basketball. However, at a time when other State Employees are being asked to make sacrifices, why shouldn’t he be asked to do the same? Or at the very least, why shouldn’t he be asked the question? According to Krayeske, the Dean of Students has just been laid-off at Uconn because of budget cuts during these difficult financial times. The Dean of Students–at a University where a majority of the students are there to learn and not to play basketball.
Listen, I love college basketball but not as much as I used to! There was a time when I lived and breathed it. Then, I realized, it was only a game. In college at Seton Hall University, I worked in the Sports Information Department for my Sophomore, Junior and Senior years. I was at every single Men’s Basketball game, taking stats, doing minutes, fouls, you name it. I have seen how the game is played behind the sidelines. I have also seen how Calhoun has behaved behind the sidelines. It was several years ago , long after my college days. I went to the Civic Center to see Uconn play and was fortunate to have seats a few rows back from the Uconn Bench. I was shocked to hear how many “F-bombs” Calhoun dropped by the sidelines and in a manner which we all could all hear him, young children as well. I remember at the time thinking I was glad I didn’t have any children with me because how would I explain to them that it was all right for Calhoun to talk that way to people but not all right for them to use such profanity.
At Seton Hall, former head basketball coach P.J.Carlesimo was known to drop a few swear words once in a while. Our office at the time was adjacent to the practice gym and we could hear the swearing sometimes. BUT, and I stress BUT, on the basketball court during a game, I NEVER heard him swear once. IF he did, the fans nor I could hear him and I was as close to the bench as you could get–taking stats and all.
FROM MY DAYS AT SETON HALL
I am guessing Carlesimo was being respectful of the people, including lots of children, there to see the game. After all, isn’t basketball supposed to be a family activity? Maybe, this is why more families take their children to see Uconn Women play. Even the sports’ guys say Gino doesn’t talk that way. I wish I still kept in touch with P.J. because maybe I could convince him to give Calhoun some coaching lessons. (minus the choking incident from his NBA days!) Or maybe, we just need to put a rating category on all the Uconn Men’s basketball games? I think an “L” warning for strong language would suffice. Just a thought.
I can assure you, If I ever talked to someone the way Calhoun talked to Krayeske or anyone else for that matter, I wouldn’t have a job. Plain and Simple! If Governor Jodi Rell told people they were “stupid” or dropped a few “F- bombs” at press conference or public events, people would be calling for her head. Why is Calhoun immune from such a standard? At the very least, He owes Mr. Krayeske an apology . I am sure I will take some heat for this post but that is why I blog on my free time. This is not for Fox 61. They don’t pay me for it. They don’t sponsor it. I do this all on my own, via wordpress, for the record. And I can assure you, if I did get a dime for it, from the people, I would gladly give it back.
As for Krayeske, he will get plenty of time to tell his side of the story on “The Real Story” this week. He’s already booked for two segments. It should be a good one. The show airs Sunday on Fox 61 and CW20. It will also be available on line and in my blog.
An inmate suing the State of Connecticut says that is the case for prisoners living in lock-up! Bruce Jefferson filed a Federal Lawsuit claiming prison over-crowding is violating prisoner’s Constitutional rights by creating inhumane conditions.
I get more letters from inmates than any girl would care to get–including several from Mr. Jefferson. I guess they watch my show. I think there is a promo here somewhere? Anyhow, I have been warned by those in law enforcement that I should stay away from this particular inmate because he is extremely dangerous. I have been told that if I give Jefferson any attention it will only make matters worse for me because he will never leave me alone. Then, the package came today in the mail with a copy of the Federal Lawsuit. Despite the warnings, this is a story I can not ignore.
Inmate Jefferson means business and has some heavy hitters in the legal community fighting his case for him. Three lawyers from Murtha Cullina have taken on his case free of charge. Lawmakers know this is serious. Here’s why. If a Federal Judge should rule in Jefferson’s favor, it could mean State Taxpayers would be forced to foot the bill of building more prisons which isn’t cheap. And at a time when schools are cutting back and teachers are getting laid-off, using State dollars to build more prisons for inmates would not go over well with many. The other option would be for a judge to order an immediate release of prisoners. It is a scenario playing out right now in California. Here is a written-version of my story that ran tonight in the news.
“It’s a very big deal,” says State Representative Mike Lawlor. That’s because what the co-chairman of the Judiciary committee feared would happen, did!”This is the beginning of a process that could cost us hundreds of millions of dollars,” Lawlor said while holding a copy of the Federal lawsuit given to him by Fox 61. In it, an inmate with a long criminal history claims prison over-crowding and inhumane conditions are violating his Constitutional rights.
“This is happening right now in California. A federal judge ordered the State to either build more prisons and pay for it, or release 10, 20, or 30 percent of the inmates overnight,” Lawlor said. While California is appealing the Federal Judges ruling, Lawlor fears Connecticut could be facing a similar future.
In the lawsuit, inmate Bruce Jefferson claims, among other things, that as a cook, he saw rat feces mixed into the rice given to prisoners. He also claims that the water is foul-smelling and unsafe to drink. Because of over-crowding, Jefferson says inmates are given one roll of toilet paper a week and are herded into shower stalls naked, five to seven at a time.
“It’s not really about whether you feel sorry for inmates,” Lawlor said. “It’s the tax payers at risk. If a Federal judge orders us to do things, we have to do it.”
Meanwhile, Jefferson, who has been behind bars since the early 2000’s, has a long history with police. In Hartford alone, he was arrested 64 times in a four year period for various things including robbery, burglary, assault and kidnapping in the first-degree. It was Jefferson who mailed us a copy of the lawsuit. We have aired details from previous letters he sent to the station with similar concerns.
With Connecticut already facing an 8 billion dollar deficit by next year, Lawlor says being forced to build more prisons now would only make a bad situation worse but other believe the situation can be defused.
“There are other things we could look at and I don’t think it should be up to a judge,” said State Senator John McKinney, the Republican leader in the Senate. “Whether it’s moving prisoners out of State, which we have done in the past, or letting non-violent offenders out earlier. We need to make sure violent offenders stay in prison for a very long time,” McKinney went on to say. Lawlor agrees.
As for the claims that inmates are being abused in prison, McKinney said they are only claims. “I don’t expect, nor do the people of Connecticut expect prison to be easy or fun,” he said.
The inmate in the case has a big law firm in Connecticut representing him for free! Three lawyers from Murtha Cullina LLP have taken his case pro-bono. They are Michael C. Markowicz, Kari Olson and Christopher Drake.
Hearing the exchange between Uconn Basketball Jim Calhoun and himself still sends shivers down his spine.
“It’s unnerving,” said Ken Krayeske during the taping of this week’s “The Real Story.” Krayeske , the reporter who asked The Question that got under the popular Coach’s skin would like an apology from the coach because he feels like he was verbally abused. Calhoun called Krayeske “stupid” and at one point told him to “shut-up” when the free-lance journalist asked Calhoun about his 1.6 million dollar salary during a post-game press conference last weekend.
THE REAL STORY ON THE CALHOUN CONTROVERSY
Connecticut is facing a projected 8 billion dollar deficit by next year and at a time when other state employees are being asked to take pay-cuts and furlough days, Krayeske, a blogger and law-student at UCONN, just wanted to know what the Coach would do to help the state out. He never got that far with his line of questioning once the exchange took on a life of its own.
“I don’t expect him to take a pay cut ,” Krayeske said after the taping, “but a few furlough days would be nice as a symbolic gesture.” Krayeske says all the attacks on him haven’t been fair. He’s been to several press conferences and no one ever questioned his credentials until now. “I always ask the first question, ” he said. “This time was no different.” Krayeske admited he was nervous asking the question-who wouldn’t be-but he felt it was a question he needed to ask for the People of Connecticut. Krayeske said his Uconn law professor has been asked to take 8 furlough days, why shouldn’t Calhoun?
Krayeske said he is not out to get anybody and has long ties with UCONN. As I mentioned, Krayeske is a law student at UCONN AND His grandfather actually played BASKETBALL for the University of Connecticut during the 1020’s. Ken says his grandfather played UCONN football too!
KRAYESKE SAYS HE WAS NERVOUS ASKING THE QUESTION
KRAYESKE SAYS HIS GRANDFATHER UCONN BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL
Krayeske’s only regret from the heated-exchange, telling Calhoun that he (meaning Krayeske) was stupid. You can hear how it plays out with the un-cut version of the Q&A which we run during the show.
Meanwhile, State Senator Sam Caligiuri also weighed in on the controversy. On the same day two Democratic lawmakers called on the president of The University of Connecticut , Michael Hogan, to discipline Calhoun–Caligiuri didn’t agree . Calling it an “ambush-interview” the Republican State Senator defended Calhoun calling him a great coach. Caligiuri was on the show to talk about his possible run against Senator Christopher Dodd next year. Despite my hard-ball questioning, I couldn’t get the Republican State Senator to commit to the race. He said he was “heavily” leaning that way but thus far, hasn’t made a concrete decision.
CALLED KRAYESKE'S QUESTIONING AN "AMBUSH" INTERVIEW
CALIGIURI IS LEANING HEAVILY TOWARDS RUNNING AGAINST DODD
Someone who was weighing-in on the Calhoun Controversy was the Uconn President Michael Hogan. While he said he wouldn’t comment on calls to discipline the Calhoun, he did say, in so many words, that he thought the week’s worth of negative publicity was probably punishment enough. He spoke to Fox 61’s Sarah French today. You can see part of the interview on the News at Ten and News at 11.
Krayeske doesn’t have a beef with Hogan. He applauded the UCONN president for turning down a big bonus last year.
Meanwhile, I want to know why Gino makes less money than Calhoun and Randy! Hmm, I hope it’s not because he is the coach of a woman’s team. Maybe there is another story brewing!
OH, and I almost forgot! I would like to thank Nick Caito , our professional Real Story staff photographer, for these GREAT PHOTOS! You Rock but don’t expect to get paid, okay?
The Chairman of The Republican National committee, Michael Steele, maybe apologizing for his remarks about Rush Limbaugh but Governor Jodi Rell doesn’t seem to mind taking jabs at the conservative radio talk-show host.
When asked today about Limbaugh’s recent remarks about how he hopes President Barack Obama fails, The Republican Governor lashed out at Limbaugh.
“I think Rush Limbaugh speaks for himself and a few selected people,” Rell said while at an event today in North Branford. “No one wants to see anyone fail.”
When Rell was asked if she thinks Limbaugh is the voice of the Republican Party, Rell said, “Some would like to think that! I don’t!”
We’ll see if Limbaugh goes after Rell now like he did Steele for saying similar things. Limbaugh, in the meantime, says he wants Obama to fail in implementing, what he refers to, as socialism.
Meanwhile, if Rush decides to go after Rell, he needs to know that he is going after a soon-to-be Grandma for the 3rd time. Rell’s daughter Meredith is in labor in Colorado with Rell’s soon-to-be second Grandson. Rell’s son Michael and his wife recently gave Rell her only granddaughter.
I witnessed an execution not too long ago. In 2005, I watched, in real-time, the life drain out of serial killer’s face. I saw Michael Ross die and it didn’t bother me nearly as much as covering the horrific Petit Family home invasion.
The night Ross was executed, sure, I was a little creeped out but was able to fall asleep. He died more peacefully than the young women and teenage girls he confessed to killing during the 1980’s.
After the Petit Family murders, I slept with the lights on in my house for an entire year. My daughter at the time was only 6 months old. I would often bring her into my bedroom at night and sleep with the bedroom door locked from the inside. I couldn’t sleep without her near me –knowing she was safe. Or at least, that is what I hoped for.
To this day, more than a year and half after Jennifer-Hawk Petit and her two daughters , 17 year old Hayley and 11 year old Michaela, were brutally murdered in their own home in Cheshire, I think of them often–Michael Ross, not so much. Police say two career criminals broke into their home one night while they were all asleep. Dr. Petit, the only survivor, was beaten and left for dead. Jennifer and her two daughters lived through a night of terror only to be killed in the end. Police say one of the girls was tied down to her bed and set on fire.
This is what haunts me today and not the imagine of Michael Ross strapped down to a gurney with an I.V. in his arm. As one of the five reporters picked as pool reporters to cover the event, I really thought witnessing the execution would be a defining moment in my life. It wasn’t.
Now, Connecticut lawmakers are considering a bill which would repeal the death penalty. Mind you, Connecticut has only had two executions in the last 49 years and Michael Ross was one of them. Dr. Petit lost more than that in just one night.
In a packed public hearing room, Dr. Petit waited nearly 6 hours to tell his story and his stance on the Death Penalty. SIX HOURS!
DR. PETIT WAITS MORE THAN 6 HOURS TO SPEAK
“These three women never hurt a soul,” Dr. Petit said in a very sorrowful tone. “My family got the death penalty and you want to give their murderers life.”
Even with what I wrote about witnessing the Ross Execution, I really do not have a stance on the death penalty. I see both sides, Dr. Petit’s side and those on the opposite side who believe a killing doesn’t justify a killing.
I thought witnessing the execution would cement my stance either way but it didn’t.
But I do know that tonight, I will probably be sleeping with the lights on!
My blackberry has been buzzing tonight with e-mails from many of you who want to know the answer to this question. I can promise you, it’s a question I have myself. I have called Rep. Mike Lawlor, co-chair of the Judiciary committee, looking for answers. Dr. Petit was the person everyone in the room wanted to hear from but still, he was made to wait more than 6 hours to give his testimony. Being there, I would imagine, was not an easy task for Dr. Petit and reliving that terrible night was even harder. Why make him wait? Many of you are outraged by this fact, which I understand. It is no secret that Mike Lawlor is against the death penatly (he said it at the hearing) and some of you have written to me with concerns that this was his motive in making Dr. Petit wait! However, I will tell you that public hearings are known for their long hours and all-nighters. They tend to switch back and forth between public officials and the public! I will also tell you that Mike Lawlor has always been up front with me and I have never had even one bad experience with him, in his defense. There is no ryhme and reason to public hearings but maybe this is what needs to change? Why not let the public go first? After all, it is a Public hearing, right? I thought it was cruel to make Dr. Petit wait. He has been through enough! This was the least the State of Connecticut could have done for him. I am hoping to do a story on this tomorrow for the News at Ten but if plans change, I promise to update you on my blog.
After years of slamming the former Speaker of The House on his radio show, Colin McEnroe and Jim Amann made-up before the taping of “The Real Story” tonight in the Fox 61 Studio. It was an embrace that almost, and I stress ALMOST, brought this reporter/host to tears. The two have made plans to have brunch on Sunday when the show airs. Jim wants eggs, bacon with a side of pancakes; McEnroe wants to make egg-whites with pea juice. This could be the downfall of their newly created bond but hopefully the two can get past it.
PUTTING THE PAST IN THE PAST
Seriously, Amann talked about his run for Governor and why he thinks he is still in the race despite a recent poll which has him finishing last among the Democratic hopefuls. One of those hopefuls, Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy, has run into some controversy concerning his son who was just arrested for attempted robbery. Amann said he wanted to reach out to Malloy about the incident but didn’t want it to look like it was politically motivated. When I asked Amann if Malloy should drop his dream for running for Governor, Amann said that was up to Malloy but that the story about his son should be “off-limits.”
MALLOY'S SON SHOULD BE OFF-LIMITS
Meanwhile, Colin McEnroe had lots to say about his life after radio and the recent lay-offs at the Hartford Courant, where he also works. You’ll have to tune in to see. The Real Story airs on Fox 61 on Sunday morning at 8:30 on Fox 61 and runs again at 11 am on CW20. It is also available on line if you can’t watch it at those times.
LIFE AFTER RADIO
COLIN "MOOING" TO MY HOMETOWN OF HARTLAND
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR REAL STORY INTERN, LAURIE PEREZ, FOR TAKING THESE AMAZING PHOTOS! YOU ROCK, LOR, THANKS!
Calling it cruel, State Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy says the two Democratic Lawmakers and co-chairs of the Legislative Judiciary Committee owe Dr. William Petit an apology for making him wait so long to testify in favor of the death penalty.
CALLING FOR AN APOLOGY FOR DR. PETIT
“This is all about Mike Lawlor trying to ignore the will of the people on the death penalty. His treatment of Dr. Petit was shabby and disgraceful,”Healy said at the Legislative Office Building today. “If Mike Lawlor’s family was raped, tortured and murdered, I wonder how he would feel if he was made to wait some 8 hours, just to offer his testimony?” Healy said.
LAWLOR SAYS NOTHING WAS DONE INTENTIONALLY
Dr. Petit is the lone survivor of the Cheshire home invasion. His wife Jennifer and their two daughters, Hayley and Michaela, were murdered , police say, by two career criminals who broke into their home back in July of 2007.
WAITING TO BE HEARD!
“I support the death penalty because I believe it is a matter of justice,” Dr. Petit said after both he and his sister waited for hours and hours to testify about the brutal killings and the two men charged with the horrific crime. “My family got the death penalty and you want to give murderers, life ” Petit questioned after getting emotional while talking about his two beloved and now lost, daughters.
McDONALD SEEMED SURPRISED BY MY QUESTION
Healy says both Lawlor and State Senator Andrew McDonald tried to “stack the deck” by making Dr. Petit wait to testify. “They don’t want a death penalty,” he said. ” They’ve said it and they are trying to impose their will on the people of Connecticut.” Healy also said that Dr. Petit didn’t even know about the public hearing until the night before when his sister read about it on an Anti-Death Penalty web-site.
However, Senator McDonald says nothing was done intentionally and seemed taken aback when I asked him if personal politics played any role. “That is surprising,” Senator McDonald said when I asked him about Dr. Petit’s wait. “He pulled a lottery number that resulted in his position in the sequence. Until you just said that to me, no one has suggested otherwise.”
Meanwhile, Representative Mike Lawlor says there was no malice on his part either. He says at first, he didn’t even know Dr. Petit was there.
“Was it cruel to make Dr. Petit wait?” I asked Lawlor.
“Well, we have a standard process before the committee,” Lawlor replied. “We have a random lottery system for picking the order in which people testify. ” Lawlor also explained that they used to operate on a first-come, first -serve basis but changed the rules a few years ago to a lottery system because people were lining up at the capitol at the crack of dawn–many of whom were lobbyists because they knew how the system worked.
Meanwhile, Healy says he has seen Lawlor and McDonald “bend over backwards” for people they want to hear from , and in this case, Dr. Petit was not one of them.
Meanwhile, Republican State Senator Sam Caligiuri , who has worked with Dr. Petit before on proposed 3-strikes legislation, says Dr. Petit wouldn’t have wanted to get special treatment at the pubic hearing and never asked for it. But Healy says the co-chairs could have shown Dr. Petit and should have shown Dr. Petit more sympathy and common courtesy.
Senate Democrats say they have received death threats over proposed legislation that would change the way the Catholic Church controls its money. Communications Director Derek Slap told me today in the Legislative Office Building that his office has indeed received death threats concerning the controversial issue but he wouldn’t to whom those threats were made. Senator Andrew McDonald, one of the backers of the bill, is a member of the Senate Democratic caucus. Slap went onto to say that his office has received thousands and thousands of calls from angry people furious about Senate Bill 1098.
At issue is this–Should the State be sticking it’s noise into the business of the Catholic Church?
Supporters of the proposed bill, S.B. 1098, An Act Modifying corporate Laws relating to Certain Religious corporations, say the bill will give parishioners, or lay-people, a legal right as to how church money is spent.
“The multiple, well-publicized priest-theft cases in Greenwich and Darien, represent just one reason why governance change needs to take place,” Said Tom Gallagher, a practicing Catholic who spoke at today’s press conference. He said he asked the two Democratic Co-Chairs of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Andrew McDonald and Representative Mike Lawlor, to amend a current law to give lay people more rights as to who holds the church check book.
Professor Paul Lakeland, a religious expert on Catholic issues at Fairfield University , says the bill would also put the finances of parishes out in the open so lay people would know how their money was being spent to settle sexual abuse cases regarding priests. He says right now, it’s the Bishop who controls the purse strings and has the power to keep financial information close to his chest.
“In a parish situation, lay people give absolutely every cent of the money which maintains that parish,” Dr. Lakeland said. “And Catholic lay people have absolutely no rights or responsibility in church law for executive decisions for how that money is managed.”
However, Republicans questioned the motives behind the Democratic Co-chairs of the Judiciary Committee who sponsored the bill but would not get into specifics.
“It is about the Constitutional protection to the freedom of religion. This is the very core of what we are about, ” said State Senator John McKinney, a Republican from Fairfield who is The Senate minority leader.
“I don’t purport to be a better Catholic than anyone in the world. All I know is that as a citizen as the United States of America and the State of Connecticut, I will protect any body’s religion from State interference,” said Representative Larry Cafero, a Republican from Norwalk who is the house minority leader.
REPUBLICANS CALL IT AN ATTACK ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
In the meantime, The co-chairs of the Judiciary Committee have pulled the plug on tomorrow’s public hearing. Rep. Cafero says he was expecting bus loads of people to show up at the Capitol in Protest. Republicans accuse Rep. Lawlor and Sen. McDonald of caving to public pressure, hoping the issue will now just go away.
“I’ve got be honest, I feel like I was had,” said State Senator John Kissel, a Republican member on the Judiciary Committee. Kissel said he doesn’t remember someone ever canceling a public hearing and doesn’t even know if Lawlor and McDonald have the power to do so.
Rep. Cafero said the two Democrats got cold feet because they didn’t want to face the pressure from the People and the press. Republicans vow to carry on with the issue. They say they will hold an “informational hearing” on SB 1098 tomorrow at Noon in at the Legislative Office Building, room 2c.
Meanwhile, Rep. Lawlor and Sen. McDonald said in a written statement that decided to postpone tomorrow’s public hearing after one of the supporters, tom Gallagher, asked them to do so. They say they want to wait until the State Attorney General weighs-in on the proposed legislation and whether or not it violates any Constitutional rights.
I called Mike Lawlor to talk to him on Camera but he never got back to me about a possible interview. He did reply to a text message earlier in the day on whether or not the public hearing would be cancelled.
He wrote that he was waiting for a briefing and would decide ASAP. Forty minutes later, his aid emailed a press release announcing the the public hearing was cancelled.
We should find out tomorrow as to what the People of The State of Connecticut think about Coach Jim Calhoun’s conduct during the now infamous press conference a few weeks ago.
You remember the one where he told free-lance reporter Ken Krayeske to “shut-up” and that he was “stupid” for asking the Uconn Basketball coach about his 1.6 million dollar salary during these hard economic times !
Today, Uconn said it would raise tuition by 6 percent for students, many of whom backed Calhoun for his “not one cent” comment. I wonder what they think about the situation now!
Long time Republican State Lawmaker and current DMV commissioner Bob Ward will be getting a kidney transplant tomorrow.His brother will be donating one of his Kidney’s to Ward. Here is what The Governor’s office had to say about it.
WARD TO UNDERGO KIDNEY TRANSPLANT
The Commissioner, who has managed issues associated with kidney disease for the last 20 months, is expected to have about an eight-week recuperation following transplant surgery at HartfordHospital. DMV Deputy Commissioner William Ramirez will serve as Acting Commissioner during the Commissioner’s absence.
“Commissioner Ward has done an outstanding job at the DMV and I look forward to his speedy recovery and return to the job,” Governor Rell said.“Bob and his family will be in my thoughts and prayers as he undergoes surgery and recuperation. My only directive to Bob was ‘be as good a patient as you have been a Commissioner and get well soon.”
Commissioner Ward said, “My brother, David, volunteered to be a donor and I am extremely grateful to him for such a life-giving gift.”
In the time since the diagnosis, the Commissioner said he has followed his doctors’ advice and treatment schedule. However, he considered transplant as an option should the right opportunity arise.
As improvement comes, Commissioner Ward said, he will begin doing some work from home and will be in touch with staff during his convalescence.
SENATOR ROB SIMMONS? Could be based on a new poll which has former 2nd District Congressman Rob Simmons winning in a race against Senator Christopher Dodd. As the pollster said, Dodd has to be worried. The poll found that Simmons would win by one percentage point. We’ll ask Simmons what he thinks about his “victory” in the polls. He is already booked this week for “The Real Story”! I also told him to bring in a few of his ties from his notable and memorable tie collection.
State Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy (who worked on Simmons campaign when he lost to Joe Courtney) said the people of Connecticut want change and it is what Senator Christopher Dodd has done that has gotten Dodd into trouble with the voters. But even Healy conceeded that election day is along way away and Republicans have their work cut out for them if they want to defeat Dodd.
A NEW Quinnipiac Unversity Poll gives Uconn Basketball Coach Jim Calhoun a “slam dunk” according to Polling Director Doug Schwartz.
DOUG SCHWARTZ, POLLING DIRECTOR AT QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY
“Despite the negative headlines about Jim Calhoun’s response to a political activist/blogger’s question about his salary, Calhoun remains very popular,” said Schwartz. “He has a 68 percent favorability rating overall, and an 86 percent favorability rating among UCONN men’s basketball fans. These are numbers many politicians would love to have.”
Out of those paying attention to the now infamous press conference where Calhoun called Ken Krayeske “stupid” and told him to “shut-up” , 51% percent of those polled said that they approved of the way Calhoun answered the question , while 43 percent disapproved. That to me, is mind boggling! I don’t understand how it is ever okay to say those things to another human being! I think Colin McEnroe maybe right. Maybe we are turning into a society where people just don’t care anymore!
Also in the Q-poll, Connecticut residents say 61-30 percent that Calhoun should keep his 1.6 million dollar salary, rather than donate a portion to help with the economic problems. However, it is important to note that this poll was done BEFORE yesterday’s announcement that UCONN plans to raise tuition by 6%.
Capitol Police Chief Mike Fallon says his department is investigating a serious threat, sent in an email, directed at State Representative Mike Lawlor and Senator Andrew McDonald.
Both Democratic Lawmakers have taken a lot of heat during the past few days concerning a recent bill they were set to hear, as co-chairs of the Judiciary Committee, that would have set new guidelines as to how the Catholic Church controls its finances.
In a phone interview, Lawlor didn’t seem too bothered by the threats being made against him.
“The Judiciary committee deals with lots of controversial topics,” Lawlor said. “I’ve gotten a lot of death threats over the years. “ He went on to say that he was surprised to learn there was already a law on the books , dating back to the 1800’s, which already mandates how Catholic Churches control their parishes.
Long and short of it, Lawlor said, “The Legislature should not be involved in this stuff. That is my gut reaction!”
Meanwhile, It also appears that State Senator Andrew McDonald is also having some second thoughts concerning the bill he sponsored. In a press release regarding S.B. 1098 Senator McDonald had this to say.
“It is clear to me that my attempt to create a forum for a group of concerned Catholic constituents to discuss their legislative proposals regarding parish corporate finances has offended a group of similarly devout Catholic parishioners,” McDonald said.
“It was never my intent to offend anyone of faith, nor to cast negative attention on the many trustworthy and responsible parish corporations. My only goal was to try my best to represent the concerns of my constituents, some of whom were the victims of fraud.
I regret that in my pursuit of their interests, I failed to appreciate and invite into the discussion early on the views of other, equally concerned Catholics.”
It also appears that the proposed legislation seems to be dead in the water, at least for now. Lawlor also told me the issue is tabled for now while lawmakers tackle the huge budget deficit. He says once the budget is done, he would like to have a “discussion” on the old law in general. He says there should be a general religion law and that’s it!
All this on the same day Roman Catholics flexed their muscles at the State Captiol. Close to four-thousand Catholics turned out to protest the bill and the public hearing that wasn’t. Lawlor and McDonald post-poned it yesterday.
A lot of you are asking me what exactly went down this morning with WTIC Radio Talk Show Host Jim Vicevich. THE SHORT ANSWER IS, I am not sure.
VICEVICH VERSUS SINDLAND
All I can tell you is that he was talking smack about me, so, I smacked him around a bit. Rick Hancock called me this morning to tell me that Jim (my former boss, mind you, for a brief moment in time) was bad mouthing me concerning my story last night on the SB 1098. (The Catholic Church Bill) Vicevich apparently told his listeners that I didn’t go “far enough” and do a thorough job in explaining Representative Mike Lawlor’s “backpedaling” on the bill. Vicevich scolded me for not saying what was behind Lawlor’s Motive? When I asked Jim what exactly that motive was, he didn’t say! EITHER he didn’t know or wouldn’t say. You know how Jim talks in circles all the time. He’s like a puppy-dog chasing his own tail. He gets so caught up in the moment that he gets dizzy and forgets where he is going or what he is doing. I guess Vicevich thinks I should be able to read minds, or report conjecture or NOT INTERVIEW the other side. I am not sure what Vicevich wants except to say that he was one the backpedaling this morning. As soon as I called in, he changed his tone. He claims that he never said anything bad about me and that Rick was the one setting me up? Sounds a little like the 3rd grade, doesn’t it? Jim said he was going to check the on-air tape. I went to 1080’s Web-site to look through the content from their TWO local shows. It didn’t take me long! So far, there is nothing up from my exchange with Jim. I am guessing that means that I was right. He was wrong. You push! I push back. Jim wants to know if we are still friends? The jury is still out on that one. Now, I need to prepare for my interview with Rob Simmons and read my personal note from Laura and George Bush. This is a true story. It came in the mail yesterday for Sadie and me!
UPDATE!!!!! Okay, I’ve had some time to think about it and I am over it. I do like Jim and don’t really think he is a bully. It just makes for a great radio fight! :-)
A new Q-Poll has Rob Simmons beating Senator Christopher Dodd by One Percent in an potential race.
(If you factor in the margin of error, it’s a statistical tie.) However, the question remains is--WILL SIMMONS REALLY RUN? I asked the former Republican 2nd District Congressman that very question. You’ll have to tune in on Friday to hear what he has to day. The Real Story runs on Fox 61 Sunday at 8 AM and runs again at 11 AM on WTXX (channel 11 on most cable stations!) If you miss it, it is also available on line by going to FOX61.com. Also this week, Richard Blumenthal continues to defend Senator Dodd and says Dodd will most likely release more documents tied to his controversial mortgages from Countrywide. Also, Scot Esdaile, with the Connecticut Chapter of the NAACP, talks about why the controversy surrounding that dead chimp cartoon in the NY Post is hardly over! THANKS NICK CAITO for taking these amazing pictures!
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED HERE?
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL TRYING TO GET IN ON THE ACTION.
That’s what Rob Simmons told me during the taping of the Real Story last week but obviously HE did! (According to the Associated Press and The Hartford Courant)
"I WILL NOT MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON SUNDAY"
We tape the show on Thursday which airs on Sunday morning on Fox 61 and WTXX. It was during the taping of the show that Simmons told me he was going to have a family meeting along with his minister on Sunday (yesterday, I know this is getting confusing) to decide whether or not he would run against Senator Christopher Dodd. When I pressed him on ” family meeting”, here is what he said.
MY QUESTIONS:” Why this Sunday? And are you expecting to make an announcement? And if so, why not just make it here?”
SIMMONS:“I will not make an announcement on Sunday!
MY QUESTION: “You will not?”
SIMMONS:“I will not. Sunday is ‘The Day of Rest’. It’s a time for our family and friends to gather and to talk about the poll, the issue, to talk about the challenges.”
SIMMONS SAYS SUNDAY IS THE DAY OF REST.
The former 2nd District Republican Congressman apparently forgot what he told me during the taping of the show. He did make an announcement after that family meeting and said that he would run against Dodd!
to see the the exchange watch this video below. We start talking about the Sunday Family meeting at 3 minutes and 20 seconds into the show.
I just don’t understand why Simmons didn’t give me the scoop? I put my life in danger by cutting into Richard Blumenthal’s time on “The Real Story” so Simmons could show off few ties from his notable collection. I don’t mind risking my life for a story as long as I get something out of it in the end.
Meanwhile, Democrats are already going after the Republican’s jugular vein. Check out this press release I just got from the DSCC, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. To see it, click here.
THE REAL STORY on what Senator Christopher Dodd did and didn’t do concerning AIG bonuses still seems to be the million dollar question. Kate Szostak just sent out this statement from Dodd:
Washington, DC – Senator Dodd, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, today issued the following statement on his executive compensation amendment:
“I’m the one who has led the fight against excessive executive compensation, often over the objections of many. I did not want to make any changes to my original Senate-passed amendment but I did so at the request of Administration officials, who gave us no indication that this was in any way related to AIG. Let me be clear – I was completely unaware of these AIG bonuses until I learned of them last week.
“Reports that I changed my position on this issue are simply untrue. I answered a question by CNN last night regarding whether or not a specific date was aimed at protecting AIG. When I saw that my comments had been misconstrued, I felt it was important to set the record straight – that this had nothing to do with AIG.
“Fortunately, we wrote this amendment in a way that allows the Treasury Department to go back and review these bonus contracts and seek to recover the money for taxpayers. Again, I have led the fight to curb excessive executive compensation, and will continue to do so.”
All I know is that Dodd has an open invitation to appear on my show. I am guessing the people of Connecticut would like “The Real Story.” One former insider said the problem with Dodd is he surrounds himself with people who tell him how great he is all the time that he has no idea what real people really think. I am guessing he has a pretty good idea now what people really think.
Here is what Grandpa Pollard thinks of Dodd’s latest controversy. In an e-mail he just sent to me on my Blackberry, Grandpa Pollard from Uncasville wrote, “Impeach Dodd! This man is a disgrace to the great State of Connecticut. Lie after lie, ” he writes. “Shame on him.”
State Republican party Chairman Chris Healy is also firing away. He writes in a press release I just received, “This is a total whitewash and it shows Sen. Dodd lacks the courage of his convictions and that he didn’t think through the impact of this disastrous rip-off of the taxpayers. Sen. Dodd is hiding behind a press release. It’s time for Sen. Dodd to face the music and face the facts.”
By no means am I out to get Senator Dodd. As a woman, I appreciate all he has done for womens issues especially dealing with child care issues. Dodd has been on the forefront of this issue. Remember the Family Federal Medical Leave Act? Without Dodd on this issue, we’d be having babies and heading back to work the next day. On that note, I say thank-you Senator Dodd. However, to use a sports analogy, you are only as good as your last game. It seems to me his last game is going on longer than the Syracuse/Uconn game! My challenge to you, come on “The Real Story.” I will give you the entire show!
AS for “The Real Story”, Congressman Joe Courtney is ready to get real this week. He will be on the show taking about his efforts to squash anymore taxpayer funded bonuses. Remember, Courtney is the only member of the Connecticut Delegation to vote against The Wall Street bail-out package, not once, not twice but THREE times!
CONGRESSMAN COURTNEY GETS "REAL" THIS WEEK!
CONGRESSMAN JIM HIMES-(D) CT 4th District
Also, the NRCC is claiming the Freshman Congressman Jim Himes blocked a plan to recoup AIG bonuses and voted today to block a bill that would help the government recoup the bonus money.
(House Roll Call 131) The Democrat who beat long-time Republican Congressman Christopher Shay this past election cycle, represents Fairfield County. AIG’s finacial department is based in Wilton which is part of Himes District.
Meanwhile, State Senator John McKinney seems to be throwing some serious punches at Congress for letting the AIG debacle happen in the first place. McKinney, who as you remember told me on “The Real Story” a few months back that he was considering running for his father’s old Congressional seat, slammed members of Congress for letting this mess happen in the first place. You’ll see what he said in a taped interview on this week’s show. McKinney Versus Himes? Could be? At the very least, it sure sounds like it.
ALSO, The REAL STORY crashed and burned this week because of all this AIG stuff! I had to cancel my segment with Congressman Courtney because of the house vote today. So, I have State Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy and Democratic consultant Roy Occhiogrosso booked to fill his place. The topic–DODD!
I am on the phone as we speak with Senator Christopher Dodd and he insists he has not changed his position concerning who wrote the loop-hole which allowed AIG to hand out million dollar bonuses.
“The administration came to us and suggested changes after the original bill left the Senate saying this was about lawsuits, ” Senator Dodd just said. ” I had no idea AIG bonuses were involved–had I known at the time that this would have assisted in the matter, I would have rejected it.”
When I pressed Dodd on WHO exactly The Administration thought would sue the Government or who this amendment was referring to, he didn’t say and pretty much reiterated the previous statement.
“Where did the idea come from? Who suggested it? “Dodd just said. “It wasn’t my idea. It wasn’t my proposal and it wasn’t my suggestion. It came from the Administration. “
When asked if he felt like he had a credibility problem? He said he misconstrued a question from a reporter referring to the CNN interview.
THE CALL IS STILL GOING ON BUT WINDING DOWN. NARMEEN CHOUDRY WILL HAVE A FULL REPORT TONIGHT ON THE NEWS AT TEN.
This week on “The Real Story”, hear why Democratic Consultant Roy Occhiogrosso says Senator Christopher Dodd’s latest controversy concerning his role in AIG bonuses is not really a big deal. Also, hear why State Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy says I have a place in Heaven!
OCCHIOGROSSO AND HEALY ON DODD'S LATEST DILEMMA
Also this week, Co-Chair of The Transportation Committee, State Representative Tony Guerrera (D) Rocky Hill, talks about his efforts to bring tolls back to the State.
REP. TONY GUERRERA
THE REAL STORY AIRS ON SUNDAY ON FOX 61 AT 8:30 AM (Channel 6 on most cable stations) and runs again at 11:oo AM on WTXX!
A big thanks to “The Real Story” staff photographer Nick Caito for taking these GREAT pictures once again!
WELL, Second District Congressman Joe Courtney didn’t say it exactly that way but he did say today at an event in Enfield that he is on Senator Christopher Dodd’s side when it comes to Dodd’s latest dilemma with AIG.
I can’t say that Courtney seemed over-eager to speak with me but when I pulled him aside in a hallway after the event, here is what he said.
My question: “What do you think about the controversy Senator Dodd has been facing? Do you support him on this? And do you feel as if the Treasury Department hung him out to dry?” Congressman Courtney: “ABSOLUTELY! I brought The Economist with me which describes what happened there and it clearly states that Senator Dodd was pushing to get strict executive compensation limits and it was over the objection of the Department of The Treasury.” My question: ” So, support him on this?“ Congressman Courtney: “In terms of this particular issue, there’s no question that he was the one who was trying to improve, make the situation better.”
Dodd’s stance–The Treasury Department asked him to change the language in the stimulus bill concerning excessive pay for companies receiving tax payer money, so he did. Dodd claims he had no idea changing the language cleared the way for AIG to give out 165 million dollar in bonuses.
COURTNEY STANDS WITH DODD
SENATOR DODD: “I was asked by the Treasury department to modify some of that language six weeks ago which seemed kind of technical and innocuous at the time, had anyone suggested to me six weeks ago that this was on behalf of some bonuses for AIG employees who had received substantial taxpayer money–to try and keep that organization alive, I would have rejected it out hand. I am disappointed, frankly, that those requested this kind of change didn’t have the courage to stand up a couple of days ago and admit that they were the ones who asked for it.”
MY QUESTION:“I can’t imagine that you didn’t ask, well, what does this have to do…” SENATOR DODD INTERJECTS BEFORE I CAN FINISH MY QUESTION: “We did. We did.” MY QUESTION:” But you had no idea it was AIG?” SENATOR Dodd: “No, no, no, no, let me tell you the answer they gave. We asked the question, ‘why are they doing this?’ The answer we were given by the legal department of the treasury was ‘lets try to avoid what they called a flood of lawsuits.’”
As you know, Senator Christopher Dodd has an open invitation to appear on my show “The Real Story.” I have made that known to a few of his staffers but today, I decided to personally invite The Senator. So, I did, after he was done doing an one-on-one interview with CNN.
THE REAL STORY ON DODD COMING ON "THE REAL STORY"
I waited patiently until the CNN reporter was done asking Dodd questions. They were kind of the same old questions, nothing really new. As Dodd was wrapping things up and walking away from the camera, I told Senator Dodd I had one last question.
I asked him when was he going to appear on my show “The Real Story”? As you know, he was on Dennis House’s show last week which was a great get for Dennis. Now, as a single- working- parent trying desperately to hang onto her job, the pressure is on me to keep a roof over my head and feed my little daughter. (enter somber, piano track music) The pressure is immense for me to land Dodd on my show , so, I figured I would just ask him in person. I mean, how can he, how could he turn down this hard-working single mom? Right?
Wrong.
SO, THE ANSWER YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR IS THIS!
Let’s go back to my question.
“Senator Dodd, when are you going to do my show, “The Real Story”?
Senator Dodd kind of laughed and then said with a smile, “I was born at night but I wasn’t born last night!“
I am not sure what exactly to make of this except that I am taking this as a no.
I mean, who does he think I am, Jim Vicevich? I guess I will have to break the bad news to Sadie in the morning.
After issuing 13 Subpoenas, only one senior employee at AIG will be showing up at the State Capitol Tomorrow. He is Steven Blake, the head Human Resource Adviser for AIG’s financial department which is based right here in Wilton, Connecticut. While Blumenthal says those subpoenas are still active, he is working with AIG and their security concerns after several employees received death threats. Blake will testify at 1 o’clock tomorrow afternoon before the State Legislature’s Banking committee. Members want to hear more about a State law which AIG says legally required them to give out 165 million dollars in bonuses after the tax payer bailout!
State Republican Party Chairman is not afraid to go after powerful Democrats.
First, it was Senator Chris Dodd!
Now, Healy is taking on State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal!
Healy accuses Blumenthal of having “media-itis” and unfairly going after AIG employees , for the “love of the camera”, while putting their lives in jeopardy. He accused Blumenthal of pulling “McCarthyite” tactics not seen in this country since the 1950’s. To read more about Joseph McCarty click here.
“What Dick Blumenthal wanted to do was bring them up here and have a show trial to humiliate them and to put them potentially at great physical danger.” (referring to death threats made against the children of Connecticut AIG workers who got millions of dollars in bonuses after the tax-payer funded bail-out.)
BLUMENTHAL SAYS HE'S NO McCARTHY
Blumenthal seemed truly at a loss for words when I asked him about Healy comparing him to Joseph McCarthy.
“Taxpayers have the right to know what happened to their money,” Blumenthal said. “We are very mindful of their privacy and safety and security concerns and we have no desire or intention to publicly embarrass anyone.”
But Healy and other Republicans says if Democrats really want to answers, they should subpoena members from their own party.
“These bonuses were approved by The Democrats,” Healy said.” So, you can’t blame people from AIG from trying to make a living.”
Yesterday, State Senator John McKinney, The Republican Minority Leader from Fairfield, said if Blumenthal subpoenas anyone, it should be Senator Christopher Dodd.
When I asked Blumenthal if he would do that? He said, “Christopher Dodd did not receive any bonuses. Our focus is on AIG.”
Meanwhile, I am guessing Healy will not be getting any holiday cards , anytime soon, from Dodd or Blumenthal and I am guessing Senator Dodd STILL won’t come on my show!
A new poll gives Dodd the lead over potential Republican Challenger Rob Simmons. The poll was conducted by an independent polling firm Research 2000 for the liberal Daily Kos website and was just released today. In it, Dodd leads Simmons 45 percent to 40 percent.
Dr. Scott Merrell calls it extortion–the amount of money, that is, that The City of Norwalk wants to charge him for property taxes on his 3700 square foot–1945, waterfront home! Dr. Merrell is a horse Veterinarian facing foreclosure because he refuses to pay his property taxes. And that’s not all, did we also tell you that he’s running for Governor! His battle-cry, revamp the property tax system in Connecticut. It’s the main focus of his Gubernatorial race and one he’s willing to hang his hat on!
HE'S WILLING TO HANG HIS HAT ON IT!
Dr. Merrell, who is running for Governor as a Republican, doesn’t mind going up against Connecticut’s most popular Republican and current Governor, M. Jodi Rell, if that’s what it takes. His cowboy boots were made for walkin’ and he says, that’s just what he’ll do!
During the taping of this week’s show “The Real Story”, Dr. Merrell vowed to stay in his house and be “a man!” He also has a current plan before the State Legislature, “The Merrell Amendment”, which he says would reform the property tax system in the State overnight! To hear it all, you’ll have to tune in on Sunday. “The REAL STORY” airs Sunday mornings on Fox 61 at 8:30 A.M. and on WTXX at 11 A.M. If you miss it, you can also watch it on line and right here on my blog!
BRUCE "TWO DOGS" BOZSUM
Also this week, Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum is smokin’ mad over the State’s proposed plan to limit smoking at Connecticut’s two casinos. He says he has all the paperwork done and is ready to go to file suit if need be! He also says Casinos will withold slot revenues to the State if they end-up in litigation.
MAKING THEIR CASE
Also this week, State Child Advocate Jeanne Milstein and State Health Care Advocate Kevin Lembo make their case as to why they think their agencies should be spared from Governor Jodi Rell’s proposed budet axe! NEXT WEEK, I PROMISE TO HAVE A HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT! I would also like to give a big-shout out to my boy Nick Caito for taking these pictures!
KANE SAYS NOTHING AS HE LEAVES THE COURTHOUSE TODAY
Can anyone please tell me why 7th Grade Math Teacher Timothy Kane (pictured above in the red tie) still has a job after writing an explosive and threatening e-mail to two State Lawmakers? According to the arrest warrant, Kane admitted he is the man behind the e-mail and according to the arrest warrant, sent it from his personal e-mail account which was VERY easy to trace back to him. His address, tikane@gmail.com! That’s like me sending something from ssindland@fox61.com. I can tell you one thing, after reading his e-mail today in a Hartford Courtroom, I wouldn’t want Kane teaching my child. I hope I don’t get threatening e-mails now because of it!
We have called SEVERAL members from the New Britain school system during the past few day seeking comment about Kane’s arrest and NO ONE has called us back.
Kane, a devoted Catholic according to his attorney, was furious with Democratic State Lawmakers –Representative Mike Lawlor and Senator Andrew McDonald–who were set to hear a bill having to do with regulating how Catholic Churches controlled its finances. Sen. McDonald sponsored the bill and is openly gay.
In his e-mail, Kane writes “You better hope that myself and other Catholics don’t find out where you live, cause there’s hell to pay for your attack on the church. Fuck-Off! God hates gay sex.”
To see the entire letter and read more about this–click here to view it on CTNEWSJUNKIE.
A judge ordered the 26 year old teacher to undergo a mental evaluation and anger management training. I’d say! His attorney says Kane regrets what he did and is hoping to put this matter behind him and move on with his life. He says Kane will formally apologize to the lawmakers if that’s what the Court wants.
I spoke to Rep. Mike Lawlor on the phone about the case and he says as a politician, you have to have a thick skin. While he doesn’t see himself as a victim in this case, hearing threats like this, he says, are unnerving to say the least.
I kind of knew this last Friday when Caligiuri called me to say it was “time to talk” and that I should book him for my show this week–which I did!
CALIGIURI TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW!
Now, I am pretty much certain he will run. Today, he announced he will be making an important announcement tomorrow from his Waterbury home! He is even providing a “mult box” for the Media to plug into it! (This s helps us get great audio!) You don’t offer-up a mult box to announce you are not running!
The Republican State Senator and former acting Mayor of Waterbury has been toying with the idea of running against Senator Christopher Dodd but said he was going to wait to make his official decision. It looks like the wait if over!
Meanwhile, former Republican Congressman Rob Simmons also announced he would run against Dodd on “The Day of Rest.” For my devoted blog followers, you know what I mean by that comment!
Now, I’m off to interview Dodd. He and Congressman Chris Murphy are having an event in Farmington at 1:45. I need to get some coffee first!
Golly gee, if I didn’t care that Senator Christopher Dodd keeps blowing of my requests to appear on my show, “The Real Story”, I think, and I caution, I think, I would feel sorry for him.
Thirty years in office and on the eve of the announcement of another Republican getting into the race to try and unseat him, Senator Dodd portrayed himself today as the “under-dog”! Or at least, that was my perception. This is basic “campaign tactics 101”, make the voters feel sorry for you and let them know you are doing the best you can.
When asked Dodd today at an event in Farmington about State Senator Sam Caligiuri’s impending announcement tomorrow, Senator Dodd paused and said this.
“I didn’t get elected to get re-elected,” Senator Dodd said. “No one is indispensable in this world including anyone in politics but you do the best you can and that is my intention.”
Okay, I can’t take it anymore. I take back everything I have written or said. It’s gone! Done. Please, erase it from your memories.
This admission also comes on the heals of yet another controversy surrounding Dodd’s dealings with AIG. The Washington Times is reporting that a CEO for AIG’s financial products sent an e-mail to executives urging them to donate to Dodd’s campaign because Dodd was next in line to take over the chairmanship of the powerful Banking committee. Dodd told reporters today that he didn’t know about the e-mail and will gave back any PAC money donated from companies now receiving Stimulus money.
“I wasn’t aware of this–out of telegrams or emails that went out at the time,” Dodd declared. “We did ask for help and support at the time, as we did from others in The State and elsewhere around the country. It’s not uncommon but then again, I’m not clairvoyant. I didn’t know three years ago that I would be talking about a company in financial difficulty, to put it mildly.”
Something else Dodd didn’t realize is that the same company that owns our Station also owns “The Hartford Courant.” I told him that today when I pulled him aside and jokingly stated how he always seems to run away from me. He told me, with a smile, he doesn’t run from anybody. Well, that makes me feel better. Now that my General Manager, Richard Graziano, is now the Publisher of The Courant (news which broke today) I am thinking Dodd might have a change of heart about coming on my show. If not, I’ll just ask Santa Sam Zell for it at Christmas Time.
I just want all of you to know that I am not giving up on the Rep. Jim O’Rourke case surrounding the freezing death of Carol Sinisgalli. I called Lt. John Herbst with the Rocky HIll police department both last week and the prior week to get an update on those toxicology reports they’ve been waiting for. STILL, no call back! If there is no news to report, then, they could at least call me back to tell me. I think waiting two weeks for an answer is long enough–makes me wonder if something else is going on! Tomorrow, I will call the Rocky Hill Police Chief.
I HAVE AN UPDATE! I did call the Chief’s office. Apparently Lt. Herbst has been on vacation for two weeks and forgot to say that in his voicemail. The chief’s offices says at this time, there is NO UPDATE. They are still waiting for the toxicology reports. I was told to call the Lt. again on Monday.
Saying Senator Christopher Dodd has “lost his way”, Republican State Senator Sam Caligiuri says he’s looking to defeat Dodd in 2010.
“I am proud to stand before you this morning to declare my candidacy for the United States Senate,” Caligiuri declared in front of a crowd of supporters on the front lawn of his Waterbury home, along side his wife Lori and their two young children Owen and Grace.
“Senator Christopher Dodd has failed us in many ways. But ultimately, I am not running this race to run again Chris Dodd. I am running for The United State’s Senate to take us into our future and away from what Chris Dodd has come to represent,” Caligiuri said, “career Politicians who have been in power for so long, that they think they can do, or fail to do, anything that they want and still get themselves re-elected.”
Caligiuri is the Second Republican lining up for Dodd’s job. Former Second District Congressman, Rob Simmons, says he will also run. So, does this mean the Republican candidates will primary? State Republican Party Chairman, Chris Healy, said on “The Real Story” a few weeks back that Republicans essentially know when to call it quits and come together for the good of the party. However, Healy has yet to call me back today on this one! Hmmm! Plus, the media savvy Healy was also a “no-show” at the Caligiuri event (which I wrote about on Twitter). And, this has me thinking that a good political fight could be in the works!
Ahhh. Brings me to The Lieberman/Lamont days. I was pregnant at the time an convinced that my unborn child’s first words would either be Ned Lamont or Joe Lieberman because I covered the story practically every day! When Sen. Lieberman asked me recently which name Sadie said first, I said, Alan Schlesinger -I had to be upfront with him!
Okay, enough back to my original story! It looks like Caligiuri’s announcement has Dodd “Tweeting” up a storm. He’s been on fire on Twitter all day boasting about his Credit Card Accountability legislation which just passed out of committee. Dodd says his legislation will stop abusive and deceptive credit card practices “once and for all.” Dodd was offering up Satellite interviews about his bill but I couldn’t make it back from Waterbury in time! But Apparently Al Terzi got to talk to him. How do I know that? I read about it on Twitter!
So, I am pulling up to the street where Sam Caligiuri lives this morning with my photograph Nick Dethlefsen!
A cop is there to greet us and direct us where to park.
We park.
Then I see two more cops on motorcycles parked behind a barrier adjacent to Caligiuri’s front lawn.
“Wow,” I think– The President of The United States must be here because I haven’t this many cops since George W. Bush was in Town.
Oh wait, there’s more. I look down to the end of the street and I see another cop in a Waterbury cruiser blocking off the other the street. Okay, now, I am thinking this is a bit much. I mean, isn’t Waterbury in a major budget crunch struggling to get by? I am also wondering who exactly is picking up the bill for all these cops?
I ask Evan Kozlow just that. He’s a consultant with the Caligiuri campaign and while he is upfront, he seems a little nervous that we are asking him questions about all the police at a Political event for about 50 people?
“We let the police know that we were putting on this event and they decided what to do from there.” Kozlow said. “It was a safety precaution and we were trying to be prudent because of all the traffic this is a residential neighborhood.”
When asked who will foot the bill for the half dozen or so cops at the event, Kozlow responded, “We will incur the costs, if necessary.”
I’m not totally sure but I think Rob Simmons just said “love ya” right before hanging-up the phone with me. I guess it’s good to know that he has no hard feelings towards me concerning his promise NOT to announce on “The Day of Rest,”–something he ultimately did. No worries. I am over it now and apparently so is the former 2nd District Republican Congressman.
With Republicans lining up to take Senator Christopher Dodd’s job (Simmons, of course, being one of them) I asked him about the possibility of finding himself in a primary with Sam Caligiuri?
“I’m a Republican working hard to run a tough race against Dodd,” Simmons just told me on the phone before the “love-ya” part. “We can’t predict what happens next year. That’s a long way to go!”
HERE is where it gets interesting,! (BESIDES the “love-ya” part) Simmons told me that he has had conversations with Caligiuri on this topic and have discussed working together in the future. It sounds like one of them will bow out of the race before they take it to Malloy/DeStefano territory.
The last Republican primary for the U.S Senate was back in 1992. That’s when Brook Johnson beat Christopher Burnham only to lose to Dodd in the General Election.
Suite, $400. Tie, $75. A front row seat in a meeting with President Barack Obama–PRICELESS!
OKAY, I really have no idea how much money Second District Congressman Joe Courtney spent on his clothing for this picture, but I do know his office is pretty pumped about it because they sent it to me! The picture was taken March 12th at a White House meeting when President Obama met with a few House Democrats!
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK!
See who else is in the picture? You have Congressman Courtney, President Obama and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
Voters are fuming mad with Senator Christopher Dodd concerning those bonuses handed out at AIG after the Taxpayer bail-out. They are so fuming mad, in fact, that if an election were held today–Dodd would lose big time. The new Quinnipiac University Poll has Former 2nd District Congressman Rob Simmons beating Dodd by a landslide—50% to 34%. Even newcomer State Senator Sam Caligiuri would beat Dodd by a 41% to 37% margin. There is more bad news for Dodd. His approval rating is at an all-time low~slipping to 33% from 44 % in March. Quinnipiac Unversity Poll Director Doug Schwartz says the “anything but Dodd” attitude could be very hard for him to overcome. “I’ve never see a politician fall so far, so fast, ” Schwartz to the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is fighting back by releasing an advertisement against Simmons on the Web today. I was hesitant to run this (and told them that) considering the fact that Dodd WON’T COME ON MY SHOW and talk about his problems. The DSCC assured me they would work on that–so, here goes the video.
By the way, I think Simmons and Caligiuri are also doing well because they have BOTH done my show. Actually, Caligiuri is coming on again this week for a second appearance.
Rob Simmons will get some national exposure tonight in his race against Senator Christopher Dodd. He will appear on the “Sean Hannity Show” sometime during the 9 O”Clock hour tonight on FOX NEWS CHANNEL! (not FOX 61) Simmons called me a “PEACH” for trying to help set it up! I’ll add that to the “love-ya” list.
I can also tell you that SIMMONS IS PUMPED about today’s poll. He signed off on his e-mail to me—ROB, 50-34!And that’s not a tie!
CALIGIURI SAYS HE WILL NOT RUN SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST DODD
This Week on “The Real Story” Republican Sam Caligiuri says he will not run an attack campaign on Senator Christopher Dodd but did say he will point out how Dodd has “failed miserably”. The State Senator from Waterbury and former acting Mayor of The Brass City didn’t back away from the the idea of taking his fight against his Republican contender former Congressman Rob Simmons all the way to a primary. Caligiuri implied that he never talked with Simmons about working together in the near future–something Simmons had said to me earlier this week.
Caligiuri gets "real" on THE REAL STORY
ALSO THIS week, State Senator John McKinney takes his plans to run for the 4th Congressional District up a notch by saying now that he is “SERIOUSLY” considering a run. The Republican’s late father Stewart McKinney held that seat for years up until his death in 1987. Sen. McKinney says right now his future political plans are on hold while dealing with the current budget crisis. He also slammed Democrats for their plan to raise taxes, something he says would also impact the Middle-Class and not just families earning more than $250,000 a year.
McKINNEY says he is SERIOUSLY considering a run for Congress.
ALSO this week, Judge Douglas Mintz talks about a court mediation program to help those facing foreclosure keep their homes.
And check out our shots from our studio audience. THANKS TO NICK CAITO for taking these GREAT PICTURES!
JUDGE MINTZ--WE'RE HERE TO HELP!
WATCHING "THE REAL STORY" IN REAL TIME.
THE REAL STORY AIRS ON FOX 61 SUNDAY MORNING AT 8:30 AND ON WTXX AT 11 AM. IF YOU MISS IT, YOU CAN ALSO WATCH IT ON LINE BY GOING TO FOX 61.COM AND CLICKING ON THE REAL STORY PAGE.
I just wanted to let you know that this will be my last post for a few days. I am taking some much deserved time off! The Real Story will be a re-run from last week. Bad for my devoted viewers. Good for Sam Caligiuri!
HERE IS MY recent show with Caligiuri who threw some major punches at Dodd and also at ROB SIMMONS who indirectly linked him with Dodd by calling him part of the Washington Elite who got us into this mess. OUCH.
SO, I am really going to take a break after this post!
The big story today– and one that I couldn’t resist –has to do with Senator Joe Lieberman who knows what it’s like to face a Democratic Challenger. As you know, Democrat Roger Pearson says he’ll “likely” challenge embattled connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd next year in a primary.“I’m for Chris Dodd!” Lieberman just told me in an interview in Hartford. “I’ve known him 40 years! We worked together for 20 years. He’s a very effective senator for Connecticut. We all go through tough times. That is the nature of our business and the public ultimately has the final say but I am convicnced, based on what Chris Dodd has done for Connecticut and America, that he’ll be re-elected.”
I guess Lieberman is over Dodd appearing in those Ned Lamont political commercials.
As for those AIG bonuses, Lieberman says it’s been a rough few weeks for Dodd and some of it has been unfair. Lieberman says Dodd was the one who tried to limit executive pay and bonuses.
Meanwhile, back to Dodd’s potential challenger–Pearson is an attorney and former Greenwich first Selectman. He said yesterday he’ll make a final decision in the next few months.
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
What’s up with these Greenwich men rockin’ the Democratic Boat? Remember, Ned Lamont was from Greenwich too. Lieberman advice to Dodd about primaries–”Well, I”ve been through it and it’s no fun, until Election Day, when it was a lot of fun.” I guess he has the laugh last–at least for now. Now, as for me, it looks like Lieberman and I are about to embrace in this picture, doesn’t it? He was actually a few feet away but the camera makes everything two dimensional! This is just an illusion. I swear.
NOW, I am off to start my vacation. And yes, Mr. Gerry Brooks, it really is my first one in three years minus some time off to have a baby and then last year—some surgery!
It isn’t every day you run into someone at the State Capitol yielding a real pitch fork and all but today was THAT day for me. Today is the day I met Andy Florian.
The Southington man knocked on our car window in the station vehicle before the rally started. I was enjoying my starbucks coffee but when I saw the pitchfork in his hand, I didn’t know whether to open the window or call police. I mean, I grew up in the sticks and all but this was a pretty big pitch fork. Then, I realized, I was at a “Tea Party” rally with lots of people angry about taxes and government spending. Fox crews tend to do all right at these types of events, so, the photographer and I decided to roll the window down.
Andy Florian had a story for us. He was just told he had to leave the rally by Capitol Police because his pitch fork, even with the black electrical tape over the sharp points, was considered a weapon.
“Capitol police told me that it was a weapon and I would have to leave,” Florian told me.
“So, you’re causing a little bit of some problems here, huh,” I asked the fire restoration specialist!
“Well,” he said. “I didn’t have time to make a sign so, last minute, I thought of a pitch fork symbolizing my Constitutional right to form a militia. ” (Florian tells me he got the idea from the movie Frankenstein when the angry mobs chase Frankenstein trying to kill him. I am not sure, however, if this would help his case with police!”
Florian assured me he was there to protest in peace. “like I said, I didn’t have time to make a sign so, I grabbed a pitch fork, I put the tape on the end of it as to let my true intentions be known that I was here with a smile.”
“But you could take the tape off , easy enough, ” I told him.
Fair point, he said, that is why he decided to pitch the fork but stay at the protest.
I had no idea that when I met David Norton for the first time last fall that it would also be the last time.
He was the candidate running in a State race in the face of tragedy. His friend and fellow Republican–Derek Jerome– killed himself just weeks before the election. He was running in place of his friend not knowing that he would soon be facing death, unwillingly.
I just learned that Mr. Norton died March 9th of Leukemia. His widow Patrica has called the station in tears, looking to get a copy of the story I did with Norton before the election. Norton wasn’t running to win. He was running in honor of Jerome who believed no race should go untested. Jerome, the father of two, apparently had run into some difficult financial times and thought he would be worth more dead than alive. Norton told me then, that sadly, Jerome took his own life to cash in on a life insurance policy which he could get because he bought it years before his own suicide. To read the previous story, click here.
“I pray for him every night,” Norton told me during that interview on that beautiful Fall day. “I still can’t fathom it all.”
Norton lost the race for the State House Seat for Bristol but still managed to grab some 15 hundred votes without running a campaign. His broken-heart wife told me on the phone that her husband was a “young 71 years old” who still coached soccer.
“My husband loved life.” Patricia Norton said. “He did so much to help people. I have heart disease and always thought I would go first but knew he would be all right because he was so good at taking care of people.”
Patricia says that her husband was diagnosed January 21st after having a few cases of bronchitis. She said his immune system was down and they didn’t realize he had Leukemia until after a chest x-ray in January.
“He was diagnosed on January 21st and was gone by March 9th.” she told me through tears that I could feel through the phone.
I can only say that I am so sorry for her loss and so sorry I didn’t know about his death until now.
I googled Mr. Norton’s name to see if any stories had been done about his life and death.
I didn’t find any, so, I am writing this one now.
Norton knew the challenges life could bring and was sick about his friend’s suicide. Norton was a nice man. I enjoyed meeting him. I took these pictures from the shoot that day and plan to send them to his family.
I hope seeing his smile brings them some peace now. He knew he was blessed. He told me so. I could also see it on his face.
Pat O’neil with House Republicans says after weeks of being told to “put-up or shut-up” by Democrats about their budget plan which increases taxes on those making more than $250,ooo, Republicans say they’ve DONE IT! They say they have figured out an alternative budget that has NO NEW TAXES!
They’ll be releasing the information in about 10 minutes at 1 pm.
And that’s not all! House and Senate Republicans also want to fold 23 State Agencies into six! To read more about it, check out Christine Stuart’s story here! Got to go. Getting ready to Interview Don Williams for the show tonight.
We haven’t finalized a date yet, but I did get a green light from Senator Christopher Dodd’s office today that yes, he will appear on “The Real Story.”
This was only after Bryan DeAngelis called me this morning to point out an article that ran in The Boston Globe about President Barack Obama backing Dodd.
When my cell phone rang this morning and I saw it was Dodd’s office calling, I told DeAngelis it was a good thing I was sitting down. ( I was actually riding in the car on the way to the State Capitol to cover the Governor.)
Anyhow, sure, I feel a little used but it wouldn’t be the first time. I guess it comes with the territory I think Dodd feels more confident to go up against me now that he Obama in his corner.
DeAngelis says we need to “keep -in-touch” to hammer out a date.
Well, my Birthday is April 28TH! That would bea great date and present. What more could a girl want, right?
Connecticut is gearing up for a possible cash flow problem. Today, the State approved borrowing 700 million dollars during the bond commission meeting–just in case State Treasurer Denise Nappier needs it anytime in the near future.
“Having this authorization helps tremendously, as she is trying to make sure the State has enough cash to pay its bills.” said Michael Chichetti with The Office of Policy and Management.
Right now, the projected budget deficit is expected to hit 8.7 billion dollars by next year and could grow even more after the State tallies the money it received after the April 15th Deadline. Those numbers should be finalized early next week. Also next week on Monday, Republicans and Democrats will begin the grueling process of budget negations. When asked if she would veto a budget with an income tax increase, Governor Jodi Rell said at a press conference today that she “never says never”. However, Rell said she does think the Democrats didn’t go far enough in curbing spending. But Senate President Don Williams said during the taping this week’s show “The Real Story” that Democrats wouldn’t have to raise taxes a penny if they were working with the same outdated numbers Governor Rell is using. “The Real Story” airs on Sunday mornings. You can see it on Fox 61 at 8:30 am and on WTXX at 11 a.m. If you miss it, you can also watch it on line by clicking on “The Real Story” page.
I am not kidding. You’ll have to watch my report tonight on The Fox 61 News at Ten. I will also try to blog about it later. It has to do with a complaint Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy filed today with The Elections Enforcement Commission concerning charges The Donovan Campaign made after he won re-election.
The last time I saw my second cousin Erika, I was seven months pregnant. We were at my baby shower–celebrating a new life that was about to be. I had no idea, at the time, that that would be the last time I saw Erika. Eight months later, Erika was killed in an accident involving a drunk driver. She was only 22 years old.
I look back at the pictures from my shower and see Erika in many of the photos. It was a happy day, yet, the pictures of her haunt me. If only I had known then that that would be our last time together, I would have spent more time talking with her. I had about fifty people at my shower and was busy making the rounds but I wish I had sat down and talked with her more. I wish I could go back in time and tell her just how much she meant to me and all of us. I wish I could re-write the past and change the future. I wish I could have convinced her not to get into that car with the man who was drunk and behind the wheel. I wish I could have protected her. I wish. I wish a lot of things when it comes to Erika.
THE HIGH COST OF DRIVING DRUNK
This week on “”The Real Story”, it was personal. We talked about Erika and the life she left behind and the life she still deserves to have. Her mother, my cousin Debbie Warren, is walking in memory of her only child this upcoming Saturday in the “Walk Like MADD” event in West Hartford. Debbie is a very brave woman who is making it her mission to prevent other mothers from living her pain. She is too young to have had to bury her only child but in her tremendous loss, she has found tremendous strength.
The Walk Like MADD event –sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving–is this Saturday May second, in West Hartford Center. The walk starts at 10 A.M at Blue Back Square and will last until 2 P.M. I will be there with Sadie to show my support for my cousin Deb. I just wish Erika could be here too. See, there’s that “wishing” part again.
This is another prime example of what not to do when the cameras are rolling and there is a microphone in front of you.
Before a press conference today about possible swine flu cases in Connecticut and while television photographers were busy setting up, Dr. Carter decided to chat with Rell about the current state of t.v media.
I discovered this when I just looked at the tape.
At the time, only television photographers were there and no television reporters, including myself!
Here’s what went down.
Dr. Carter leans over to The Governor and says, “Well, now they send these people out to talk to us with a set of questions.” The next part is hard to hear but Dr. Carter continues to say, “They just hold the camera and ask us the question.” (I am sure photographers would love to hear that they are being referred to as “these people”.
Rell responds, “Yeah?”
Dr. Carter: “and they take it back.”
Rell: “Great.”
Dr. Carter: “No reporter.”
Gov. Rell:” I like that sometimes, you know. “
Dr. Carter and Governor Rell then end their conversation with a laugh.
I am hoping Governor Rell wasn’t talking about me.? It must be Mark Davis.
American Idol contestant Nick Mitchell who uses the alias “Norman Gentle” has a lot in common with Governor Jodi Rell!
Not only can the two carry a tune (or at least , so, I am told by those close to Governor Rell), the two live in the same town of Brookfield. Yesterday, I ran into Mitchell right here in our studio. I must say, he is very handsome in person minus the Olivia Newton-John’s “Let’s get Physical” attire.
NICK MITCHELL AKA "NORMAL GENTLE"
Mitchell says he lives just two miles away from The Governor and that he hopes to one day meet her in person.
Rell & Mitchell on stage together? Now, that would be something to see. I am not going to even bring it up in our news meeting because it is sweeps. I AM afraid “they” will really try to make it happen.
The scene at East Haddam schools today was almost an eerie one for me.
EERIE SCENE RIGHT HERE IN CONNECTICUT
Without sounding too dramatic, which as you know is not my style, the stillness of the swing sets and the silence hovering over the playground instead of the sounds of children laughing really sent a chill up my spine. It reminded me (just a little bit) of the deserted towns I visited near The Chernobyl nuclear power plant back in 1997.
I learned then how sometimes silence can be deafening.
Meanwhile, I also spoke with two girls who know one of the 2 children in East Haddam being tested for the Swine Flu. The girls were in health class with the boy the same day he fell ill.
GIRLS SAT NEAR SICK BOY
“We didn’t really have contact with him, we just talked to him,” said Carlie Chapman who sat across the row from the sick boy.
“In the beginning of the day, he looked fine and then later on, we heard he went home because he didn’t feel good.” said another girl in the class, Leeauni Stagin.
The Middle School boy and his sister who attends the Elementary school in town both left school early Monday after experiencing flu-like symptoms.
They had just returned from a family vacation to Mexico. They’re names are not being released for privacy reasons. Schools in East Haddam were closed today and will remain closed tomorrow –April 30th– while officials wait for the results from the Swine Flu test.
The Hartford Courant is reporting that Rep. James O’Rourke could be charged with criminally negligent homicide in connection with the freezing death of a Rocky Hill woman, Carol Sinisgalli. As you know, I have been following this story since I broke it on my blog shortly after the woman was found dead along a snowy embankment along the Connecticut River.
CAROL
Here is what The Courant is reporting:Police want to charge a state legislator with criminally negligent homicide in connection with the January death of Carol Sinisgalli, who died of exposure in a remote area of Rocky Hill.
Prosecutors in Superior Court in New Britain are reviewing an arrest warrant application seeking to charge state Rep. James O’Rourke, sources close to the investigation said. The warrant must be signed by a prosecutor and a judge before an arrest may be made. Criminally negligent homicide is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,000.
House Minority Leader Larry Cafero says he doesn’t expect to have any time off this summer and predicts lawmakers will hammer out a budget in late August. He says normally the House Speaker blocks off some time during the summer months where lawmakers can plan on taking some time off. That’s not the case this year, Cafero said during the taping of “The Real Story” this week. Cafero also defends the House and Senate Republican Budget, weighs in on Sen. Arlen Specter jumping ship and also comments on the ethics complaint against House Speaker Chris Donovan.
CAFERO SAYS DON'T EXPECT TIME OFF THIS SUMMER--TO LAWMAKERS
Also, after their coffee break, Chris Keating and Kevin Rennie (with The Hartford Courant) talk politcs with me!
In a letter to Governor Jodi Rell, State Comptroller Nancy Wyman aks the Governor to tell lawmaker to stop working on the budget for FY2011 and instead, concentrate all their efforts on dealing with the current fiscal crisis for this fiscal year which ends in June. Wyman essentially says it’s too hard to predict what will happen in 2011 and doing so, could be a waste of time.
While The Governor says she appreciates Wyman’s letter, the comptroller is essentially preaching to the choir, meaning, don’t tell her, tell them. To read Rell’s response, click here.
It was one of those beautiful weekend days in West Hartford Center. You know, one of those days you thought was going to be a wash-out but in the end, the sun came through. It was on the surface, a perfect day. However, underneath it all; the beautiful weather, the huge turn-out and the supportive crowds, I am sure my cousin Debbie and I wished we could have been anywhere else BUT here. If only fate had taken a different corner, perhaps, we could be making plans for Mother’s day instead of marching in Memory of my cousin’s only child. Her daughter Erika was killed two years ago by a drunk driver.
MISSING ERIKA
That was the point of this weekend’s MOTHER’S AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING event. No matter how many times we hear the warning–don’t drink and drive– people still do and people still die. It’s just that now, my cousin’s only child is no one of those statistics.
While Debbie has lost a lot, she and other mothers who have also lost loved ones to drunk drivers, want to people to know that drunk driving kills. Unfortunately, they know. They’re hoping now people will listen to spare you from ever experiencing their pain. To read my previous story on Erika, click here.
DIAMOND WEARING A T-SHIRT WITH A PICTURE OF HER MOTHER
Mind, you, I was a little late but before I could set up my mic and my photographer could start rolling, Senators Christopher Dodd and Joe Lieberman were already out the door trying to catch a late morning flight back to Washington, D.C. All this after yet another story hits concerning Senator Dodd and his wife. To read The Courant story,click here.
The press Conference lasted all of about 15 minutes. Before the presser, a pool camera was allowed to video-tape a quick conference call Dodd, Lieberman, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Congressman Joe Courtney –along with other state Public Health officials– held with hospitals and community centers around the state. However, we were not able to record any sound, so, I have no idea what was actually said. I am guessing that their handlers thought it would be great to show pictures of The Connecticut Delegation (on their home turf) getting a handle on the pandemic that wasn’t or at least isn’t for now.
PRESS CONFERENCE OR PHOTO-OP?
The crowd emerged from the conference call saying the news was good news. Hospitals around the State are reporting a decline in the number of patients seeking testing for swine flu.
Did the Government over act and is this a case of “the boy who cried wolf”? While I didn’t ask Lieberman that specific question, mostly because the press conference didn’t last that long–or at least long enough for reporters to ask The Senators any questions– Lieberman did seem to explain the situation like this.
“We have a genuine public health threat in Connecticut and in our Country, ” Sen. Lieberman said, “but it is one that Government was ready for.”
However, Senator Lieberman warned that we are not out of the woods just yet. He said the virus could go underground for The Summer and then re-appear in The Fall, as it did back in 1918 when 30 million people died of the Spanish Flu.
Meanwhile, Connecticut received its first batch this weekend of anti-viral medications from the Fed. Sen. Lieberman says Connecticut received 134 thousand doses of Tamiflu and Relenza to combat The Swine Flu, if need be!
The State Department of Public Health is reporting that 271 people in Connecticut have been tested for swine flu and only a few have tested positive for H1N1. Seasonal Flu typically lasts until April and/or May and that’s what they think they are seeing now. The Hartford Courant is reporting that police are investigating the death of a 9 year old boy to see if it was POSSIBLY linked to Swine Flu.
With a possible pandemic on their hands, public health directors from around The State say now is not the time to cut State funding to local health departments. They say if The Swine flu comes back in the fall packing a serious punch, they fear they may have enough people to administer vaccines–if scientists come up with one by then.
Under Governor Jodi Rell’s proposed budget plan, funding would be totally eliminated to 89 towns and cities in the State, mostly in Fairfield County, shoreline communities and Hartford suburbs.
The funding for the remaining towns would be cut to $1.25 per person, per year.
”That’s less than a cup of coffee, that’s less than the cost of a bottle of water,” said Jennifer Kertanis, with the Connecticut Association of Directors of Health, Inc. “We ask you, are these budget cuts worth the risk to your health and the health of your family?”
NAUGATUCK VALLEY HEALTH DIRECTOR KAREN SPARGO
At one point, under the Governor’s plan, the public health Department serving the towns of West Hartford and Bloomfield would have be shut down. Not exactly good news for the health director Steven Huleatt who believes his office has since been spared. Huleatt says his main worry now is preparing for thousands of people who might turn out for flu vaccines in The Fall.
“In the West Hartford case, that might be 62 thousand people,” Huleatt said.
”What do you give now,” I asked.
”About three thousand,” Huleatt replied.
His biggest concern is that if The State does cut funding to his department, he’ll have to lay people off and will have fewer dollars for practice drills.
”If you’re not prepared, what?” I asked.
”We’d be very slow and we might be too late.”
The health director for Naugatuck valley also sounded the alarm at today’s conference in the State Captiol’s office building.
“I don’t think you’ve ever seen me up here,” said karen spargo.” I think the people who are here are very, very, concerned.”
Meanwhile, the Governor’s office had this to say in reaction to today’s press event. Here is the press release I just received.
“The Governor’s budget proposal encourages regionalization and provides continued support for important public health objectives. There are significant advantages to public health regionalization; for example, many states have county health departments that are much larger than Connecticut’s local and regional health districts. The Governor’s proposal offers municipalities a way of providing services more efficiently and effectively, at a lower cost.
During these unprecedented economic times, government at all levels is required to reduce costs, just as families and businesses are doing all across Connecticut. If a municipality wishes to operate outside of a region or wants to put more resources into public health than the amount of the proposed state subsidy, they are certainly free to do so.”
So far, Senator Christopher Dodd has not “inked” a date with me to appear on ”The Real Story”. The problem seems to be timing. I need to more than a days notice to produce and host the show and that seems to be the problem. DODD’s office assures me that they are working on CEMENTING A DATE. I believe they really are, however, I just want my viewers to know that Senator Dodd will not be getting “real” with me this week!
Governor Jodi Rell will also be on the same list with Dodd soon. I am losing my patience with her as well. Despite my repeated requests to appear on “The Real Story”, she has yet to come on the show (despite doing the OTHER Sunday Morning shows after her budget address.)
However, I am working on a fabulous show for you! This week’s topic, the “changes” at The Hartford Courant. I have asked our General Manager and Courant publisher Rich Graziano to come on the show but am thinking our new hire, Jeffery Levine (the new director of content for both Fox 61 and The Courant) will be the guy to come on the show –if he can make it. I will keep you posted. I also have some other guests lined up to talk about the future of The Courant and some Courant reporters to talk about all the changes and their new roles.
There you have it folks.
I’m off to cover a Dodd story, or at least that is the plan for now!
I was just told that Senator Christopher Dodd’s campaign manager–Jay Howser, will be here for tonight’s taping of “The Real Story.” He and Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy will go head-to-head over questions surrounding Jackie Clegg Dodd’s mid-six figure job.
THE HEAT IS ON!
Is it a case of WHAT she knows or WHO she knows? Should be a good one.
CHRIS HEALY WITH DODD'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER, JAY HOWSER
CHANGES AT THE COURANT & FOX 61
YOU CAN WATCH THE REAL STORY SUNDAY MORNINGS RIGHT HERE ON FOX 61 AND WTXX. It airs on Fox 61 at 8:30 A.M and on WTXX at 11 A.M. If you miss it, you can also watch it on line by going to Fox 61.com. BIG THANKS TO NICK CAITO–OUR REAL STORY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER! YOU ROCK.
DOMINIC VITA WITH CORNELL LEWIS DURING A RECENT "REAL STORY"
Dominic Vita (pictured on the left next to Hartford Activist Cornell Lewis) was just arrested for allegedly threatening Republican State Senator Tony Boucher. Capi
See who else is in the picture? You have Congressman Courtney, President Obama and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
The last time I saw my second cousin Erika, I was seven months pregnant. We were at my baby shower–celebrating a new life that was about to be. I had no idea, at the time, that that would be the last time I saw Erika. Eight months later, Erika was killed in an accident involving a drunk driver. She was only 22 years old.
