Scully Communications

The state General Assembly is considering an attempt to override Gov. Rell’s veto of a bill that would fund a study of children of people in state prisons. There are two key questions on the override issue: Should the study be save? And can it be? The state senate appears to lack the required votes.

On the first count, it seems a no-brainer that this $1.3 million initiative should be saved. Studies show that intervening in the lives of locked-up parents and their children benefits society with reduced recidivism, less chance of the children following the parent into jail and the promotion of healthy child development (National Conference of State Legislatures).

If one wants to look at the issue from a purely economic perspective—which one shouldn’t—but the Rell administration and the Hartford Courant editorial page have, the bill would save money in the long run when program is developed as a result of the study. A short-sighted veto of funding now may very well result in millions being spent down the road on the children having an increased chance of ending up with a screwed-up life—in prison, treatment or adding to crime.

Just who are the children whose parents are incarcerated? The answer is stunning. According to a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) study released in August of 2008, 2.3 % of the nation’s population of children under the age of 18 has a parent in jail. The number of kids with a father in prison increased an eye-popping 77% nationwide since 1991 according to the BJS study.

Even more troubling is the fact that one in every 15 black children across the U.S. has at least one parent in jail. One in every 41 Hispanic children has a parent locked up. These startling statistics alone are reasons enough to override the veto. These are national numbers and not Connecticut-specific but certainly indicates the depth of the problem in general.

The second issue attached to a potential override is more pragmatic. Are the votes there? Apparently not in state senate. The bill passed 19 to 14. Two Democrats were absent. But even with those two votes, the would fail. 24 votes are needed. Some senators would have to change minds heir vote to get the job done. It makes no sense to even hold a special session if the votes aren’t there. House Minority Leader Larry Cafero says it costs $10,000 a day for a special session. So Senate Dem. leadership and staff should start counting heads and maybe twisting arms. These kids need the state’s help. It’s cost effective and it’s morally right.

Many people think because the Democrats hold 24 seats in the state senate (a so-called “veto-proof majority”), they can snap their fingers and override any of Gov. Rell’s vetoes. It doesn’t work like that. Having so many senators in the Dem. caucus, by definition, means a greater diversity in the demographics of their constituencies. This means districts with Democrats representing them in the senate often have differing, at times even competing, interests. What’s good for Hartford, New Haven or Bridgeport may not be good for Brooklyn, Guilford or Stamford. It’s makes holding all 24 votes difficult.

This doesn’t seem to be the case with the “children of the incarcerated” bill. It helps the children, the parents and society in general.
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Hartford police and school officials continue to be at odds as the the extent of the “gang problem” in city schools. Or the “clique problem.” Or the “hanging-out together” problem. Whatever the problem may actually be.

At issue is a police memo, used to secure a $500,000 federal grant, that said the city was “infested” with more than 130 know gangs and that the middle school playgrounds had a “prison yard atmosphere.”

Schools Superintendent Steven Adamowski disputes the memo’s characterization. From the outside it would seem to make sense that the police would have a better chance of securing the grant if they said the problem was extreme. The only problem is, once the memo got out, it became incumbent upon them to show that in fact, the problem was extreme. It’s tough to come up with a plan of action if the people in charge can’t agree on the extent of the problem.

In this case, the city’s school children would ultimately be better off if the discussion was about how to attack the problem (whatever it’s depth) and spend the money rather than bickering about whether a group of kids constitute a gang or just a group of kids.

For someone truly unexplainable reason, the tragic killing of UConn football player Jasper Howard has brought out the worst in some people. If the death itself didn’t leave a pit in the stomach of family and friends as well as people who didn’t even know him other than catching him on TV Saturday afternoon, some subsequent stories emerging as the investigation continues certainly will.

UConn police say potential witnesses to the fatal incident are being threatened if they come forward with information that may help people find the killer. The so-called “don’t snitch” messages are being left in Internet postings. Police are looking into them. The “don’t snitch” phenomenon is nothing new but it seems even more disgusting when it’s this close to home.

Meanwhile, state Attorney General Richard is trying to shutdown a Pennsylvania-based T-shirt company that is selling merchandise memorializing Howard. The company’s motives are in question at least to Blumenthal. Mike Margittai who runs Gametease.com, says proceeds from the sales will go to Howard’s unborn child and family. Blumenthal isn’t buying it. He says he has seen no evidence Margittai has permission to collect money on behalf of the family or UConn. He says “Any attempt to exploit Howard’s tragic death is despicable and unconscionable,” Blumenthal said. He adds that the company is also violating copyright laws.
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Republican US Senate candidate Tom Foley turned in a rather dreadful appearance on Channel 3’s Face the State with host Dennis House Sunday. This is compared to a hit on the same show a couple months ago in which Foley appeared sharp, focused and smooth. However this past Sunday he looked tired, lethargic and his answers were filled with the typical, show-killing “ah..ah…ah…” that afflicts guests who are extremely uncomfortable on TV as well as long, awkward pauses. He even stopped mid-sentence a couple of times. Worse, he passed up several opportunities to criticize incumbent Sen.Chris Dodd or really even his GOP rivals (he did mention what he said was former US Rep. Rob Simmons’ flip-flop on cap and trade and the so-called “card check” legislation). Time for some TV training.
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US Rep. Jim Himes can’t be pleased with a New York Times piece from Sunday in which he was placed on a list of vulnerable congressmen being targeted by the National Republican Party without the story even naming an opponent. It simply mentioned that the Repubicans’ choice, state Sen. John McKinney, took a pass on the race. There was even a side-bar story that mentioned the GOP thinks Himes only got into office on the coattails of Barak Obama.

It’s also not great news for never-mentioned state Sen. Dan Debicella (R-Shelton) who is seeking the GOP nomination to challenge Himes. Debicella, in his second-term, is an assistant vice president of marketing at The Harford Financial Services. The state senate’s GOP caucus has made it a point to give Debicella a high profile in his first two terms. He is considered smart and ambitious despite his tendency to bloviate on the senate floor even as a freshman. The Times referred simply to “lesser known Republicans” seeking to challenge Himes. Ouch.

President Obama’s visit to the Nutmeg State this past Friday brought out the protesters on every side of every issue imaginable. Obama was here to shore up the coffers of US Sen. Chris Dodd. Folks ponied up at least a $1,000 a plate to hear Obama praise Dodd. The senior senator is struggling to regain the voters’ confidence after a year-plus of problems (the latest poll shows 49% disapprove of the job he’s doing; 43% approve. The president meanwhile, has a 57% approval rating in the state).

But if one thinks Connecticut is a solid blue state, just look to our neighbors to the north. Obama was in Massachusetts campaigning for Governor Deval Patrick just before coming to Connecticut. He faced a cold shoulder from many one-time admirers. These include gay rights activists, anti-war protesters and environmentalists. With friends like these…
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And for fun at the start of the week: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (in 3-D) is a wonderful, funny and child-pleasing movie that made the author of the HS laugh out loud. Treat yourself and the kids and go see it. The nieces and nephews loved it and can’t stop talking about it.
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Anyone else note the irony in having the NFL’s Patriots, complete with revolutionary war-era Minuteman head on their helmets, playing in London? Hope the British aren’t still upset over that whole independence thing.

As The Hanging Shad as mentioned before, speculation is a favorite game for political junkies. As with many things, when a rumor rushes around the state Capitol and in certain political circles, there is usually at least something to it. The latest is the possibility that Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy may turn to state Sen. Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury) as his running mate in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor. If such preliminary discussions have not been had (and the Malloy folks insist they haven’t), Malloy would be wise to eventually have them. Malloy is, of course, assumed to running for governor although he has not formally declared. Such is also the case with Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, state Sen. Gary LeBeau (D-East Hartford) and Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi. Former House Speaker Jim Amann (D-Milford) is the only formally declared candidate.

For Malloy, such speculation would give new meaning to word “premature.” He has not even formally declared and is still Stamford’s busy mayor. Clearly there are other attractive names out there to kick around. But Hartley makes infinite sense. As people who have been in the rooms in campaigns know, names are routinely discussed, if informally.

Hartley is a five-term state senator and is extremely popular in her part of the state—the Waterbury, Middlebury area. She is a moderate Democratic (like many of the voters in the state). In the Senate Democratic caucus, she often goes against the grain and votes with Republicans. That gives caucus leadership and staff headaches but her positions are likely to be popular statewide (again, full disclosure: The author of the HS worked with Sen. Hartley for a number of years). The traditional head-butting with her caucus matters not when it comes to a statewide election. This is not to imply she isn’t well-liked among her peers. She very much so is; and respected by everyone at the Capitol. What matters is whether she can sell statewide and complement Malloy. And the answer is a resounding “yes.”

Despite what some people who need to get out the Capitol now and again think, Hartley would be a great choice particularly if Gov. Rell decides to run again. She is not disdained—she’s even admired—by many Republicans and would be an easy sell to independents. Smart and independent herself, she would be comforting to those who may think Malloy a bit too liberal. Hartley herself couldn’t be reached yesterday but it is easy to assume she certainly isn’t seeking the position.
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Dautrich-gate update: Yesterday’s HS categorized Rell administration spokesman Rich Harris as “clamming up” when it came to explaining new evidence uncovered by The Day’s ace reporter Ted Mann that shows UConn professor Ken Dautrich used graduate students to conduct two additional focus groups for Gov. Rell’s political benefit. The governor herself has insisted only one such exercise was undertaken and no mention of students. There is still no explanation on that.

Mann also reported that the governor’s office did not fully comply with initial requests for public records. Missing were a handful of e-mails from Rell Chief of Staff Lisa Moody to Dautrich. Harris didn’t “clam up” on that. He said that the Moody e-mails had been withheld inadvertently because the governor’s staff had not correctly used the “Find” function in the Outlook e-mail program when complying.

Yeah, and the kid was in the balloon.
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Republican US Senate candidate Linda McMahon launches a TV ad blitz today just as President Barak Obama hits our fine state to help out the re-election bid of US Sen. Chris Dodd. The spot can be seen at Christine Stuart’s popular site, www.ctnewsjunkie.com . Ironically, WWE Friday Night Smackdown airs tonight at 8 pm, locally on WCTX-TV. Your cable guide will tell that the participants “scheme, plot and battle”— on the wrestling show that is.

The New Britain Herald and the state Senate Democrats are locked in a battle over how the newspaper handled a story about the misuse of state computers and how the caucus originally handled an Freedom of Information (FOI) request from said paper.

The Herald, for more than a month, has been reporting on the use of computers at the state Capitol to post negative comments on its website about New Britain Mayor Timothy Stewart which of course, is prohibited. Stewart is in a close race for re-election with state Rep. Timothy O’Brien in one of the more interesting municipal elections in the state. It was the Herald that determined it was a computer at the state Capitol from which the messages came. In the end, the offenders were disciplined.

The residual dispute is a strong objection from state Sen. Donald DeFronzo of New Britain that the Herald insinuated a Senate Dem. staffer was involved in the wrong-doing. There was never any evidence that was the case and DeFronzo claims the paper simply left the impression hanging.

For their part, the Herald claims the Senate Dems.—and other caucuses—were not quick or thorough with the paper’s Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. A quick review of the case can lead one to several conclusions: First, if the paper left an impression of wrong-doing while lacking evidence, then the response of “well, he didn’t call us back to deny it” simply doesn’t cut it. If one is trained as a journalist (as the author of The Hanging Shad is) then one’s first instinct is to defend the journalistic institution. Tough to do on this count.

Secondly, it’s troubling (and out of character) if the Senate Dems in any way played loose and fast with an FOI request. If it got to a Lisa Moody-like “No rush to give it to them” attitude then there’s a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Admittedly, it’s hard to make a judgment without being in the room.

Finally, if any person in the state Capitol was asked to name a state senator who is beyond reproach in action and temperament, Don DeFronzo would be among the very first named. The author of the HS was a senior staffer for the Senate Dems for five-plus years and knows Sen. DeFronzo to be among the most forthright in the sometimes less than clean world of politics. This is without making a judgment on the case at hand. But if Sen. DeFronzo is complaining (and GOP House Leader state Rep. Larry Cafero is agreeing with him), there’s probably something to the complaint.

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Evidence continues to mount that Gov. Rell is not coming clean a controversial, taxpayer-funded study that offered advice on streamlining state government and efforts to get political advice about how to handle messaging on the state budget. The Day’s Ten Mann reports this morning that UConn professor Ken Dautrich worked with graduate students to conduct two similar focus groups earlier last fall. Rell has insisted that only a single focus group was held. The two additional efforts will raise more questions for Rell. State auditors and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal are already investigating.

More troubling is evidence obtained by The Day that the governor’s office didn’t “fully comply with previous requests for public records, leaving out a handful of e-mail responses from Moody to Dautrich, including a message that thanks the professor for his help in crafting Rell’s budget speech.”

Rell spokesman Rich Harris has clammed up. But Mann obtained additional documents this week from UConn that show unnamed representatives of the governor’s office were trying to strike a deal to pay Dautrich with public funds to conduct a voter poll to test Rell’s budget proposal.

According to The Day, back in January, UConn officials were debating whether university policy would require that Dautrich conduct any poll commissioned by the governor’s office through the school’s existing polling center. An e-mail shows a UConn official’s concerns about timing. “If possible, the governor’s staff would like to meet about this project tomorrow morning,” the report says. Answers should be demanded on all of this.

The full Day story is here: http://www.theday.com/article/20091022/NWS12/310229412/1018 .

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Gov. Rell deserves serious credit for moving to make sure the state has a detention facility for girls so they stay out of adult prisons and other facilities around the state. The state bond commission is expected to approve $15 million for such a facility in Bridgeport. Currently, there are 12 girls under the age of 18 at the York prison for women in Niantic. Clearly, they don’t belong there. They would be among those moved to the new facility. The state hasn’t had a facility for girls the closure of the Long Lane School in Middletown in 2003.
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Harder to figure out is where the Rell administration is on the budget deficit and what it means for the proposed drop in the state sales tax. By law, the sales tax would drop from 6% to 5.5% the first of the year as long as revenue doesn’t drop at 1% below what the legislature forcasted it to be. Earlier this week, Rell said the state was on track to see the decrease. One doesn’t have to be Alan Greenspan to figure out that is highly unlikely to happen (see the final item of Tuesday’s HS http://scullycommunications.com/a-young-upstart-and-childish-behavior-in-middletown/ ). Then yesterday, the governor had already started putting together a deficit mitigation plan, partly because sales tax revenue has in fact, dipped. Just one month removed from approving the new $37.6 million two-year spending plan, the state is already $388.5 million in the red. Yikes.