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If any state agency had monumentally failed in its mission, the legislature would hold hearings to get to the bottom of the problem and if the failure proved true, the governor would act. Apparently, that doesn’t apply to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Connecticut General Assembly and Gov. Rell.

Last week, in the wake of the abhorrent neglect case in Torrington, the legislature’s Human Services committee held a “hearing” on DCF practices. Child welfare advocates and committee members came to the forum expecting to get some information about how it could be that police were kept on hold for more than a half hour after discovering the disgusting conditions as well as other outrageous actions in the Torrington case.

Instead of information, interested parties were told that no details of the Torrington case—or any other case—would be discussed because of the need for confidentiality of the children involved. They were then treated to a dog-and-pony slide show about how DCF operates in general.

DCF Chief of Staff Karl Kemper said that two-thirds of the calls to the abuse-reporting hotline that are deemed worth investigating are handled within 72 hours. Kemper said that was a good average by national standards. One doesn’t have to be a six-figure chief of staff to know that if the reports are credible, the children involved easily could dead within 72 hours. The Shad doesn’t care about national averages—nor should anyone else.

There are some specifics about this entire situation that are unbelievable. First, Human Services committee Chairman Sen. Paul Doyle said that if the Torrington case had been specifically addressed, DCF officials could decline to appear. In fact, Commissioner Susan Hamilton didn’t show. Is Sen. Doyle not aware that legislative committees have subpoena power? Yes, it should be used only in the most extreme cases, but what is more extreme than the abuse of children?

Secondly, the Hartford Courant reported that state Child Advocate Jeannie Milstein (a gem among public servants) told the committee that her staff had found four situations in which apparently credible child-neglect complaints to the DCF hotline were simply dismissed. She called DCF one of the country’s best-funded child protection agencies with relatively low caseloads and highly paid workers, and said its failures stem from how its staff implements policies — not with the policies themselves.

Thirdly, state Sen. Ed Meyer got it right when he walked out of the hearing and called it “a sham.” How is it that Sen. Doyle and Sen. Meyer, both Democrats in the same caucus, were not on the same page as to the purpose and structure of the hearing?

And finally (and most importantly), Gov. Rell and Commissioner Hamilton have moved to have federal court oversight of DCF ended. They have got to be kidding. Rell is on her way out and Hamilton should go before her. When the state asked the court to end its oversight back in April, Hamilton said, “I am proud of the condition our system is in now.” For that alone, she should resign. The system is an abomination and fails the very most vulnerable in our society—the children.

Former Democratic State Party Chairman John Droney’s segment with Republican Chairman Chris Healy on Channel 3’s “Face the State” aired Sunday morning—an interview from which current Dem Chairman Nancy DiNardo distanced herself immediately after word got out about what Droney said. She should run as far and as fast as she can from that interview.

The mini-controversy arose after Droney taped the sit down with Healy and host Dennis House Thursday night. House, whose show is at times so compelling it makes news before airing, reported on his blog that Droney basically said the party should say “no thanks” to the possibility that President Obama and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi might come to Connecticut. Healy apparently was all for the idea, saying it would help Republican candidates.

DiNardo was asked to appear on the show Thursday morning (it tapes Thursday night) but she had a family commitment she said she could not break. She told The Shad she suggested Droney when asked by House for a substitute. “He asked me for a ‘Democratic voice’ and I suggested Droney,” DiNardo said. “And that’s just who he is—a Democrat with a point of view. It just so happens the state central committee does not share his point of view. He doesn’t speak for the party,” she said. “We absolutely welcome President Obama. Of course he will help our candidates.” As for Pelosi? “That’s really up to the individual candidate for Congress. I know of no offer by her to come to Connecticut.”

It has already been reported that President Obama is coming to the state next month. Details are still to come.

As for an overall observation, Droney’s appearance was disastrous for Democrats. First, he is not TV-friendly as it pertains to appearance. Disheveled and titled to the left as if he was about to fall off the chair, Droney looks like he borrowed Doc Brown’s flux capacitor to return to 1990. Today’s Democrats in Connecticut owe a debt of gratitude to Droney for his long-time service to the party. He’s also a brilliant lawyer. Now just keep him off TV.

As for content, Droney said if he was running for US Senate, he’d “go negative all the time.” Wonderful. He also left unchallenged Healy’s characterization of actual US Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal as “a pathological fraud.” And he let slide Healy’s Freudian slip when talking about Linda McMahon. Healy said, “There are [also] plenty of Democrats who have tried to buy….” It was clear he was about to acknowledge McMahon was trying to buy a US Senate seat but Droney was either asleep or trying to think up his next clever comment for his buddy Healy.

Healy must have sensed an unworthy “spin” opponent in Droney because he even was allowed to perpetuate the lie that Blumenthal pledged not to accept PAC money in the US Senate race. He never pledged any such thing—never.

And just for measure, Droney really endeared himself to the host, telling House that even he, House, could get noticed if he spent $25 million as McMahon has. Nice job.

There was a point at which The Shad thought clowns like Glenn Beck were simply showmen who had found a niche and exploited it all the way to the bank. After the events of this past weekend, it’s now clear the former KC-101 (101.3 FM-New Haven) disc jockey is a fairly dangerous presence in the ever-growing, right-wing domination of the media.

Beck brought tens of thousands of people to the Washington Mall for a “Restore Honor” rally. It was the 47th anniversary of the civil rights March on Washington led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who gave his now famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The rally was an exercise in free speech and free assembly.

However, Beck’s incomprehensible, incoherent appearance on Fox News Sunday morning was a stunning display of ignorance and buffoonery that seriously damaged the credibility of the so-called “real news” reporting of Fox which we are constantly told should be separated from “commentary.” Chris Wallace—considered by The Shad to be a serious journalist until now—interviewed Beck in what was billed as an “exclusive” interview. Beck is under contract to Fox News and it’s doubtful he’d be allowed to be interview by any other outlet.

In the interview, Beck was barely coherent when asked to explain the meaning of the rally, his role in the media and his admission that saying President Obama had was a racist who had a deep hatred of white people was wrong and that “people shouldn’t act that way.”

Fox News executives who had any hope of appearing like a serious news organization should be appalled this morning. The interview was clumsily edited and an embarrassing display in general.

The Shad watches Fox News from time to time if only to check out what the opposing viewpoint is. But now it has so blurred the line between “commentary” and “news,” that it’s become a parody of itself.

Oh, and Glenn Beck has a constitutional right to be an ass-clown.

It was a great week and another year is in the books for the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament. Your faithful Shad took the week to work the event as stadium announcer and player-gazer. Some last observations:
• It’s the last year of sponsorship by Pilot Pen Corp. PPC Chairman Emeritus Ron Shaw, a key figure in keeping the tournament in New Haven for the last 15 years, was on-hand at the closing ceremonies to tell everyone it wasn’t his fault the company was beating feet. Pilot Pen’s corporate office in Japan pulled the plug. At least we know who to blame.
• Caroline Wozniacki is as sweet as she seems. Hence the song I played for her every time she won (she is undefeated in New Haven). I’ll be rooting for her in the US Open.
• Most of the players are nice and personable. Some are insufferable.
• Maria Kirilenko is as beautiful as Anna Kournakova and she can actually play.
• Dave Soloman (New Haven Register), Paul Doyle and Lori Riley (Hartford Courant) were daily must-reads covering the event.
• New England Sound is the company to go to for sound systems.
• Tennis Chair Umpire Lynn Welch is the nicest sports official I’ve ever met. If I was a player, I’d have a hard time yelling at her, a la John McEnroe.