We’re less than a year away from the 2014 midterm election, but we’re still wrapping up a major story from the last congressional election. One of the key figures in the Chris Donovan scandal involving illegal campaign contributions was sentenced on Monday.
It Pays to Be a Rat
Former union leader Ray Soucy was sentenced to six months in a halfway house and six months probation. It’s a much more lenient punishment than those handed down to other people involved in the scheme to kill roll-your-own cigarette legislation in exchange for campaign contributions.
Why was it more lenient? It was largely because he cooperated with the government once he was caught. “This was almost like an army recruiting commercial for being an informant. Be all you can be, be a rat,” said Colin McEnroe, who added that the enthusiasm that Soucy had for wearing a wire also may have played a role.
Read more:
Soucy sentenced to halfway house in campaign scandal (The Connecticut Mirror)
He Talked, He Walked: Too Bad Soucy Won't See Jail (Hartford Courant)
___________________________________________
Executive Summary of Sandy Hook Elementary School Report Expected
Next week, we expect the big news to be the Sedensky report on last year’s shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. State Attorney Stephen Sedensky III will release a highly redacted “executive summary” of his findings into what happened on December 14, 2012.
Governor Dannel Malloy has been publicly frustrated by the delay. The last time Malloy appeared on Where We Live in August he said, “What’s important is that it be accurate. I want this report done - I am assured that it will be done in the fall.”
Flash forward to last week when Malloy told reporters, “This has gone on longer than any of us would have liked and certainly is not representative of how I would have handled the timing of this report.”
While the Sedensky summary will be released next week, there is no word on when the much longer police report will be done. Attorney Dan Klau spoke on Where We Live and said that normally the police report comes first and then the State Attorney releases its report. This time around, the process has been inversed. On his blog, Klau said:
This state of affairs is unacceptable. Given the magnitude of this investigation, it could be many many months before the State Police believe that they have truly “completed” their investigation. The State Police need to release what they have now. They can supplement their report if the investigation reveals further details. The public has waited long enough.
Read more:
Newtown shooting report, many questions (News-Times)
To Whom Is State's Attorney Stephen Sedensky Accountable? (Appealingly Brief!)
Still Keeping Public in the Dark About Sandy Hook(Hartford Courant)
___________________________________________
Casinos Bet on Black, Land on Red
Last night, the residents of Milford, MA rejected a $1 billion proposal by Foxwoods for a casino in that community. It’s yet another location that doesn’t want a casino in their backyard. “Most Massachusetts residents would like a shorter drive to a gambling resort, but not too short,” wrote The Boston Globe’s Mark Arsenault.
Massachusetts came up with the plan to issue three casino resort licenses in a hope to get some of Connecticut’s gambling revenue. But residents are showing that they’d rather keep the casinos out than to receive the revenue. On Where We Live, The Hartford Courant’s Matthew Sturdevant, WNPR’s Colin McEnroe and David Panagore discuss the impact of casinos on the budgets and character of Massachusetts communities.
Read more:
Milford Voters Reject Foxwoods' Casino Proposal (WBUR)
Milford vote could change the game in casino quest(Boston Globe)
Foxwoods vastly outspends opponents in runup to Milford casino vote(Boston Globe)
