When M. Jodi Rell became governor of Connecticut on July 1, 2004, she promised to be a different kind of governor -- a governor who would end business as usual in state government.
That promise, as Rell replaced the disgraced John Rowland, endeared Rell to Connecticut voters -- so much so that they elected her governor last November in a landslide.
But promising to end business as usual has been easier than actually doing it, especially when it comes to Rell's chief of staff and longtime aide, Lisa Moody.
Moody keeps stumbling into ethics controversies by using her state office and her clout as Rell's chief of staff for political purposes. And Rell keeps making excuses for Moody.
Last year, the Moody controversy involved the pressure she put on the heads of state agencies to solicit contributions for the Rell campaign, which is prohibited by state law.
This year, the Moody controversy involves Moody's use of a state databank of names and addresses of the directors of arts and tourism groups to solicit campaign contributions for the Rell campaign.
For months, Rell stonewalled requests by legislators for explanations of what was done and who did it. The governor's spokesman actually claimed no one could remember the details of this political activity run on state time and taxpayer money.
[...]
This is unacceptable. Rell promised a change from business as usual, and that's what the people of Connecticut expect.
Rell needs to clean up her own office, starting with the replacement of Lisa Moody.
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On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
As more details of ethical problems in Gov. Rowland-Rell's administration emerge, the Danbury News-Times calls for governor's chief of staff, Lisa Moody to be fired.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
