CT Democratic Leaders Criticize Republicans On Lamont Powers

CONNECTICUT — State Senate Democratic leaders criticized a letter sent by legislative Republican leaders

“We are of the opinion that these declarations and issues pertaining to these declarations merit a discussion in public. Thus, we request that the Public Health Emergency Committee meet, discuss and potentially vote on the declarations,” Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly and House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora wrote to Democratic leaders.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced that he will extend the state’s public health and civil preparedness emergencies to April 20. The emergencies were set to expire in February and had previously been extended in September. The orders give Lamont broad power to respond to the pandemic and modify or close businesses. He signed numerous executive orders in March and April 2020 when the pandemic was unfolding in Connecticut, but has since slowed down and hasn’t sign an order in a month and a half.

The General Assembly is in full swing and more than 2,000 bills have been proposed and public hearings are being held remotely due to the pandemic, the Democratic leaders said in their letter.

“If Republicans get their way and end this state of emergency there will be dire consequences for our state,” wrote Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee Mary Daugherty Abrams. “Connecticut is currently receiving hundreds of millions of federal dollars because we are in a state of emergency. If that ends we risk missing out on hundreds of millions more."

The Democratic group also said Connecticut could lose access to some vaccine supply if the emergency powers were ended.

Candelora said he was disappointed with the Democratic contingent.

"I'm shocked by their eagerness to let Governor Lamont maintain his unfettered control of the state's affairs, and I'm disappointed for the many Connecticut residents and business owners who over and over feel the brunt of the majority party's arrogance," he said in a statement.

Republican leaders called for a compromise earlier in the week on Lamont’s emergency powers. The proposed compromises included a full legislative vote if Lamont wants to extend his powers again, a 10-day warning for businesses when capacity is reduced or they are ordered to close and an elimination on the cap of people who can attend a worship service.

Kelly and Candelora said they still wanted Lamont to have emergency powers, but some issues should be taken up by the legislature.

Earlier in the week Lamont said it was the prerogative of the legislature to modify or eliminate any of his executive orders they don’t like.