Malloy says: I know, let’s finish off the effectiveness of the government watchdog agencies…

Feb 13

jonpeltoBen Barnes (OPM Secretary), Ethics, Freedom of Information, Malloy, Office of State Ethics, State Budget, State Elections Enforcement Commission, State Politics , , , , 7 Comments

In his first budget, Governor Malloy went a long way toward undermining the effectiveness of Connecticut’s landmark Freedom of Information Commission, Office of State Ethics, State Elections Enforcement Commission and Connecticut’s other watch dog and good government agencies by merging them into a single agency, reducing their resources and giving financial control to a political appointee.

Although he somehow forgot to mention it during his speech last week, Malloy’s new state budget plan takes another giant leap forward in his effort to destroy Connecticut’s once stellar standing as having one of the best good government programs in the nation.

The CTMirror has the details in an article entitled “Howls as Malloy tries to shorten leash on watchdogs,” but the quote of the day goes to Malloy’s Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, Ben Barnes, who says of the proposal to destroy the remaining independence of the watchdog agencies, “There is nothing insidious about this.”

As quoted in the CTMirror article, James H. Smith, president of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information explains, “These proposals can only be explained as an effort to gain control over the guarantors of transparency and integrity in government…We ask why the Malloy administration is determined to emasculate the independent watchdogs?”

As the CTMirror explains, “Malloy’s plan would give a gubernatorial appointee, the executive director of the Office of Government Accountability, the authority to assign and discipline lawyers whose duties could include investigating Malloy or some future governor.”

The CTMirror summarizes the situation noting, “The change would remove a layer of political insulation that protects the agencies and the governor: The watchdogs are free of executive influence, real or perceived; and the governor’s office is protected against accusations of protecting friends or punishing enemies.”

Imagine what the Democrats would be saying if a Republican governor made such an outrageous proposal.

I bet if we listen carefully, we can hear John Rowland laughing…

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  • buygoldandprosper

    Ben Barnes wife, Tania Barnes, almost got her brother a job in Stamford but that was not worng…at least according to Ben and Tania. Business as usual, perhaps, in their town of Bridgeport. Stamford was “wrong” to pursue the matter.

    Dan Malloy got his wife a cush job running a small non-profit in Stamford, and later a REALLY cush job in Hartford, but that was not wrong…at least according to Hartford rules. Dan also got his son an internship for a lobbying firm but that is not wrong…if nobody questions it.

    Dan came close to getting outed with is house construction but the right questions were not asked of the right people. Those in the know quietly laughed, as perhaps Dan, at the impotence of “investigators”

    As time goes by with Dan at the helm, the more Dan looks like John Kasich or Al D’Amato. But for his lean physique, I would have said he is another fat-pig Rowland…Suffice it to say, Dan is just another sleazy Connecticut political hack.

    His goal to eliminate ANY watchdog agency, for whatever lame reason he and his cronies come up with, is Nixon-esque. It fits Dan…the man who would be King.

    • JMC

      They have learned well from their Chicagoan preceptors

  • TB Black

    There is only one reason to destroy the watch dog system we had – to keep them from watching. What is Dan the Tax Man Malloy hiding? Or, what does he want to hide?

  • Sleepless in Bridgeport

    I am listening………..soon I am going to be Sleepless in Canada! Look at big picture. Connecticut has had everything except the Last Rites. Our city schools are shot. Malloy I hear is ready to start a new energy program that will harvest the hot wind eminating from himself, Barnes, Adamowski, Finch, and the biggest windbag in the US, Paul (I am the greatest….just ask me) Vallas.

  • buygoldandpropser

    “Hitler demanded dictatorial powers so he could rise above party squabbling and
    get moving on policies to reduce unemployment…”

    I just read this line and thought about Connecticut’s Man Who Would Be King. Dan has a “vision” of government that is…well, for the good of Dan.

    Potentates are like that.

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  • sharewhut

    Karnack, holding envelope to his turbaned forehead:

    “3 to 6″

    Ed McMahon:

    Three….To….Six…”

    Karnack ( sideways glance at Ed) opening envelope:

    “Danny Malloy’s time served in Loretto, followed by his time slot on WTIC”

    Ed (slapping his knee): ” Hawrh, hawrh, hawrh! Right you are, oh one of incalculable prescience!!!”