Student stabbed in eye with flagpole at Yale

Jewish Yale student journalist stabbed in the eye with Palestinian flag during protest | New York Post | Ronny Reyes:

April 21, 2024 - "A Jewish Yale University student journalist reporting on an anti-Israeli protest at the Ivy League school Saturday night was stabbed in the eye with a Palestinian flag – while her assailant has gone unpunished.

"Sahar Tartak, the editor-in-chief of the Yale Free Press, was covering the protest – which saw hundreds of students camping at the campus in support of Palestinians – when she was suddenly surrounded by demonstrators. Tartak said she and a friend were singled out for wearing Hasidic Jewish attire as the crowd formed a blockade around them to interfere with their filming.

“'There’s hundreds of people taunting me and waving the middle finger at me, and then this person waves a Palestinian flag in my face and jabs it in my eye,' Tartak told The Post. 'When I tried to yell and go after him, the protesters got in a line and stopped me,' she added.

"Tartak, who was shopping for an eyepatch when speaking with The Post, said she tried to report the assault to campus police but that they told her there was nothing they could do. Instead, she just got an ambulance ride to the hospital to get her eye checked out....

"Stop Antisemitism, a nonprofit watchdog group, has shared an image Tartak took of the demonstrator who jabbed her in the eye, asking the public to help identify him. Yale officials said the university’s police department is investigating the assault and that the school tolerates no violence on its campus."

Read more: https://nypost.com/2024/04/21/us-news/jewish-yale-student-stabbed-in-the-eye-with-palestinian-flag-during-protest/

Photo courtesy New York Post.

Jewish Yale student jabbed in eye with flag pole by anti-Israel protesters | Jerusalem Post - Michael Starr: 

April 21, 2024 - "Tartak reported the assault to campus police, but she is unaware of any action taken besides calling an ambulance for her. She was discharged from the hospital and will not suffer permanent damage. Mentally, however, Tartak said, she was in an 'awful' state. Returning to campus has become a daunting prospect, as she says, 'All these students know who I am'....

"Tartak said that she told officers that they should disband the encampment, but they responded that they needed authorization. Tartak noted that the police were outnumbered, with only 7 officers to police hundreds of activists. 

"Yalies for Palestine and American Muslims for Palestine Connecticut said on social media that they had succeeded on Saturday because no arrests had been made during their protests, which began on Friday in response to attempts to remove a similar encampment at Columbia University."

Read more: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-798092

Connecticut lifts some Covid restrictions

Connecticut dramatically rolls back COVID restrictions, allowing full indoor dining, increased entertainment and sports capacity; travel ban lifted | Hartford Courant - Emily Brindley, Eliza Fawcett, and Alex Putterman: 

March 4. 2021 - "Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday announced that he will roll back COVID-related restrictions in Connecticut starting March 19, including allowing restaurants to operate at full capacity, loosening rules on sports and entertainment venues and lifting the state’s travel ban. The state will maintain some key measures, including a mask mandate, social distancing rules, a curfew for restaurants and the closure of all bars. 

"Restaurants, retail stores, houses of worship and other businesses will be allowed to reopen at full capacity, within the confines of the remaining rules. Sports will be allowed to resume fully, with outdoor venues permitted up to 50% capacity, capped at 10,000 visitors, and indoor venues permitted up to 10% capacity. Travelers will still be recommended to quarantine after arriving in Connecticut, but they will not be required to do so....

"Lamont emphasized that Connecticut had not gone as far as Mississippi and Texas, states which drew sharp criticism from President Joe Biden after revoking their mask mandates.... Still, Connecticut’s new plan defies guidance from Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who recommended earlier this week that states move slowly in reopening.... Lamont said that he looked at other states’ reopening approaches. Massachusetts, for instance, recently announced a similar reopening plan, including lifting capacity caps at restaurants.....

• "Beginning on March 19, Connecticut restaurants will be permitted to move from 50% capacity to 100% capacity, with social distancing and mask requirements still in place.... Restaurants will also have an 11 p.m. curfew for on-site dining, and tables will be limited to a maximum of eight patrons. Bars that only serve beverages will still not be permitted to open at all.... 
• Retail stories, offices, houses of worship, gyms, libraries, person services such as nail and hair salons will all be allowed to reopen at full capacity on March 19. Masks and social distancing will be required....
• Lamont’s reopening plan also significantly opens up the playing field for sports teams. According to Lamont’s plan, all sports teams will be allowed to fully practice and compete — including in tournaments — beginning on March 19.... As of April 2, indoor sports venues will be allowed to open at 10% capacity and outdoor event venues will be able to increase to 50% capacity, capped at 10,000 people.

"Lamont’s emergency powers are set to expire April 20, but the governor said Thursday some of his executive orders — such as masking — will likely need to be continued beyond April 20. The governor implied that he does not plan to extend his emergency powers but that he will work with the legislature on those issues."

Read more: https://www.courant.com/coronavirus/hc-news-coronavirus-daily-updates-0304-20210304-56d7cbx6k5da7auqqroznhhdfa-story.html

A libertarian in the Democratic primary

Yes, there’s a candidate for president from Connecticut - CTInsider.com - Jordan Fenster:

December 18, 2019 - "Mark Stewart is running for president of the United States, but he knows he won’t win. That said, he’s officially on the ballot....  Vermont approved his ballot application — he submitted a petition with 1,200 names on the list — and he’ll be running in the Democratic primary for sure in New Hampshire and California. Rhode Island is still a hurdle, but he’s confident he’ll make it on that state’s ballot, too....

"Stewart knows that winning the presidency is 'unrealistic,' but his goal is not actually a victory. What he wants is for 'an outsider, for a free-market Libertarian, to voice issues within the primary process,' to 'roll back socialism and try to extinguish the leftist lurch that leaders in the [D]emocrat [P]arty have.' 'I don’t believe your average Democrat voter really buys into all the big government promises that these televised candidates want,' he said.

"Stewart is also vying to be the Libertarian Party’s choice for vice president, and hopes that running for president will help him be seen as a fighter.... But Stewart said his primary goal is to inspire other potential candidates. 'I know there will be other candidates for state house seats and maybe even congressional seats that have until now felt stymied,' he said. 'We need more people running for offices. if more candidates are in the mix we get better public servants.'

"Stewart — whose full name is Mark Stewart Greenstein — is originally from West Hartford, where he still calls home.... This is not the first time he’s run a long-shot campaign.... Four years ago, he was on the ballot in Rhode Island, for the sole purpose of beating Hillary Clinton.... He ran for Senate in New York — also for the stated purpose of beating Clinton — in 2006. This year, he tried for the 5th Connecticut State Senate District, and garnered ... 51 votes. In 2018 he ran an unsuccessful bid for Connecticut governor, against Ned Lamont. He qualified for the November ballot, but ... received only 0.1 percent of the vote....

"Stewart is currently trying to form a new political party he calls EPIC, an acronym for 'Every Politically Independent Citizen.' The new party will run a convention in August. Stewart’s last primary in this election cycle will be when Rhode Islanders go to the polls on April 28, 2020..... That will give his EPIC party enough time to register any candidates for office who have become disillusioned with the major parties, he said.

"As for why he’s running as a Democrat, in the Democratic primary, Stewart said it’s because 'they need the most help.' 'They are so wayward in their leadership,' he said. 'They give rise to leftism, which I will define as people who want to take America down.".

Read more: https://www.ctinsider.com/local/ctpost/article/Yes-there-s-a-candidate-for-president-from-14916126.php
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Meriden CT Libertarians win fight to get on ballot

Libertarian candidates win fight for ballot access in Meriden - Mary Ellen Godin, Meriden Record-Journal:

October `4, 2019 - " Libertarian candidates Roger and Ellen Misbach settled a lawsuit against the Secretary of the State, and their names will appear on the November mayoral and City Council ballot. Roger Misbach sued the Secretary of the State’s office and Secretary Denise Merrill for denying ballot access to the Misbachs over filing requirements.

"The parties settled the matter the day before an Oct. 10 court hearing. Roger Misbach will appear on the ballot as the Libertarian Party’s mayoral candidate and Ellen Misbach as the City Council Area 4 candidate. A post on the Meriden Libertarians’ Facebook page thanks the state 'for doing what parties ought to in litigation — try and resolve their differences.'

"The husband and wife were originally named as placeholder candidates for the purposes of generating enough signatures to meet the state’s filing deadlines, according to the lawsuit. Third parties often run placeholder candidates to allow time to get signatures before a party’s nominating convention, they said.

"After submitting the required number of signatures to petition for a spot on the ballot in August, the state Libertarian Party nominated its candidates: Roger Misbach for mayor and Ellen Misbach as a City Council candidate in Area 4.  According to the lawsuit, the party sent the Secretary of the State’s office notification of its slate of candidates after the convention and before the Sept. 4 deadline. But the information did not match the earlier placeholder information and the state denied them ballot access over the discrepancy.

The lawsuit outlined the difficulties third parties face to gain ballot access, calling the petition process “arcane and outdated.” Candidates can’t use online resources and must seek invasive personal information from signers. The process poses an arbitrary burden and cost on town clerks and election officials and introduces unnecessary and costly delays into all steps of the electoral process, the lawsuit stated....

"The Libertarians wanted a mayoral candidate to challenge unaffiliated incumbent Mayor Kevin Scarpati, who they accuse of blocking ballot access to third parties.... Scarpati and the city settled a lawsuit with the Libertarian Party for $37,000 for their roles in preventing Libertarian and other third-party candidates from collecting signatures at the city’s Daffodil Festival in Hubbard Park in 2018. In addition to the costs, the city agreed not to interfere in ballot petition drives."

Read more: http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Libertarian-candidates-back-on-Meriden-ballot.html
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2 Meriden CT Libertarians cut from ballot

Two Libertarian candidates in Meriden denied ballot access - Mary Ellen Godin, Meriden Record-Journal:

September 25, 2019 — "Two Libertarian candidates won’t be on November’s ballot after the Secretary of the State’s office rejected their state party’s endorsement letters.

"According to Roger Misbach, the Libertarian party had gathered enough petitions to put a placeholder, his wife Ellen Misbach, on the ballot for mayor. Roger Misbach originally intended to run for a City Council seat in Area 4, but after learning that incumbent Mayor Kevin Scarpati was running unopposed at the time, he decided to run for mayor. Scarpati, who is not affiliated with any party, has since been challenged by Republican Ernestine Holloway, a petitioning candidate....

"The state Libertarian Party sent endorsement letters to the Secretary of the State’s office for Roger Misbach for mayor and Ellen Misbach for Area 4, different than what the submitted petitions had read. 'We didn’t put that one candidate (Ellen) was ‘withdrawing’ and ‘replaced with’ in there,' Misbach said.

"The Misbachs were approved to appear on the ballot, but on Sept. 18 Party Chairman Dan Reale received an email from the Secretary of the State’s office saying the names on the petitions differed from the state party’s endorsement letters and they would not be on the ballot....

"Misbach and the state Libertarian Party intend to challenge the decision, despite it being too late for November’s election, he said. 'There is no statute we can find that says the letter has to be drafted that way,' Misbach said. “Obviously it’s somebody’s interpretation. This happens to the Independent and other third parties'....

"A spokesman for the Secretary of the State’s office said the office received petitions for one candidate and endorsements for another. A withdrawal in writing or even crossing off one name and adding another before the deadline would have sufficed....

"The party's position is that we have used placeholder candidates for decades and had no issue doing so,” Reale said in an e-mail. 'What was done — arbitrarily denying any Libertarian Party candidate ballot access for either position, is downright arbitrary and unconstitutional. The party has adopted a zero tolerance policy for these sort of things because they have continued to waste valuable resources and time we could otherwise spend campaigning and giving the voters a choice they want and the relief they desperately have waited for.'

"Libertarian candidate Richard Cordero is on the ballot in the Area 1 City Council race."

Read more: http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Libertarian-candidates-denied-ballot-access.html
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Mayoral candidates in CT & NY join Libertarians

Hartford mayoral candidate Aaron Lewis changes party affiliation from Democrat to Libertarian - Hartford Courant - Rebecca Lurye:

September 18, 2019 - "Aaron Lewis, a candidate for Hartford mayor, is changing his party affiliation from Democratic to Libertarian, he announced this week. The publisher and ghostwriter said that historically, 'the Democratic Party has posed itself as the party for African Americans and minorities throughout the United States.' 'After careful consideration, I’ve concluded that is untrue and that the loyalty that people of color [have] had to the party has been counterproductive,' Lewis said Tuesday.

"Lewis is the founder and director of The Scribe’s Institute, a literacy organization, and president and CEO of The Scribe’s Ink, a ghostwriting service. He said he was primarily driven to leave the Democratic Party by the state of Hartford Public Schools, which lag far behind the state but also trail Connecticut’s other urban districts.... Democrats, in leadership in Hartford since 1971, are responsible for the city’s educational failures, Lewis said....

"Lewis was unsuccessful in gathering enough signatures to participate in the Democratic primary earlier this month.... However, Lewis did collect enough signatures to participate in the Nov. 5 general election."
Read more: https://www.courant.com/community/hartford/hc-pol-hartford-mayors-race-aaron-lewis-party-20190918-oh47pm6ucragvgabz4r6zkj4s4-story.html


Liuzzo Joins Libertarian Party - WFRA 107.9:

September 23, 2019 - "Jamestown City Councilman At Large and 2019 mayoral candidate Andrew Liuzzo has left the Republican Party to join the Libertarian Party. The announcement was made during a press conference Sunday morning with county Libertarian party officials present, along with an appearance by Larry Sharpe, 2018 Libertarian candidate for New York Governor....

"Liuzzo was elected to the city council during the 2017 election when he ran as a Republican candidate. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican Party’s endorsement for mayor earlier this year [but] after losing the primary he accepted the Libertarian party’s nomination to run as mayor under their party line on the ballot. This is the first year where a local election will feature the Libertarian Line on the ballot. The addition comes after Sharpe received at least 50,000 votes during his failed run for governor in 2018.....

"'I am grateful that the Libertarian Party recognized me as an individual that cares about the residents and holding our elected officials accountable,' Liuzzo added. 'Because of their support, I can now represent all parties and all people that want to work hard to restore a community that is one city.'”
Read more: https://www.wrfalp.com/liuzzo-joins-libertarian-party/

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Libertarian named to Bridgeport CT school board

A Libertarian is named to Bridgeport School Board - Connecticut Post - Linda Conner Lambick:

April 22, 2019 - "With only one candidate in the running, the city school board selected LaMar Kennedy, a member of the Libertarian Party, as its newest member. Kennedy, 41, is a special education teacher at Wilby High School in Waterbury. He is also head football coach and assistant boys basketball coach at the school.

"With six board members present, the vote was 5-0 with Board Member Hernan Illingworth abstaining.... Kennedy was immediately sworn in by Mark Anastasi, a city attorney.

"Kennedy was one of six candidates when the board chose Joe Lombard to fill a vacancy in February. This time around, the pool of candidates was restricted to Liberarians, the party that Ben Walker — the member who resigned — had quietly switched to after he was elected in 2015. Walker was a Democrat when elected. Walker resigned unexpectedly on March 25.

"The city charter requires the unexpired term to be filled by a city resident of the same party as the departed member, according to city and board attorneys. According to the Registrar of Voters, there were only 31 voters in the city registered as Libertarians two weeks ago. Kennedy became a member of the Libertarian party in February.

"As a political party, Libertarians support political freedom and autonomy. It is said to be the third largest party in the United States. Its members support a free-market economy, civil liberties and personal freedom. Kennedy said it was the party that best represents his middle of the road values....

"Kennedy will fill the seat until general elections are held in November. If the board had failed to make the selection by April 25, the decision would have gone to the mayor, who would also have had to choose a Libertarian to fill the vacancy."

Read more: https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/A-Libertarian-is-named-to-Bridgeport-School-Board-13786661.php
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Cannabis legalization bill introduced in Connecticut

Connecticut legislators have introduced the first legal marijuana bill of 2019. Here’s what it would do. - Hartford Courant - Russel Blair:

January 18, 2019 - "More than 40 House Democrats have introduced Connecticut’s first marijuana legalization bill.... Previous recreational marijuana bills have failed, but lawmakers have an increased sense of urgency this year with bigger Democratic margins in the General Assembly, a new governor who is supportive and legal sales across the border in Massachusetts.

"The proposed bill dictates that sales would be limited to customers who are 21 and older and that medical marijuana dispensaries would be given the first licensees to sell recreational pot. The drug would be taxed, but the legislation does not include a specific tax rate. People who have criminal convictions for marijuana possession would have their records wiped clean....

"A portion of the money raised from the tax on marijuana would go toward drug awareness education, drug-prevention officers in schools and substance abuse treatment programs....

"The Department of Consumer Protection, which oversees the state’s medical marijuana program, would regulate the recreational program, too. Marijuana of a certain potency would have to be labeled as such and packaged in child-safe materials....

"DUI laws would apply if a driver had 'at least five nanograms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per milliliter in his or her blood' or had consumed marijuana in the previous two hours....

"State residents would be allowed to grow up to six plants for personal use, according to the proposed bill. Marijuana would have to be transported in a sealed container and public consumption of recreational marijuana would be prohibited. Delivery of the drug directly to consumers would be allowed, but marketing and advertising of marijuana would be against the law....

"25 percent of licenses for growers, processes, wholesales and retailers of recreational marijuana would have to be in enterprise zones, which are located in poorer cities and towns.

"Gov. Ned Lamont has said he will make marijuana legalization a priority, but it’s unclear if there is sufficient support in the legislature to pass a bill this year.... A legalization bill passed a legislative committee last year but was not called for a vote in either chamber."

Read more: https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-connecticut-recreational-marijuana-bill-20190118-gitfeoypfbfp7dwoixl2qfdhce-story.html
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City pays Libertarians $37K for petition shutdown

Jon Lender: Legal Mess Endures Months After Meriden Mayor Had Cops Oust Libertarians From Park - Hartford Courant:

September 7, 2018 - "Minor political parties’ candidates must jump through hoops to get on the election ballot in Connecticut. State law requires them to submit petitions containing thousands of voters’ signatures.... [G]aining ballot access is hard enough without a public official deciding to send the police to chase away party volunteers who are peacefully collecting such petition signatures in a public park.

"But that’s what happened on the sunny Saturday morning of April 28 to Rod Hanscomb, the Libertarian Party’s candidate for governor, and a few companions who were helping him collect ballot petition signatures from passers-by at the entrance to the annual Daffodil Festival in Meriden’s Hubbard Park. Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati walked past them and, not long afterward, a police lieutenant approached and told the Libertarians that they had to leave....

"The incident continues to fester today in a Superior Court lawsuit filed three months ago by the Libertarian Party’s state chairman, Dan Reale. He’s named Scarpati as the defendant and is claiming violations of his constitutional rights of free speech and assembly.... Reale said that partly because of being thrown out of Hubbard Park, the Libertarians ended up having to spend tens of thousands of dollars — as much as $50,000 — to supplement their volunteer efforts by paying people to collect signatures, and to hire a fundraising consultant.

"He said that now the state Libertarian Party organization has intervened legally to enter the lawsuit as a second plaintiff, and, during so-far-unsuccessful discussions of a possible settlement, has requested $50,000 in compensation."
Read more: http://www.courant.com/politics/government-watch/hc-pol-lender-libertarian-lawsuit-20180905-story.html

Jon Lender: 'Go After The First Amendment, You'll Pay The Price' — $37K To Settle Lawsuit Against Meriden Mayor - Hartford Courant:

September 28, 2018 - "The city of Meriden has paid $37,000 to settle a First Amendment lawsuit against Mayor Kevin Scarpati over his April 28 order that police oust members of the Libertarian Party, including its state chairman and gubernatorial candidate, from Hubbard Park, where they were circulating ballot petitions.

"'The First Amendment actually matters. We have confirmed that this isn’t Soviet Russia,' Dan Reale, the Libertarian Party state chairman, said Thursday after he and the party’s lawyer filed papers to withdraw the Superior Court action that had been filed in June. 'So, you go after the First Amendment, you'll pay the price'....

"Reale said that a Sept. 7 Government Watch column, which gave statewide exposure to the politically embarrassing situation for Meriden, seemed to increase the city’s willingness to settle the case."
Read more: http://www.courant.com/politics/government-watch/hc-pol-lender-libertarian-lawsuit-20180905-story.html
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CT cannabis activists demonstrate for stalled bill

Marijuana Legalization Effort in Connecticut Is Running Out of Time - A.J. Herrington, High Times:

May 7, 2018 - "The marijuana legalization effort in Connecticut is running out of time, as this year’s legislative session winds to a close this week. Lawmakers have until May 9 to pass a bill pending in the House of Representatives. But that doesn’t seem likely....

"Last month, the House Appropriations Committee voted 27-24 to support the measure and send it to the full House. If passed, the bill alone would not technically legalize cannabis. But it would direct several state agencies to form a plan to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana in the state. The law also includes provisions for the creation of substance abuse prevention, treatment, and awareness programs.

"At that time, House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz did not commit to bringing the measure up for a vote by the full body.... However, the Speaker did indicate that the legislature needs to act on the matter....

"In an effort to spur action on the legislation, cannabis advocates demonstrated at the Capitol in Hartford on Sunday.... The state chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) organized the demonstration. Avery Press, a spokesperson for Connecticut NORML, said the activists hoped the legislature makes the bill a priority.

"'Our mission with this rally is to bring attention to HB 5394 and educate the community about cannabis legalization, so they can urge their legislators to vote favorably, on this issue before the end of the session,' Press said.

"The activists also hope to change people’s perceptions about cannabis.

"'We’re not just stoners,” Press said. 'We’re here today to try and break that stigma. The majority of people want legalization in this state and we are hoping our voices are being heard today by the legislators.'

"Keith Wainwright of Stratford was one of the demonstrators at the rally....'I just don’t get it,' Wainwright said. 'You can buy a pack of cigarettes and right on the pack it has a message saying: "Warning: cigarette smoking can kill you" – but it’s perfectly legal to smoke cigarettes. It’s perfectly legal to drink alcohol which also can be harmful.'"

Read more: https://hightimes.com/news/marijuana-legalization-effort-connecticut-running-out-time/
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CT Libertarian gov. candidate outlines fiscal plan

EXCLUSIVE: Libertarian Gov Candidate on Why He’s Not Running as a Republican – Reclaim Connecticut:

March 19, 2018 - "Rod Hanscomb is not the typical gubernatorial candidate in Connecticut. He talks about why Washington, typically considered a blue state, could be a model for Connecticut’s path to an economic comeback. He criticizes some Republicans for not being true fiscal conservatives.

"And, perhaps most consequentially, he’s a conservative who’s not running as a Republican in the 2018 race for governor. Instead, Hanscomb is opting for a libertarian run....

"Hanscomb grew up in Connecticut, attended Stamford High School, and lives in Stamford now. In between, though, [Hanscomb], an ex-military man, lived in Washington state, the Seattle area, 'for 20-plus years'.... 'When I left Connecticut back in ’85, we had the highest incomes in the country,' Hanscomb added. 'Coming back here four years ago,' he said, 'it was kinda surprising, or I hadn’t realized, how much the energy had kinda died in this state.'

"What happened while Hanscomb was gone? Well, he points out, the income tax.... Hanscomb’s prescription for Connecticut then?

• First: 'We need to drastically cut spending.' 'There’s a lot of obstacles to it,' Hanscomb said, 'but that just has to happen, in order to get these tax rates down.'
• Second, on taxes: 'We’ve just gotta get these taxes as low as possible'.... 
• Third: 'deregulating.' 'People that aren’t in small businesses or small industry don’t understand, but the amount' of regulation, Hanscomb said, 'it really stagnates the economy, it really puts a lot of pressure on smaller companies'.....

"Hanscomb expressed, at times, his frustration with Republican leadership.... 'Republican after Republican just kept saying that they don’t feel that their leaders are true fiscal conservatives anymore,' Hanscomb said, of his time on the campaign trail.... The Republicans in many ways … they just seem very gun-shy to bring up even anything that talks about spending, or reining this in,' Hanscomb later added.

"That said, Hanscomb praised the legislature, some of whom he has met. 'When you talk to them, I really get the feeling that they want what’s best for the state,' Hanscomb said. 'I think there might be something to having a third-party leader in there that wasn’t beholden to either party'....

"Hanscomb said his focus is on social media, getting on the debate stage, and calling people.
'You have to get as much media as possible,' Hanscomb said.... Hanscomb’s website is www.RodForCTGov.com."

Read more: https://reclaimct.com/exclusive-libertarian-gov-candidate-on-why-hes-not-running-as-a-republican/
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Civil forfeiture without a conviction banned in CT

Connecticut Banned Civil Forfeiture Without A Criminal Conviction - Nick Sibilla, Institute for Justice - Forbes:

July 11, 2017 - "Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy signed HB 7146 on Monday, which curbs the state’s civil forfeiture laws. Not only did the bill earn endorsements from the Yankee Institute for the Public Policy and the state chapter of the ACLU, HB 7146 even passed both the House and the Senate without a single no vote.

"Under the new law, in order to permanently confiscate property with civil forfeiture, the property must be first seized in connection to either a lawful arrest or a lawful search that results in an arrest. If prosecutors do not secure a guilty verdict, a plea bargain or a dismissal from finishing a pretrial diversion program, the government must return the property to its rightful owner.... Connecticut now becomes the 14th state to require a criminal conviction for most or all forfeiture cases.

“'Civil forfeiture is one of the most serious assaults on Americans’ private property rights,' Institute for Justice Senior Legislative Counsel Lee McGrath said. 'The bill is a solid first step to ensure that innocent people do not lose their property to this use of 17th Century admiralty law applied to the 21st Century war on drugs'....

"According to data obtained by the Institute for Justice and the Reason Foundation, police and prosecutors generated more than $17.8 million in forfeiture revenue from 2009 to 2016. Nearly two-thirds of those proceeds came from civil forfeiture cases, where the owner did not have to be convicted....

"Although civil forfeiture is often defended as a way to stop large-scale drug cartels and criminal enterprises, in Connecticut, half of all civil forfeitures were under $570 in 2016. These small amounts suggest that many victims don’t have the means to fight back against a seizure in court. The state’s conviction requirement should protect many innocent Connecticutians."

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2017/07/11/connecticut-just-banned-civil-forfeiture-without-a-criminal-conviction/#16bafd6452e7
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Libertarians end year with 38-state ballot access

The 2016 Election's Biggest Winner: Gary Johnson and The Libertarian Party? - IVN.us - W.E. Messamore:

November 12, 2016 - "The Libertarian Party is now an officially recognized party for the next election in [38] states, the highest ever for the burgeoning third party. Here’s a breakdown of the gains state by state from the LP’s website:

• The Texas LP retained ballot access with Railroad Commission candidate Mark Miller receiving over 5 percent. The party would have had to collect over 80,000 signatures to get back on the ballot if no statewide candidate received 5 percent. This will save the party approximately $220,000 in petitioning cost.
• The LP retained ballot access in North Carolina for four years with Gary Johnson and the gubernatorial candidate, Lon Cecil, each getting over 2 percent. The party would have had to collect over 100,000 signatures to get back on the ballot if neither the presidential nor gubernatorial candidate got 2 percent, saving the party approximately $250,000 in petitioning cost.
• Iowa and Kentucky LPs are recognized parties for the first time, with Gary Johnson getting over 2 percent in both states.
• The New Hampshire LP is a recognized party for the first time in two decades due to gubernatorial candidate Max Abramson getting over 4 percent.
• The DC party is recognized for the second time ever, with candidate for Delegate to the US House of Representatives Martin Moulton getting over 17,000 votes.
• The LP retained ballot access in North Dakota, with Gary Johnson getting over 6 percent.
• In Connecticut, Libertarian Dan Reale for US House in the second congressional district, Richard Lion for US Senate, and Gary Johnson for President all received over one percent of the vote. As a result, the party will not have to petition in these races in the next election.
• Massachusetts’ LP is a recognized party again, with Gary Johnson getting over 3 percent.
• West Virginia’s LP retained ballot access for four years due to David Moran receiving over 2 percent in his race for governor.

"Instant ballot access in these states’ next election, just like the Republican and Democratic parties get, is a coveted status that will save the Libertarian Party a small fortune in money, time, and energy previously wasted on petitioning efforts just to get on the ballot.

"That’s resources that can go toward more fundraising, registering more voters, campaign ads, poaching disaffected voters from the two major parties, and making the case for Libertarian policies to unaffiliated independent voters."

Read more: http://ivn.us/2016/11/12/2016-elections-biggest-winner-gary-johnson-libertarian-party/
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Melissa Joan Hart is Connecticut campaign chair for Gary Johnson

Melissa Joan Hart Joins Gary Johnson's Campaign as Connecticut Chairperson : People.com - Lindsay Kimble:

September 27, 2016 - "Melissa Joan Hart ... tells PEOPLE Now that she's joined Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson's presidential campaign as the Connecticut Chairperson.

"'I want to break away from this two-party system and I think it's important for people to know that there's another candidate out there who really toes the line between Democrat and Republican,' says Hart, who has a home in Connecticut. 'I mean he's Libertarian. But socially he's liberal, but fiscally conservative.'

"Johnson, 63, is the former governor of New Mexico – a position he held from 1995 to 2003. He previously ran for president in 2012.

"'Governors, I love, because they already ran their state as like a little president,' Hart, 40, says. 'So he gets the way, you know, things run. The politics of it all.'

"She adds, 'He was on a border state, so if you want to talk about immigration, he's the guy."

"Hart says she disagrees with the notion that a third-party candidate can't win the election, dispelling arguments that a vote for Johnson is a wasted vote.

"'I think that everyone that I keep hearing say that, if they all voted for him we could have a third party win,' she says. 'Even if he doesn't get that far, I just hope that they let him debate.'"

Read more: http://www.people.com/article/melissa-joan-hart-gary-johnson-campaign-connecticut-chairperson
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Marijuana legalization efforts across New England

New England 2016 is a Marijuana Legalization Hotbed [FEATURE] | StoptheDrugWar.org - P.S. Smith:

February 17, 2016 - "No state east of the Mississippi has legalized marijuana, but that's very likely to change this year, and New England will be leading the way. Two of the six New England states will likely let the voters make the call in November, while the others all have legalization bills pending.

"More Western states will likely legalize it this year, including the nation's most populous, California, as well as Arizona and Nevada.... Another possible legalization state this year is Michigan.... But it's Yankee country that will see the most concentrated regional push toward marijuana legalization.... Initiatives that make the ballot will go before New England populations that are showing majority support for legalization [and] the region also appears poised to produce the first state to free the weed through the legislature....

 "Connecticut. Earlier this month, Rep. Juan Candelaria (D-New Haven) introduced House Bill 5209, which would allow adults to use, grow, and sell marijuana. Candelaria introduced a similar bill last year that went nowhere....

"Maine. The legalization initiative from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has not yet officially qualified for the ballot, but is poised to. On February 1, the campaign turned in more than 103,000 raw signatures from its petition drive. It only needs 61,000 valid voter signatures to qualify for the November ballot.... The most recent of Mainers' attitudes toward marijuana legalization, from the spring of 2015, had support at 65%.

 "Massachusetts. The legalization initiative from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has already qualified for the ballot, but under Massachusetts law, the legislature must first take up the issue. If, as expected, it fails to adopt legalization, the campaign must then collect another 10,000 signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot. It should be able to do that easily ... a 2014 poll had support at 53% and a Boston Globe poll from last year had a dead heat, with 48% in favor, 47% opposed....

"New Hampshire. The House actually passed a legalization bill in 2014, only to see it die in the Senate. This year ... legalization bill, House Bill 1610, is currently before the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. Even if the bill were to pass the House, it faces a tough battle in the Senate....

"Rhode Island. Rep. Scott Slater (D-Providence) said he will file a marijuana legalization bill in the General Assembly last week, and Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Cranston) will file companion legislation in the Senate.... The Senate bill has 17 cosponsors (out of 38 senators), and the House bill has more than 30 cosponsors....

"Vermont. The Green Mountain State is the most likely to actually pass a legalization bill this year. Senate Bill 241, backed by Gov. Peter Shumlin (D), has already passed the Senate Judiciary and Finance committees and is moving toward a Senate floor vote. But the committees have amended the bill to kill home cultivation and to reduce the legalized amount from an ounce to a half ounce. And if and when the bill gets out of the Senate, it still faces a tough battle in the House."

Read more: http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2016/feb/17/new_england_2016_marijuana_legal
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StoptheDrugWar.org articles are available for reprinting under a modified version of the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.

Connecticut LP beats non-state petitioner ban

CT News Junkie | Libertarian Party Wins Right to Hire Out-of-State Signature Gatherers:

January 27, 2016 - "The Libertarian Party won a legal victory Wednesday that allows them to hire out-of-state contractors to collect signatures for candidates petitioning their way onto the ballot.

"Currently, only Connecticut residents are permitted to collect signatures. Professional circulators from out-of-state firms, which are often hired by candidates, must be accompanied by a Connecticut resident.

"The lawsuit filed in December by Stanley Twardy of Day Pitney on behalf of the Libertarian Party says that the restriction is unconstitutional and increases the cost of collecting signatures.

"U.S. District Court Judge Janet Hall granted a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Wednesday that stops Secretary of the State’s office from enforcing the law in this year’s elections....  Hall concluded that circulating a petition is 'core political speech' and Secretary of the State Denise Merrill would be infringing on the Libertarian Party’s First Amendment rights by impeding it.

"'This decision is good news for free speech,' Dan Barrett, the ACLU of Connecticut’s legal director and a cooperating attorney, said. 'The Libertarian Party deserves the chance to deliver its message by hiring signature-gatherers based on their qualifications, not their zip codes.' The decision, according to Barrett, aligns with other federal court rulings across the country....

"Libertarian Party candidates have run in every election cycle in Connecticut from 2010 to 2014, and the national Libertarian Party candidate has appeared on the Connecticut ballot for President and Vice President of the United States in six of the seven past presidential election cycles."

Read more: http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/libertarian_party_wins_lawsuit_against_connecticut_secretary_of_the_state/
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CT Libertarians challenge out-of-state petitioner ban

Libertarian Party files lawsuit against Connecticut - Christine Stuart, New Haven Register:

 December 23, 2015 - "The Libertarian Party of Connecticut wants Connecticut to stop enforcing its law that says only state residents can collect signatures for candidates seeking to petition their way onto the ballot.

"Connecticut law says only Connecticut residents can gather those signatures, but a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Libertarian Party in federal court alleges that the provision is “unconstitutional” and violates its First Amendment rights....

"The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in anticipation of the start of the 2016 election cycle. Candidates wishing to get on the 2016 ballot can start collecting signatures starting on Jan. 1, 2016, but the residency requirement is a hinderance, according to the complaint.

"If a candidate uses an out-of-state firm to circulate a petition, each of those professional circulators has to be accompanied by a Connecticut resident. The complaint argues that limiting the pool of professional circulators to in-state professionals creates a monopoly for Connecticut professional circulators and decreases the party’s ability to negotiate favorable contract terms.

"The complaint also says that out-of-state circulators tend to get better results that generate a 'much higher percentage of valid signatures....

"'The prohibition on non-resident circulators therefore reduces the quality of circulators that the Party may use, which in turn reduces the percentage of valid signatures and increases the cost of securing sufficient valid signatures to place the Party’s candidates on the State’s general election ballot,' the complaint states.

"The lawsuit was filed against Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, who is Connecticut’s chief election official. Merrill’s office will be represented by the Attorney General’s office who had no comment on the complaint."

Read more:  http://www.nhregister.com/article/NH/20151223/NEWS/151229829
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2 CT Libertarians keep ballot access for their seats

Two Connecticut LP candidates retain ballot access for their seats | Libertarian Party:

November 17, 2014 - "Two Connecticut LP candidates, Dan Reale and Richard Lion, retained ballot access for a U.S. House seat and for a state House seat because of the votes they received in their respective races.

"In Connecticut, a political party is recognized if it has at least 20 percent of the registered political party voters, or if the party's gubernatorial candidate gets 20 percent.

"If a party isn't recognized, the party can appear on the ballot for any specific partisan race in the next election for that seat if a candidate receives 1 percent.

"Dan Reale obtained 1.1 percent in his race for the U.S. House of Representatives 2nd district, and Richard Lion received 14 percent in the election for the state House of Representatives in the 9th district.

"Reale had also run for the 2nd congressional seat in 2012, and received 1.2 percent, thereby garnering ballot access for the office this year.

"In addition, the LPCT will have ballot access in 2016 for the U.S. Senate seat, as Paul Passarelli received 1.7 percent in 2012. There was no race for U.S. Senate in the state this year."

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