Sunday’s Hartford Courant story about the foul-up that cost the state of Connecticut almost $28 million has landed at the doorstep of Democratic Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. 

The story, by Josh Kovner and John Lender, chronicled the hiring of Kenneth Jones as an appraiser for the state in its eminent domain seizure of property in Brookfield to widen Route 7.

Between 2007 and 2008, the state paid Hones more than $240,000 and it was Dick Blumenthal’soffice who put him on the payroll. During that time, Jones became, according to the Courant, more beholden to the state than his charge of delivering a fair accurate value of the quarry site.

Jones had a spotty history as an appraiser in New Jersey and spent many years cobbling together licenses across the country that allowed him to get approved for work in Connecticut.  He then did such a masterful job of low-balling the property that a court overturned the $2.3 million estimate and gave the owners the $28 millions.

“In hindsight,” said Blumenthal. “If we knew then all of what we know now, we would never have retained him (Jones).”

That has to be the quote of the year – a $28 million quote by the man who always tends to details.

Here are some questions the Everyday Republican would ask that the Courant didn’t:

How was Kenneth Jones selected? Was he picked from a group of appraisers or was he recommended by someone?

How was his hourly rate negotiated?

Did anyone at the AG’s office do a background check on Jones, even using the Internet, to see if he had any issues outstanding?

Were any questions raised internally by the AG staff  when Jones came back with an appraisal that would seem low by any reasonable real estate standard?

Dick Blumenthal enjoys the limelight. Maybe he should emerge from the shadows and tell the taxpayers how his shop managed to hire a tainted professional who costs us $28 million.

Getting back $240,000 would be nice, but some real answers on how it happened would be just as valuable.