And after claiming he wouldn’t ever take a dime from people who work or do business with the tobacco clans, Paul Hughes of the Waterbury Republican discovered that Blumenthal has taken a few thousand dollars from people who represent the industry.

Okay, another accounting error by the campaign staff, but the real story will be told about Dick Blumenthal’s rather duplicitous and ineffective record against the tobacco industry. It began when Blumenthal and others joined in the famous class action lawsuit in 1996 brought against the major tobacco companies.

When it was over, billions flowed to the coffers of every state in the country. The money was supposed to be used to: offset the costs of providing health care to those afflicted with smoking related illnesses and to educate consumers, particularly children, on why smoking isn’t a good lifestyle choice. Instead, the Democrats in the Legislature used the money for the budget and left pennies for education. Blumenthal issued a few press releases on it and let it go. And kids in Connecticut are smoking at record numbers – Joe Camel or no Joe Camel.

Another outcome was many law firms got very wealthy for being retained as counsel for each state in the lawsuit. Two firms in particular in Connecticut got the lion’s share of the lawyers fees – all totalling around $63 million. It went to Silver, Golub & Teitel of Stamfordand Berger & Montague, P.C. of Philadelphia.  Blumenthal worked as a partner at Silver, Golub during his days prior to being elected Attorney General in 1990. It is one of the best criminal negligence firms around.  The Philly firm employed David Golub’s wife.  Later Carmondy & Torrence of Waterbury was cut into the action. Go figure.

Republican Santa Mendoza raised this issue in 1998 but the media yawned and Mendoza, while large in spirit and fight, didn’t have the money to get the message out on Blumenthal’s hypocrisy and lack of follow up on the expenditures of tobacco money.

The matter of Dick Blumenthal’s service, or embellished service,  in the military still doesn’t go away. Today, an editor for the Waterbury Republican, Ed Goodman, a copy editor, talks about how any male born between 1944 and 1950 would never forget when their number was called. Goodman got a high number, and was grateful. He was less kind to Blumenthal:

“I’ll remember that number until I die, as will just about all men born between 1944 and 1950, and men who were subject to subsequent draft lotteries. The numbers are seared into our memories because they helped decide who was likely to end up fighting in the Vietnam war and who likely was safe. My number — 299 — let me get on with the rest of my life.”

A Hartford Superior Court Friday found Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez guilty on five bribery charges.  This  is the same Eddie Perez (seen at left on Election Night 2009 with Dick Blumenthal and Lt. Gov. candidate Nancy Wyman) who claims the entire matter was a plot by the authorites from keeping him from doing the people’s business.

This is what Dick Blumenthal said after authorities announced they were investigating Perez  - “I have complete trust in Eddie Perez’s integrity, his honesty and his dedication.”‘

Later, questioned by The Courant, Blumenthal — who said an investigation into Perez is far from “actual charges” — hedged, saying, “If there are further disclosures that show a basis for criminal charges and those criminal charges are brought, those will be factors in the election as they would be in my decision whether to endorse him.”

Blumenthal has yet to issue a press release on the Perez verdict.

Saturday, President Obama sent an e-mail asking Larson and company for another $50 billion for additional stimulus designed to reinvigorate prosperity. That should just about do it.

Now Larson is so desperate that he is now scouring the 1st District landscape looking for those success story that have come to epitomize Obama-economics. 

Proof comes from an internal e-mail sent out to Mayor’s and First Selectmen from a Larson staffer asking for examples of how the Obama stimulus package has created “success stories” that the Congressman can tout in the an election year.

The note, from Conor Quinn dated June 11, is the sort of Kafka-like nonsense we have come to expect from John Larson.  The poor kid.

After siting the the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Quinn looks for feedback:

“If you have any good stories from within your community that you are able to share with the Congressman, I ask that you please contact me.”

Hey, we got a couple, Conor,  - record foreclosures, loss of jobs at Pratt and Whitney, record unemployment and a collapse of the Connecticut commercial real estate market.

“Furthermore, if you are aware of any jobs that have been saved or created in your town, we would greatly appreciate your help contacting the workers, so that we can hear their stories.”

Hmm, let’s see, heard they put another second shift on at Wendy’s on the Silas Deane Highway.

Here is the transcript of the letter:

Subject: Recovery Act Jobs

 Dear Chief Elected Official:

 Congressman Larson has asked that I reach out to you in search of local Recovery Act job related stories. He is very interested in anecdotes, from each town in the 1st Congressional District, about jobs that have been preserved or created as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  If you have any good stories from within your community that you are able to share with the Congressman, I ask that you please contact me.  These stories can be about law enforcement officials, first responders, teachers, local businesses, non profit organizations, etc. Furthermore, if you are aware of any jobs that have been saved or created in your town, we would greatly appreciate your help contacting the workers, so that we can hear their stories. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me by email or at (860) 278 – 8888.

 Thank you for your assistance.

 Regards,

 Conor P. Quinn

District Aide/Grants Coordinator

U.S. Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01)

221 Main Street, 2nd Floor

Hartford, CT 06106

We have news for you, Dick, don’t dis anyone in Torrington and think you can walk away from it.

Blumenthal, who prides himself on protecting whistle-blowing state employees when they dime out political management, allowed his own office roll out the complete personnel file of an Assistant Attorney General, Richard Hine, to the New London Day, after this long-time employee said that Blumenthal lied about his military service to him on five different occasions.

Hine told George Gombossy of the ctwatchdog.com  blog about it, and slowly the story went viral. But no sooner than it did, Ted Mann of The Day, “discovered” through an anonimous source, that Hine had been disciplined for his performance during his 24 year professional career. Blumenthal makes people or media wait anytime his office is petitioned under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), often allowing the maximum number of days to pass before responding.  The Connecticut Republican Party has made several requests, and received them within weeks.

But the Hine documents got to Ted Mann in lightening fashion. Imagine that?  And how exactly do the disciplinary issues with Hine have any relationship with the lies of Dick Blumenthal and his service during the Vietnam War? Nothing. But it seems after the New York Times broke the Vietnam War record story, reporters now feel compelled to dissemble every charge made against Blumenthal and to delve into the record of those accusers to find an old parking ticket to discredit that person.

But even with that new standard, the release of the Hine file shows something more murky. It shows that Blumenthal is willing to let others do his dirty work when he isn’t doing it himself. Blumenthal actually does believe in destroying people – usually those he sues, even when his case goes nowhere. Whether it’s AT&T, Northeast Utilities or Spider Man, Dick Blumenthal always tries to make the first shot count the most. So, it’s no big deal for him to lay out Richard Hine and make him look like a malingerer. When confronted on Hine’s accusations, Blumenthal gave the classic defendant response, “I do not recall.”

Even after trying to humiliate Hine, he didn’t feel secure enough to face the Rotary Club of Torington. That’s right – those hardened Rotarians of the Northwest corner, who invited Blumenthal to speak at their luncheon this week.   Dick shared his thoughts about the issues of the day the way he likes to – where he talks and people quietly listen, save for the usual applause.

But for those Rotarians eager to know more or to seek further clarification, Blumenthal got tough – no questions – thank you.

He was escorted out and the Rotarians were left high and dry.

Dick Blumenthal never turns down an opportunity to tell us how he is fighting for Connecticut every day.  Now it seems, he understands that an election actually requires asking voters what they think and being prepared to answers questions from reporters, supporters, opponents and regular people.

Peter Schiff, Rob Simmons and Linda McMahon have never walked away from a crowd but yet, Blumenthal can, and think no one will mind or remember.

Believe it, people in Torrington, as well as throughout Connecticut, will remember.

Hine, who has worked for the Attorney General’s office for 24 years, served as Judge Advocate at Paris Island, alternating from defense counsel to trial counsel and Individual Military Counsel in the late 1970’s and then later, in a stateside reserve role during Operation Desert Storm. 

In an interview with George Gombossy, of ctwatchdog.com, Hine said Blumenthal repeatedly gave him the impression that he was on active duty.

According to Gombossy:

 Hine said not only did Blumenthal lie to him 18 years ago about serving in Vietnam, he had heard Blumenthal make similar false statements at about five functions the two attended together over the years. He said he could not pinpoint any of the five. Blumenthal is now the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Chris Dodd. 

Hine has sent letters to numerous Connecticut newspapers about the incident and none have published them.

“Enough was enough,” Hines told Gombossy.. “That he misspoke is crap.” 

Blumenthal has asserted that he has misspoken about his role as an active duty member of the Marine Corps Reserves and said the instances where did were merely misplacements of prepositions.

Now someone who works closely with Blumenthal has shown that he has purposely misrepresented himself. Hine had kept the matter to himself until the New York Times exposed Blumenthal repeated embellishment of his service during the conflict. 

Here is the full text of his letter: 

Richard Reeves Hine

New Britain, CT

A Marine’s Apology to Vietnam Veterans and their Families

 I have known Richard Blumenthal for over twenty years. Dick Blumenthal completed “boot camp” at Marine Corp Recruiting Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. The training is rigid and puts stress and strain on the recruits mentally and physically. It is no picnic. 

When you graduate, you become a member of the world’s most elite fighting force and you have earned the right to call yourself a “Marine.” I was a Judge Advocate at Paris Island alternating from defense counsel to trial counsel and Individual Military Counsel in the late 1970’s. I congratulate Dick Blumenthal for his service, stamina and courage in challenging himself to become a Marine. 

When I was called up for Desert Storm from the Reserves, Dick took time to talk to me about the challenges I might be facing. He knew my young daughter Allison from meeting her and talking to her numerous times. He also knew my marriage to Allison’s mother was falling apart. Dick gave me his private phone number to call if I needed help or assistance. He told me to give Allison his private number and to have him call her if she was ever scared or worried about me. 

Allison was and is today the “apple of my eye.” 

Prior to my leaving for Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where I was a Company Commander and the Officer in Charge of Retrograde, Allison sat with me and both of us were interviewed by Channel 8, Channel 3, the New Haven Register, and the North Haven Post. All the reporters were amazed by her poise, intelligence and composure. She was very scared. The world as she knew it was falling apart and I was going.

Alison never called Dick. His act of kindness and compassion to my daughter and me I will never forget, and I am deeply indebted to him for life. We then talked about my possibly going to Iraq if the war went poorly. We then discussed the separation from family and employment, and we agreed I would be with my fellow Marines and friends. He then said, you’re a Major, and so it will be a little different for you than it was for me as an enlisted Marine in Vietnam. I was appalled and shocked, because I knew he had not been to Vietnam, yet just a moment before he had helped to console my daughter in an unsolicited act of kindness.

I have been torn for twenty years about that conversation and what it tells me about his character.

 Periodically, I would hear him repeat the statement that he served in Vietnam. He didn’t “misspeak” or “misstate” to me face-to-face twenty years ago and he hasn’t to veterans and the press in subsequent years – he lied. 

As a Major, Judge Advocate USMCR I want to apologize for Sergeant Richard Blumenthal to all the Vietnam era service members, their mothers and fathers and all their loved ones.

The blood of our service members soaked the rice paddies of Vietnam, we lost tens of thousands of our young and tens of thousands of other service members come home injured psychologically and physically.

I apologize to all that are living and offer my prayers to those who have left us.

 I was at Officers’ Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia for part of the Vietnam War. I also received an education deferment to finish college and an education deferment to finish law school. During Desert Storm, I never left Camp Lejeune for Iraq. I don’t claim to have been overseas for either war, but if I did I would be dishonoring the integrity that my grandparents, parents and mentors taught me, and that I have zealously protected my whole life.

 “Misstatements,” “misspeaking” are what politicians claim when they get caught lying. Dick lied to me at the same time he was compassionate. You decide. It took me twenty years to decide.

 SEMPER FIDELIS 

Richard R. Hine Major USMCR

Judge Advocate

(Photo: New York Times)

Whether you agree with the Democrats on higher taxes, and higher spending or see the lack of will to veto the budget last year as its cause, Fitch Ratings officially downgraded Connecticut Bond rating to AA, thereby adding hundred of millions of dollars in carrying costs for years to come. 

This effectively shuts off the state credit card for borrowing money to pay for current expenditures. Last October, Moody’s and then Fitch warned the political establishment that the current method of one-shot revenues, sweeping of accounts and other fiscal slights of  hand would create future “structural gaps” in the state budget for  years to come. The last time the state’s rating was downgraded to AA was 1986 and it took 12 years for the state to regain its top ranking.

Now, Connecticut has the highest debt ratio in the nation. It also has the highest effective tax rates in the country. That is a portent for disaster. Yet, to hear House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden and Senate President Don Williams, D-Brooklyn, and every member of the 114 rank and file Democrats tell it, Connecticut has a thriving economy.

Connecticut is preparing to borrow $956 million to close a budget gap in the fiscal year beginning July 1, after borrowing money last year to cover a deficit of $947.6 million, the analysts said. Lawmakers also chose to draw down the state’s rainy-day fund and raise the top income tax for residents after tax collections fell almost 15 percent in the year ending June 30, 2009, according to Fitch.

House and Senate Republicans warned of this outright theft of our children’s future last year and this year and presented budgets that dealt with the hard truth about state government – it is too large, too well fed and has long-term costs that threaten our economy viability.

State Treasurer Denise Nappier, who has held the office for 12 years and is looking for another four-year term has been complicit and silent by allowing this borrowing to continue.

According to Friday’s Bloomberg Reports:

The state has $13.7 billion of bonds outstanding, according to New York-based Fitch. It is preparing to borrow $600 million this month, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Standard & Poor’s yesterday rated Connecticut AA, two steps below the top level, and Moody’s Investors Service ranked it an equivalent Aa2 on May 27. All three companies assigned a stable outlook to the credit.

Connecticut has the highest net tax-supported debt among the 50 states, according to Moody’s. The state is also the wealthiest with per capita personal income of $54,397 in 2009, according to Department of Commerce data.

These Memorial Day festivities have allowed Richard Blumenthal to shine – to be seen in town after town, as fast as his Crown Victoria will take him, to show the great unwashed how dedicated he has been to the plight of those veterans who did return to taunts, physical abuse or bureaucratic indifference.

Actually this last line is an urban legend that Blumenthal has used in many of his phony speeches inflating his status from a weekend warrior to a front-line grunt before the New York Times exposed him as a lying fraud. Before that, Blumenthal would stand with other officials, his tiny American flag pin in perfect position, and offer the same glowing tribute to the men who he only imagined he could be – selfless Americans.

So there Dick Blumenthal sat, in his mansion home behind a gated driveway, making small talk with his family members, including his son, who actually has enlisted for Marine Corps. service.  It must have killed him to be trapped, not being the center of attention. Maybe he went on line this weekend and read some more opinions about how this story won’t go away, how people in Connecticut and throughout the country are not buying Blumenthal’s parsing, his self-righteous claptrap, his lame late Sunday night email “sorry note” to the Hartford Courant desk.

Locally, Ray Hackett, of the Norwich Bulletin, as solid reporter as they come, enlisted in the Army as an 18 year-old and did two tours in Vietnam where he won a Bronze Star along the way. Hackett is now an editor at the paper.  He gives Blumenthal the benefit of the doubt on the issue of trying to be deceptive about his war record. But he doesn’t spare him about his explanation.

“But what I found offensive was the arrogance and self-righteousness he displayed at his press conference — also captured on tape — where he said, “I will not let anyone take a few misplaced words and impugn my service.”

“Mr. Blumenthal, the only one impugning your service is you. No one put those words in your mouth. You spoke them. Others have merely called you out on it.”

Downstate, Mike Lupica, who has been opining on no-sports for a while now, gave Blumenthal a brush back pitch, stating that Dick’s “misspeaking” is not something that can ever be explained.

“What Blumenthal said – “We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam” – and his ridiculous attempts to explain it away, just sound worse on Memorial Day. But if you can believe recent polling in Connecticut, Blumenthal still might get away with a lie like this.”

“It turns out that Blumenthal had five deferments as a way of staying away from Vietnam between 1965 and 1970. He finally ended up in the Marine Reserves, in a unit in Washington. It has been widely reported that once there he helped fix campgrounds and organized a Toys for Tots drive. At least George W. Bush could fly an airplane, even if he was only keeping the air space over Alabama safe.”

“Here was Rambo Blumenthal a few years ago, at a rally honoring our troops: “When we returned, we saw nothing like this.” Returned from where – Harvard Square?”

Who knows? Maybe Dick really did have fun at home getting caught up on some yard work and maybe even taking out his old uniform, which we are sure he could still into.

It began with the revelations in the New York Times that Attorney General Richard Blumenthal lied about his military service.  Late Sunday night around 10 p.m., Blumenthal finally said he was sorry, by email. A real warrior to the bitter end.

In between, the state Supreme Court sent Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz packing as a candidate when the GOP called her bluff .

A night later, 800 Republican activists packed into the Stamford Plaza at their annual Prescott Bush Awards dinner and raised $325,000 while hearing Gov. Haley Barbour call Dick Blumenthal – “Mr. Saigon.”

Two nights later, Linda McMahon defeated former Congressman Rob Simmons in the closest nomination fight for U.S. Senate in 30 years and a day later, businessman Tom Foley defeated four rivals for a first ballot nomination for Governor. Also during the two days,  27 candidates vied for U.S. Congress and Constitutional offices.

And despite the passion and strong organizations of all the campaigns, the voting and debate was civil and orderly.

One Democratic candidate showed up at the Convention Center in Hartford asking for her credentials. Instead, she had to wander over to the CT Expo Center and watch Democrat delegates nominate Blumenthal through clenched smiles and Dan Malloy for Governor.

Blumenthal’s implosion shows no signs of abating.  After the New York Times broke the story, siting several instances where he claimed to be an active combat veteran despite having served in the inactive Marine Corps Reserves,Blumenthal held a disasterous press conference in a West Hartford VFW hall to explain himself. He attacked the Times and the media and only expressed “regret” at misspeaking.

In the ensuing days, more examples surfaced, causing Blumenthal to literally run away from a reporter after he met with local Democrats. Throughout the week, many liberals abandoned Blumenthal, including the Times Editorial Board, Chris Matthews of MSNBC and Cokie Roberts of This Week.

Tuesday afternoon, Bysiewicz and lawyers for the Connecticut Republican Party faced off before the seven justices of the state Supreme Court. The Republicans, despite the urging of many to not pursue it, filed an appeal of the lower court ruling by Judge Michael Sheldon, which gave Bysiewicz the go-ahead to run for state Attorney General. Bysiewicz had sought the initial declaratory ruling when questions arose that she didn’t have the “10 years of active legal practice” in Connecticut to serve as the state’s top civil lawyer.

Sheldon issued a bizarre 94-page ruling that said her duties as SOTS qualified her even though previous officer holders had all been lay people.

Republican lawyer Eliot Gersten challenged it and all seven justices agreed, finding she was not qualified and ending her plans for 2010. The ruling shocked the Connecticut political world and resuscitated the career of former Democratic State Party Chairman and state Senate Majority Leader George Jepsen of Stamford, who had all but given up his campaign. Saturday, he was nominated by acclamation. He should send a thank you note and a donationto the Republicans.

By weeks end, Republicans gathered at the Convention Center with a bounce in their step. Despite the competition, all felt that no matter who was nominated or chosen in subsequent primaries in August, the Republican message will be heard by eager voters who are simply fed up with the economic misery and incompetence.

The game is on.

Former Congressman Larry DiNardis of Hamden withdrew from the race and most of this delegates went to Foley who ended up with710 of the 1,401 delegates’ votes cast. Fedele ended up with 427 delegates for 30 percent and Griebel of Simsbury, with 243 delegates for 17 percent. 

Both Fedele and Griebel said they would challenge Foley in a primary.

Delegates also picked Jack Orchulli of Darien to run for State Comptroller unanimously  Orchulli was the 2004 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.

In the Secretary of  the State’s race, Jerry Farrell, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection defeated Hartford attorney Corey Brinson in a spirited contest, by 787-500 votes.

Delegates are now voting on the State Treasurer between Mayor Jeff Wright of Newington and investment advisor Andrew White of Ridgefield.

Photo: Hartford Courant

This was  the closest statewide race since the 1980 U.S. Senate contest between James Buckley and Richard Bozzuto.

Peter Schiff, an investor, trailed in double digits but said he would pursue petition signature to join a primary. The final tally showed McMahon with 737 delegates; Simmons, 632; Schiff, 44 and Vincent Forras, of Ridgefield – 7.

After saying repeatedly he would not force a primary if defeated at the convention, Simmons told reporters late Friday night he would run in August.

Republicans also nominated Congressional candidates:

In the first district, Ann Brickley, of Wethersfield, defeated Mark Zydanowicz of West Hartford and Joe Visconti.

In the second district, Daria Novak defeated Doug Dubitskiy of Chaplin on the third ballot, with Janet Peckenpaugh of Essex also qualifying for a primary.

In the third district, Jerry Labriola, Jr., was overwhelmingly  endorsed over Jef Cheney,the latter of whom did not qualify.

In the fourth district, State Sen. Dan Debicella, Shelton, took 75 percent of the vote over Rob Merkle of Westport and First Selectman Tom Hermann of Easton. Merkle and Hermann did not reach the 15 percent primary qualifying requirment  but Hermann said he seek petitions.

In the fifth district, State Sen. Sam Caligiuri, R-Waterbury, defeated Justin Brenier of Plainville, by 2-1, with Brenier qualifying for the primary. Mark Greenberg of Morris, a businessman, said he would seek petitions to qualify.

Republicans will meet today to nominate all Constitutional officers – Governor, Lt. Governor, Treasurer, Comptroller, Secretary of the State and Attorney General.