Persons with Disabilities Challenge New Malloy Appointee

Back row left to right: Jonathan Pelto; Claude Holcomb, disability activist; State Senator Joe Markley; Debbie Barisano, advocate and cofounder of the Connecticut Association of Personal Assistants; Stephen Mendelsohn, disability activist
Front row at microphone: Cathy Ludlum

Advocates speak out against Governor Malloy’s appointment of Executive Director for the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities

Hartford – Today advocates for persons with disabilities organized at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building to demand Governor Malloy reconsider his appointment of Craig B. Henrici as the new Executive Director of the Office of Protection and Advocacy (OPA) for Persons with Disabilities. Henrici, a Hamden Attorney, does not appear to be qualified to represent persons with disabilities, according to community members. State Senator Joe Markley (R-16), Ranking Member of the General Assembly’s Human Services Committee, joined advocates in calling on the governor to increase transparency in the appointment process and select a qualified person for the role.

“This is another example of Governor Malloy’s poor record on disability issues. This appointment was a political move that does little to benefit the people whose civil rights OPA is tasked with protecting,” said Senator Markley.

“Please understand that this is not a personal attack on Mr. Henrici,” said Cathy Ludlum, an advocate for people with disabilities who has spinal muscular atrophy. “This is about appointing an appropriate person to stand up for people like me. We need someone in this role who has experience with disability discrimination, rights and empowerment. Mr. Henrici is an attorney and former mayor, but he does not seem to have extensive experience working with people with a variety of disabilities and confronting the systemic challenges we face. I expect more expertise from the person who leads our state’s Office of Protection and Advocacy.”

Craig Henrici is an attorney specializing in real estate closings, wills and estate law, personal injury law, municipal law, unemployment law, landlord and tenant law and business organization law, according to his website. He has also served as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1997-1999, mayor of Hamden from 2005-2009, legal counsel to State Comptroller Nancy Wyman, and executive assistant to the Commissioner of Developmental Services. Henrici unsuccessfully ran for Judge of Probate in Hamden in 2012.

Advocates say this is another action by Governor Malloy that works against people with disabilities. They criticized the governor for not announcing the new appointment, not consulting with experts and not providing the disability community with information on Henrici’s qualifications.

“Governor Malloy’s administration has repeatedly made policy decisions that affect people with disabilities without consulting or allowing us a place at the table. He has positioned himself as the defender of the helpless rather than a force of empowerment,” said Ludlum. “Today we are asking the governor to reconsider his decision and appoint an appropriate leader to manage OPA. This role is too important to hand off to someone who is unknown to the disability community and may be unfamiliar with the safeguards we deserve.”