Connecticut is an Endangered State.

October 27, 2021

Every day it seems we are seeing another serious crime in the headlines. Connecticut residents are concerned, scared, and increasingly more frustrated with the inaction and excuses they are receiving from leaders in their state government.

Despite claims by legislative Democrats to the contrary, people across Connecticut can see with their own eyes that crime is off the chart!  It’s not news to me either.  I have been sounding the alarm for a decade!

These are the facts:

1) The dramatic rise in juvenile crime that began with car thefts and has now escalated into violence, child endangerment and armed robbery is a direct result of the Connecticut Democrats’ legislative policy agenda.   Over the last 10 years they have passed laws that let violent felons out of prison early, raised the age at which juveniles accused of crimes are treated as adults, prohibited police chases, eliminated consent searches, and undermined our police both with the law and a public relations campaign designed to undermine police officers.  (These are only a FEW examples!)

2) Republicans have warned about the dangers of these policies and voted against them consistently but were sadly and disappointingly outvoted year after year, while the majority pushed through bad policy after bad policy.

3) Republicans have fought every legislative session to reverse or at least improve these bad policies in a concerted effort to prevent what is happening now. I have personally offered half a dozen bills attempting to solve the juvenile crime problem, but they have been shoved aside as Hartford Democrats committed themselves time and again to weakening our criminal justice system.

4)  Even when not in session, Republicans have consistently called for special sessions, held press conferences, met with local law enforcement, provided solutions, and attempted to raise awareness that we need to fix our laws to stop this craziness.  Most recently, my Senate Republican colleagues and I unveiled our “A Better Way to a Safer Connecticut” plan that focuses on the restoring the proper response to crime, but also prevention by addressing the root causes of juvenile crime, addressing housing and job opportunities, and rebuilding relationships with police across our state.

5) Legislative Democrats continue to block all attempts to restore law and order – refusing public hearings, ignoring calls for a special legislative session, and now attempting to distort reality and gaslight the public into believing it’s not happening.

Recently, the Democrat Chairman of the legislature’s Judiciary committee – the very place where the decision to fix this problem or not will be made – took to twitter to exclaim “Patently false lies from the CTGOP.  Since 2011 when Dems began criminal justice reforms, CT crime has fallen at one of the best rates in the nation while crime has risen in the rest of the nation, especially in Red States.  Pure fear-mongering for political gain.”  Rep. Stafstrom knows better. A precipitous drop in prosecutions does not equal a drop in criminal activity.  Local police have been hamstrung by bad policy and the whitewashing by the Governor and his allies is easy to see through.  Elected Democrats designed this combination of limited enforcement, emboldening of criminals, and hostility towards law enforcement that is resulting in real consequences – damage and theft of property, violence, and even death.  My constituents, along with friends and family members, are expressing genuine fear at this situation.   It needs attention now.

Meanwhile, Governor Lamont continues to ignore all of this while simultaneously lamenting our need for public health emergency status that conveniently affords him King-like powers while bragging about how he has kept us safe.  Newsflash Governor, we are less safe every day but it’s real crime on our streets that is the problem now. This is the true emergency facing Connecticut.  It’s time to restore power to the legislature and call us in to address the crime wave.  Me and my constituents demand it.