From the AP:
The Republican leader of the House of Representatives called for the firing of two Democratic clerks Monday after seeing them on surveillance tape, allegedly rifling through a Republican assistant clerk’s desk and taking papers.
Dems seem to be calling it a “prank.” Uh, huh.
Source
“A collection of briefs from the state Capitol.” Associated Press 29 January, 2007.
29 responses so far ↓
I’m glad that Cafero went straight to the media. The Democrats have a super-majority; why do they need to do this? It was obviously not a “prank”. Reminds me of Hillary and her many Republican FBI files … are these clerks related to Sandy Berger?
Jesus.. If they aren’t fired immediately, something’s wrong.
It begs the question, though, what was the Republican assistant clerk doing that they were digging up? As a former Democratic assistant clerk in the legislature, my activities weren’t political. It’s a sessional position, and the duties are making copies of agendas, contacting committee members with meeting schedules, making sure rooms are booked, and helping to write joint favorable reports. If there was anything worth looking through the assistant clerk’s desk for, it could very well have been inappropriate behavior by that assistant clerk.
Interesting.
The same time Howard Hunt is getting laid to rest; the Dems decide to pull what everyone in the GOP (having paid dearly for such a stunt already) knows is a poor idea.
I have to wonder, did the two clerks just wake up stupid that morning, or had they shown earlier signs?
This is truly amazing. Shouldn’t partisan staffers on a recon mission be aware of cameras!! Makes Watergate look like James Bond.
I enjoyed Scully’s quote that Cafero acted “prematurely…before all the facts in the matter are known.”
I guess that means that there are other facts out there to learn, which the Senate Democratic Leadership apparently knows of, which means that there was some sort of decision-making process for this to occur by ‘people’ from whom these clerks took direction.
Isn’t it ironic that the very people who are supposed to be the “boy scouts” of the capitol–namely Caruso and his boys–are the ones with their hands in the cookie-jar?
Either Christmas has come early, or it’s Lisa Moody’s birthday.
Watergate? Oh, for crying out loud, people, these are SESSIONAL CLERKS. These are, like, $10/hour employees. I’d put money on “prank” or “just being jerks.” I’m sure there is nothing sensitive on a sessional clerks desk.
Side note: I appear to be one of the few people NOT being a little bit dramatic.
I’m not saying they shouldn’t be fired, but the fact that Cafero held a press conference about this just shows how much time the House Republicans have on their hands and how insignificant they are.
Oh come on…did you even read the article? Where and when did Cafero hold this ‘press conference’?
And where does it say that the people in question are “sessional aides”? From what i hear, these are seasoned senate democratic caucus staffers…….
But then again, the more innuedo to the contrary that the Democrats put out, there more those innuendos can be proven true.
Why wouldn’t they just fire these idiots? Are they so central to the success of the Democratic Party in Connecticut that the leadership would rather have a shitstorm of media instead of a quiet exit? Sounds like this is more about pride than anything else. Or perhaps the Democrats would prefer a shitstorm of media to mask their inability to do ANYTHING of merit during their first 30 days of a supermajority, while the Democrats in Washington have been able to do dramitic things with razor-thin majorities.
Prank or not, the staffers should not have done this and should be fired. If the roles were reversed and the staffers were republicans going through Dems desks they republicans would be fired in a second.
Clickety_Clak:
With all due repsect, the very first line of the article is:
The Republican leader of the House of Representatives called for the firing of two Democratic clerks Monday after seeing them on surveillance tape, allegedly rifling through a Republican assistant clerk’s desk and taking papers.
Assistant clerks are sessional employees. I stand by my statement that there is probably nothing sensitive on a sessional clerk’s desk.
As for why they haven’t been fired already. Well, perhaps Senate Dems won’t fire people soley based on Larry Cafero’s word. Give ‘em a day, at least. But you are right, they should be fired.
Wait, I thought we hated Amans loyalty (amontiacs). Should have expected it:
Amann Aide Suspended
Despite my best efforts…couldn’t find the larceny link and aman’s response (but you’ve seen it).
Maybe they were just looking for candy… That’s what the people in my office do when one of our colleague’s is not around.
Stranger,
I think you were looking for this (CT New Junkie):
Narcotics, Larceny, Criminal Mishief….oh my
In 1997 Hartford police arrested her for criminal mischief after she allegedly tore down a political sign of her mother’s political opponent. Then in 1999, Kirkley-Bey paid a “voluntary” $250 contribution to the state Elections Enforcement Commission, stemming from her behavior during a 1998 Democratic primary . Kirkley-Bey stood accused of intimidating voters and openly running her mother’s campaign from inside the polling place, the Hartford Courant reported at the time.
The worst came in 2001. Hartford police charged Kirkley-Bey with possession of narcotics, interfering with police and operating under the influence in connection with allegations that she rear-ended another car later. At the time, Kirkley-Bey worked as a clerk for the General Assembly’s Human Services Committee.
The list goes on.
In 2003, less than a year after she was hired as an aide in the speaker’s office, she was arrested for larceny at her second job at JC Penny in Westfarms Mall where she allegedly helped a friend steal $155 worth of merchandise. When this occurred Amann told the Hartford Advocate: “I sat her down and I gave her a warning,” Amann said. “I won’t tolerate it,” he had said at the time.
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Lopes and Palmer….dig away
Please don’t toy with me! It would only be fitting if Rick Lopes (aka. DeFronzo’s aide) was the ring leader…..not to mention that his involvement would totally remove any standing the Democrats have that ‘it was a prank’ by someone who didn’t know better. Not only is Lopes a five-year veteran of the Capitol, he’s also a former Alderman from New Britain. You may recall that he was the elected official who was a New Britain officeholder who falsely registered his car(s) in West Hartford to take advantage of the lower mill and insurance rates. Incidentally, he lost in 2005.
This is too sad to be true…..
Yeah, but Lopes is apparently a legislative aide and the article says the perps were clerks…
This is really silly. I’ve served as a sessional clerk. There’s no partisan activity w/committee staff. Unlikely an LA was involved.
while i’m sure they both would appreciate your incredulity….it’s confirmed: Lopes and Palmer. and to be clear: this incident IS talking about rick lopes (legislative aide) and a mr. palmer (full-time GAE clerk and former aide to LG sullivan) versus a ‘$10/hour sessional assistant clerk’
I’ll guess take your word for it, Mr. Babaloo. A clerk and an LA it is.
(And just as an aside, as I alluded to before, clerks are not permanent employees and are compensated quite poorly.)
Last time I checked, LA’s work for a group of legislators…so clearly can’t be attributed to Caruso
Can we get a copy of the tape posted on YouTube? Anyone able to make that happen? This conversation could be a whole lot more interesting, if we could see the tape.
With the propensity of the GAE committee to launch an investigation into every misstep in the Governor’s office, I am sure they will gladly consent to allow the Legislative Management Committee to have a hearing on this, where we can hear from both clerks and view the tape. Oh wait – their supermajority is a mandate from the people of the state that they can do what they want. As for those who think the Republican clerk had something “political” in her desk, grow up. Let’s have every state computer belonging to a legislative employee or elected official checked for improper use. There are twice as many D’s – do you really believe that none of them are engaged in improper political activity? Of course, traffic (and postings) on this site will plummet if they look at those laptops……
So when a Democrat steals papers out of the national archives shoves thenm down his pants and hides them near a dumpster it is an “innocent mistake.” When a Democrat says something to offed miltary personal risking their lives in Iraq…it is just a “Botched joke.” When Democrats go rifling through a Republican’s desk is is just a “prank.” You guys are too much!!!
I think these two “pranksters” should have some sort of disciplinary action taken against them, and though I don’t know all the details firing them should be an option.
Go ahead and fire them. It probably was a stupid prank but an example has to be set. The part of this that just fans cyncism is that Cafero of all people is beating the drum. This is the same snake that said on the floor of the house during a debate about Rowland corruption that the debate itself was embarassing and not so much the act. Suggesting that maybe it would be better not to talk about it.
The Dems need to discipline themselves. Stupid stuff like this just gives the likes of Cafero the opportunity to crawl out from under his rock.
Yeah, it makes sense to insult Cafero? Perhaps the person who talks about Cafero crawling out from under a rock is the one who truly lives under a rock …
Cafero was a Rowland apologist and toady with questionable ethics himself. He’s cut from the same cloth as Dem sleazebags like Tom Ritter, John Droney and Bill DiBella. Not exactly a worthy replacement for Bob Ward.
[...] Either take immediate action, or promise to take action. There’s nothing funny about going through other peoples’ shit. [...]
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