McKinney Steps Up After DeLuca Resigns As Senate Republican Leader

HARTFORD (AP) — The resignation of Senate Minority Leader Louis DeLuca May 13 has temporarily moved Newtown’s state senator, John McKinney of Fairfield, into the party’s top spot until the GOP caucus elects a new leader. Sen DeLuca came under fire recently after a federal investigation turned up evidence that he allegedly asked a trash hauler to threaten a man the senator believed had abused his granddaughter.

Sen DeLuca, 73, pleaded guilty last week to a misdemeanor threat charge.

“After careful consideration, and out of respect for this institution and for my caucus, I have decided to step down from my leadership position,” Sen DeLuca said in a written statement. “I promised from the beginning that I would not allow my mistake that I made to interfere with my public office.”

Sen DeLuca represents neighboring Woodbury and nine other towns. He plans to continue serving as a senator. He received a six-month suspended sentence and was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and donate $1,500 to charity as part of the plea deal.

Sen McKinney, R-Fairfield, had been serving as Senate Minority Leader Pro Tempore. Sen Andrew Roraback, R-Goshen, said he contacted his colleague shortly after learning about Sen DeLuca’s decision.

“He conveyed that he knew that resigning as our leader was the right thing to do and he was driven by his respect for the 11 of us as colleagues and his appreciation of the role a leader plays within the institution of the General Assembly,” Sen Roraback said.

“I think everyone could see that his recent bad conduct was going to color and distract from any message he might try to convey as our leader and Senate Republicans have too many good ideas and too many important messages to risk their dilution,” Sen Roraback added.

Sen David Cappiello, R-Danbury, agreed that Sen DeLuca’s decision, albeit difficult, was the “right thing to do.”

Through a spokesman, Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell called Sen DeLuca’s decision a personal one “that he made in the best interest of his caucus and his family.”

The leadership change comes as lawmakers meet behind closed doors with the governor’s budget staff in a special legislative session to reach a deal on a new, two-year tax and spending proposal.

Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams Jr, D-Brooklyn, in a written statement, said Sen DeLuca made the right decision for his caucus and the state.

“The question of what, if any, other sanctions Senator DeLuca should face from his colleagues in the Senate is a question that my caucus will discuss when it meets again,” said Sen Williams.

The Connecticut Constitution allows the impeachment only of the governor and executive and judicial officers, not legislators, said Rep Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven, co-chairman of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee. However, he said a legislator can be expelled or punished by a two-thirds vote of the lawmaker’s respective chamber.

No legislator has been expelled in Connecticut, according to the Office of Legislative Research. Former state representative Russell Reynolds was the only one to be punished. In 1980, he was censured and reprimanded by the House for making a racist remark in a written media questionnaire.

Only a handful of legislative Democrats have publicly called on Sen DeLuca to resign his elected office altogether. But on Wednesday, state Sen Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford, told The Day of New London she now thinks Sen DeLuca should give it serious consideration.

“We are held to certain standards and it’s a very sad situation to begin with, but he made very foolish choices,” she said. “I think he needs to rethink his position about even staying on as a member of the Senate.”

State and federal authorities said Sen DeLuca in 2005 sought help from James Galante, a Danbury trash hauler currently awaiting trial on 72 counts of tax fraud, racketeering, threatening, and extortion.

Sen DeLuca said he had sought help from the Waterbury Police, but to no avail. Frustrated by the situation, the senator said he discussed it with Mr Galante in a Woodbury diner, where the trash hauler passed the senator a note that asked, “Do you want me to have someone pay him a visit?”

Authorities said Sen DeLuca told Mr Galante “yes” and gave Mr Galante the name and address of his granddaughter’s then-boyfriend. She is now married to him.

Waterbury police have contradicted Sen DeLuca’s claims that he asked police three times for help.

The assault never happened. Prosecutors, who recovered the note in a search of Mr Galante’s home, said they stopped the assault. Sen DeLuca has apologized for his actions, calling them “stupid” and said he never meant to cause any physical harm to the man.

Sen DeLuca has also been criticized for offering to help Mr Galante politically. His comments were captured on an FBI surveillance tape.

In his statement this week, Sen DeLuca again apologized “to anyone I’ve let down.” He also thanked friends, colleagues, and constituents who’ve supported him in recent days.

“By stepping down today, I am making sure that my personal issue does not overshadow all of the good work we’ve done and will do as a caucus,” Sen DeLuca said.