CONNECTICUT, USA — This past year was full of highs and lows in Connecticut state politics.
From a historic surplus in the budget to tax cuts and the looming cloud of two federal investigations, here is a look back at Connecticut's top political stories in 2022.
It was a rough start to the year in Hartford as a federal investigation loomed over the state capitol.
In February, it was revealed that a federal subpoena existed that was looking into a former top budget official's actions while overseeing school construction projects.
The FBI dug into Kosta Diamantis and his handling of hundreds of millions of dollars held in state contracts.
At the same time this happened, Gov. Ned Lamont's office released a report which questioned the integrity of Chief State's Attorney Richard Colangelo. According to the report, Colangelo hired Diamantis' daughter.
At the time, Lamont vowed to root out any possible corruption and that if he could, he'd fire Colangelo.
"I'm going to do everything I can to keep people believing in the public trust, and this was, I think, an abuse of the public trust. And I think this was an abuse of the public's trust," said Lamont at the time.
With the investigation, Colangelo resigned and Diamantis maintained his innocence, claiming that report found no wrongdoing.
Days later, normalcy returned to the state capitol as leaders kicked off the 2022 legislative session with Lamont giving his annual State of the State address in person, unlike the year before due to COVID-19.
In his speech, he acknowledged a big change in the state's finances, calling it a historic surplus, and that it also had a full rainy day fund.
Lamont also dropped the school mask mandate as he said the decision on whether or not to mask up was up to town and city leaders.
In the short session, lawmakers worked on tackling children's mental health, juvenile crime, and a bipartisan effort to give consumers relief at the pump with a gas tax holiday as inflation nationwide began to soar.
The gas tax holiday equated to 25 cents off a gallon to help with the skyrocketing cost of gas.
Lawmakers also passed a budget with hundreds of millions of dollars in tax cuts, which included an extension of the gas tax holiday.
While Democrats touted the package of cuts, Republicans said they didn't go far enough.
In the spring, lawmakers also strengthened Connecticut's abortion laws. The State Legislature passed a bill just as a United States Supreme Court decision leaked in early may that added more protections to the state's abortion laws. Just two days later and over a month before the official Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade was handed down, Lamont signed the bill into law.
The law protects medical providers and patients who travel to the state for abortion care while expanding access by increasing the type of practitioners eligible to perform the procedure.
Another scandal that befell Connecticut politics in 2022 was State Representative Michael DiMassa, also a West Haven city employee, eventually pleading guilty to stealing more than $1 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds meant for the city.
The scandal sparked anger in West Haven with many pointing their concerns at city leaders for a lack of safeguards. Some even demanded that West Haven Mayor Nancy Rossi resign her position. Rossi, however, denied any involvement in what transpired.
"That is not happening. I am not giving in a resignation now, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year. I took this position because I wanted to make a difference," said Rossi in response.
This year also saw the 2022 Midterm Elections, which were significant in Connecticut.
This election cycle saw a U.S. Senate seat, all of the state's congressional positions, the governor's office, the state's constitutional offices, and the entire state legislature on the ballot.
Despite some close races, Connecticut remained blue from the governor's seat all the way to congress.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal beat out his Republican opponent, Leora Levy. She was backed by former President Donald Trump.
During his victory speech, Blumenthal said he had "so many thanks to give," and he vowed "to continue fighting tirelessly, relentlessly against special interests...it has never been more important than now."
"And in case anybody had any doubt, I am fired up, I'm ready to fight, and we begin now to keep going, working and fighting for the people of Connecticut," Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal focused much of his campaign on being a backstop for abortion rights in Connecticut and Democratic policies in Washington. Blumenthal vowed to fight any effort in Congress to impose a national abortion ban that would override Connecticut’s current law. Abortion is legal in Connecticut with restrictions.
He also warned democracy would be at risk if the GOP gained control of the U.S. Senate.
Levy, in a speech to her supporters, conceded to Blumenthal and vowed to not stop "fighting for you."
Levy had hoped to become the first Republican U.S. senator from Connecticut since Lowell P. Weicker Jr., who served from 1971 to 1989.
All five members of Connecticut's current congressional delegation were also voted back in. Reps. Jim Himes, Rosa DeLauro, Jahana Hayes, Joe Courtney, and John Larson beat their opponents, but Hayes' race was almost neck and neck.
“The Fifth District is my home, and I’m humbled to have the opportunity to continue serving you in the House of Representatives," Hayes said one day later after the race was called.
Hayes later held a press conference and said that this race was different than all her others.
"This was different from my other races. This wasn't me against my opponent, this wasn't a race between two people fighting to represent this district, this was a race against national Super-PACs," said Hayes.
Logan did not initially concede the race, citing concerns over the counting of the votes. However, by late Thursday, two days after Election Day, he said there was "no legal recourse" for a recount and conceded to Hayes.
Lamont and Republican Bob Stefanowski renewed their 2018 race as Lamont vied for reelection, and Stefanowski sought the governorship.
“Connecticut gets it right. We had a good election, a fair election. Now we all come together, we work together as one. Because that’s what Connecticut always does,” Lamont told supporters in Hartford on Election night.
Initially, Stefanowski did not concede to Lamont on Tuesday night. But, come Wednesday morning, his campaign released a statement of concession, thanking those who helped and voted.
That statement read in part:
What we hoped to be celebrating as an achievement today can still be recognized as a substantial step in the right direction. This campaign was never about me. It was about the Connecticut resident struggling to afford the cost of living. The police officer putting his life on the line every single day. The family who wants to feel safer going to bed each night. And the mom who wants to raise her child as she sees fit.
I implore Governor Lamont to support the people who voted for him as much as the ones who did not. Politics has become too divisive and the great people of Connecticut deserve better.
Lamont also retained a Democratic-held state legislature as well, going into 2023 with a trifecta.
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Jenn Bernstein is an anchor at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jbernstein@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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