Date: Fri 31-Jan-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Republican-GOP-caucus-FOI

Full Text:

Republicans Caucus In Illegal Session

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

When Republicans from both the Legislative Council and Board of Selectmen got

together for a discussion January 22, they were apparently unaware they were

violating the state's sunshine laws.

Legislative Council Chairman Joe Mahoney said Tuesday he called the January 23

meeting, not knowing that he was in violation of the state's Freedom of

Information Act, which requires that no two commission quorums may meet

together at the same time.

First Selectman Bob Cascella and Selectman Jim Mooney made up the quorum of

the Board of Selectmen, with the eight Republican members of the Legislative

Council making up the second quorum.

That's against the law, according to Eric Turner, the director of public

education for the state's FOI commission.

"If all the people were from same party and they were representing two

different entities, then that's in violation," Mr Turner said. "It's tough to

say what the commissioners would do."

Fortunately for the Republicans, Democrat Jack Rosenthal has no plans to file

an official complaint. At least not this time.

"Word to the wise is sufficient," he said.

The caucus was called by Mr Mahoney following the council's regular meeting

last week, and when Mr Rosenthal got up to leave, along with fellow Democrats

Melissa Pilchard and Lisa Schwartz, he said he could not help but wonder if

the Republicans' pow wow was in violation of FOI laws. A call to FOI the

following day revealed he was right.

Along with the two selectmen, those in on the illegal GOP meeting were Mr

Mahoney, Bill Brimmer, Win Ballard, Karen Blawie, John Kortze, Gail Halapin,

Pierre Rochman and Joe Borst.