(Video links) Sens. Harding & Sampson: Gov. Lamont Just Admitted to Shady Back Room PURA Deal

Sen. Stephen Harding and Sen. Rob Sampson issued the following statement regarding the governor’s press conference today.

“Gov. Lamont just admitted to everyone that yes indeed, a shady back room PURA deal was cut.

Gov. Lamont literally said he was told he was not going to get Chair Gillett through the nominations process unless there was ‘an arrangement.’

Gov. Lamont said he doesn’t see the ‘impropriety’ of the back room PURA deal.

He admits PURA doesn’t need to be transformed into a quasi public entity, even though that’s part of the ‘arrangement.’

He doesn’t seem interested in having CT’s Attorney General weigh in on whether it is legal to appoint a sitting state senator to PURA due to the duel job ban in the CT Constitution.

Republicans will be writing to the Attorney General to ask that very question.

Republicans continue to call upon majority Democrats to pause the re-nomination of Marissa Gillett as chair of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, particularly in light of today’s revelations from the governor.

And Republicans continue to press for the passage of legislation which will actually lower electricity bills here in CT.”