CT Senate GOP Caucus Statement on PURA Chair Resignation

Sen. Stephen Harding today issued the following statement regarding Governor Ned Lamont announcing that he has received a letter from Marissa Gillett informing him that she will be resigning from her position with the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).

“In April, the Senate Republican Caucus made an unprecedented move.

We boycotted the vote on Chair Gillett’s re-nomination. That decision is looking better and better.

We walked out of the Senate Chamber in a stark protest against the backroom deal involving a Democrat state senator and the governor that led to the vote. After we walked out, Chair Gillett was then approved by Democrats in a 21-0 vote.

Senate Republicans had no choice but to walk out. We were and remain outraged about the blatant and awful quid pro quo deal between Gov. Lamont and top Democrats.

Senate Republicans would not allow our constituents to be complicit in what had occurred. What happened to get the chairwoman’s vote out of the Executive Nominations Committee smacked of bribery and corruption. It still does. Yet, the governor and Democrats had no problem with it.

Questions remain. Did the governor ask for her resignation? He should set the record straight. It’s long past time for full disclosure.

Senate Republicans will always side with ratepayers and transparency over bureaucrats and backroom deals.”

• Members of the CT Senate Republican Caucus include: Sen. Stephen Harding, Sen. Henri Martin, Sen. Heather Somers, Sen. Tony Hwang, Sen. Jason Perillo, Sen. Eric Berthel, Sen. John A. Kissel, Sen. Ryan Fazio, Sen. Rob Sampson, Sen. Paul Cicarella, and Sen. Jeff Gordon