Almost two weeks after federal investigators arrested a campaign aide of Democratic House Speaker Chris Donovan, the legislative body he leads went back into special session to work on the budget. WNPR's Jeff Cohen reports.
House Republican Leader Larry Cafero was getting a coffee, readying for what promised to be a long day. And I asked him whether the circumstances of the FBI's investigation into Donovan's campaign were going to have any effect on the form or function of the special session. He said it has...
"...a chilling effect on everything. You know, it's very disturbing -- the whole allegations are a reflection on our institution, our speaker, the process. So, yeah, there's an uneasy feeling I guess. I don't know what the word is. Uncomfortable. Sad. But I'm sure once we get into the meat of the issues, you know, then it's game time."
Donovan: The house will please come to order...
Donovan gaveled the chamber into session in the early afternoon and then, as expected, turned over his responsibilities to his deputies. Meanwhile, outside the chamber, lobbyists gathered as they usually do. None would speak on the record. But off the record, a few of them said that it was a strange time.
Those innocent conversations with the speaker by cell phone -- was the FBI listening? Could something I may have done seem improper, even though it wasn't? It's an uneasy feeling, one said, like someone is looking over your shoulder.
Bart Halloran is counsel for the Association of Connecticut Lobbyists. By phone, and on the record, he told a different story.
"I think that the lobbyists are just sort of going along like they always have. They try to lobby and persuade people to accept their positions. But this really hasn't affected them as far as what they do -- because what they do is legal."
And while some Democrats at the capitol said the mood was decidedly subdued -- like the air had been let out of the place -- Hartford Representative Matt Ritter said it was pretty much business as usual.
"I arrived today an hour ago and it's pretty standard. I think -- you separate the two, you know you have a job to do, and we'll get it done."
The investigation into Donovan is continuing. He faces a primary this August.
For WNPR, I'm Jeff Cohen.
