The heads of five health insurance companies have joined in a letter to Governor Ned Lamont to explain their opposition to State Comptroller Kevin Lembo’s plan to create a state-run competitor.

The CEOs of Anthem, Cigna, CVS Health (which includes Aetna), Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan, and UnitedHealth Group explain to Lamont that the state does not possess the experience to operate a complex health insurance plan. They also point to the hefty annual deficits racked up by the Partnership Plan the comptroller operates.

The company leaders remind the governor, whose fortune includes big scores in health care, that they have heeded his call to continue to innovate. They also don’t like Lamont’s proposal to slap a tax on health insurance policies–an additional levy on thousands of Connecticut working families.

The letter is a warning that the companies’ commitments to the state may reach its limit if the state goes into competition against them with unregulated plans that do not require reserves.

Stamford Democrat Caroline Simmons collected $157,000 in the first quarter of the year for her race for the Democratic nomination for mayor. The popular state legislature is challenging incumbent David Martin.

Simmons family contacts are in evidence in the report, which includes donations from far flung contributors. Republican Art Linares, a former state senator and Simmons’s husband made a maximum contribution, $1,000.

Fellow Democrats in the legislature brought some coal to Newcastle with their contributions. The first quarter report is a traditional place for a challenger to send a message to an incumbent–and Simmons has done that. She will be a formidable opponent in the September primary against Martin.

The Simmons campaign spent only $9,500 to begin the first three months of the race.

Baseball legend Bobby Valentine is expected to roil the race with an independent bid in the November contest.

Gary Byron wants to lead Connecticut’s Republican party organization. The state party committee will choose a new chair in June. Byron will have to persuade national committee members Leora Levy and John Frey, who appear to have settled on a different horse.

Here’s Byron’s announcement:

My name is Gary Byron and I am asking for your vote to be the next Connecticut State Party Chair.  I have chosen to run for this because I believe I am the best person to bridge the disconnect between what our party is doing on a daily basis and what people believe our party is doing (or not doing).  I host a popular radio show that reaches our rank and file members daily and have proven relationships with current legislators and party leaders, including House Minority leader Vin Candelora and Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, both of whom I worked intimately while serving with them in our state legislature. 

A little about me, my skill set, and how it would benefit our party: In 1988 at the age of 18 I started a business, Tone Zone. By strategically creating short term and long term goals, I grew Tone Zone to be the third largest event company in Connecticut.  I attribute my success to surrounding myself with people smarter than me then delegating responsibility accordingly. Periodically during my time in business I was also employed as on-air talent in both radio and television. In 2014, with odds stacked against me, I ran successfully for State Representative (27th District) against the DTC chair in the Democrat dominated town of Newington… winning by over 800 votes.  In my re-election in 2016 I won again by an even larger margin against a challenger who was the Democrat BOE chair.  I lost my 2018 bid by only 66 votes during the absentee ballot count. 

This loss led to an opportunity to combine my political and broadcasting experience by accepting the coveted morning drive time slot on The Talk of Connecticut Radio Network (WDRC 1360 am/ 103.3 fm, WBOM 1470 am, WSNG 610 am), a network of conservative news/ talk radio stations.  For the last two years I’ve listened to callers – mainly citizens of our state – be dismayed and disenfranchised with the policies being handed to us from the Democrat majority.  I interview elected officials and political movers and shakers on the local, state, and even national levels on a daily basis. Part of my responsibility is to bring in high roller advertisers on an ongoing basis. By cultivating relationships throughout the year – not just at times when contracts are to expire – advertisers are made to feel they are a valued part of not only my morning show, but also conservatism in our state.  This is a component I have been successful and I believe is an important quality when fundraising for our party. My personality is the secret sauce to my success throughout my career. These unique yet vital “ingredients” is what I will bring with me if elected.  

My column on the Boston Consulting Group’s $2 million report on the coming retirement surge of state employees is here.

Read the report here–and note how lightly it treads on the negotiations between the state and public employee unions required to implement recommendations.

The University of Connecticut School of Law has fallen from 50th to 58th in the most recent U.S. News rankings. U.S. News long ago carved out a spot as the popular arbiter of school rankings. A collapse of 8 spots is an alarming development. The UConn’s law school shares its place on the list with Baylor.

Knowing what a collapse in the U.S. News standard can do to a school’s ability to recruit faculty and students, UConn reacted with a statement Monday afternoon. It included the obligatory reference to changes in methodology.

Dear Friends,

As we move together toward the end of a challenging yet inspiring academic year and onward to our centennial, I’m writing to thank you for your support and to update you on news from the UConn School of Law.

Last week U.S. News & World Report released its 2022 law school rankings, and UConn Law ranked #58. Extensive changes in methodology make it somewhat challenging to compare this year’s rankings with last year’s, but our administrative team is analyzing the result, which represents a decline from #50. With the assistance of our outstanding faculty and staff, we will continue to seek ways to improve the law school and to enhance its profile throughout the legal academy and profession. We also remain committed to improving such student outcomes as bar passage and job placement, both of which are critically important notwithstanding the rankings.

It is important to recognize that no ranking can reflect the true greatness of our law school. Our small class sizes, broad curriculum, experiential learning opportunities, caring community, superb teaching, and commitment to diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and affordability continue to make a UConn Law education a superior investment.

As we build on our legacy of excellence, we have relied, as always, on the support and generosity of our alumni and friends. Last spring, as the pandemic canceled many summer internships and uncertainty around the bar exam disrupted post-graduate hiring, the Center for Career Development asked for your help in finding meaningful summer and post-grad opportunities for our students — and many of our dedicated alumni responded.

This summer, we again need your help identifying opportunities for our students. If your organization hires summer interns and may have space available or is looking to hire for the fall, please let us know. Our students know how to be effective in the virtual environment, so every location is an option this year. If a traditional 8- to 10-week internship is not an option, our students would benefit from part-time or project work. Please email the Center for Career Development at law.careers@uconn.edu<mailto:lawcareers@umich.edu> and let us know how you can help our students and graduates, and how they can help you.

There are myriad other ways that you can engage in UConn Law’s mission. The Admissions Office is grateful for the assistance of alumni willing to connect with prospective and accepted students. The Center for Career Development and Office of Alumni Relations seek volunteers to provide career guidance and networking through the Alumni in Residence Online program and the Practice Area Alumni and Student Career Conversations event. Our student affinity groups seek steering committee members to offer networking and mentoring. If you would like to know more about how you can help in these or other areas, please email Alumni Relations Director Alison Swain at aswain@foundation.uconn.edu<mailto:aswain@foundation.uconn.edu>.

Thank you again for your continued support of UConn Law, and for the warm welcome that so many of you have extended to me in my first year as dean. I look forward to working with you in the exciting times ahead, including in centennial celebrations that will begin this fall. Please do not hesitate to contact me at lawdean@uconn.edu<mailto:lawdean@uconn.edu> if I or the law school can be of service in any way.

Best,

Eboni S. Nelson
Dean and Professor of Law

Trinity Health of New England will hold a 24 hour vax-a-thon in Hartford beginning April 9th at 5 p.m. It’s at the Artists Collective, 1200 Albany Avenue and open to people 16 years old and above.

Here’s the link to register. Use it. Now.

Dennis House, veteran newscaster, anchor and host, puts some serious points on the board today by snagging an exclusive interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. Her Friday appearance in New Haven was first reported by Daily Ructions.

The resilient House, installed early this year in the constellation of stars at WTNH, is expected to be the only sit-down interview Harris grants a local reporter on her trip to Connecticut. The California Democrat is here to promote recently-enacted child tax credit legislation.

The charismatic Harris will no doubt prove a get worth pursuing. There’s a larger lesson provided by House’s successful pursuit of her: Ever onward.

Julia Bergman of the New Haven Register gets the print interview with Harris.

Connecticut Republicans selected Mary Ann Turner to fill the vacant vice chair position on their state central committee.

Turner, veteran leader of the Enfield Republicans, was incensed on January 6th when state Representative Devin Carney, also a Republican, condemned the insurrection at the Capitol that attempted to halt the counting of electoral votes. Turner, who was at the rally Donald Trump used to incite the rioters, accused Carney of “drinking the kool-aid.” She demanded Carney resign from his seat in the House of Representatives. Read the alarming story here.

Turner told Carney he “should be praying for what little of America is left.” That ugly view of the world was endorsed and elevated by the state Republican organization on Tuesday.

Turner made an unsuccessful bid for the House in 2020.

Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to travel to Connecticut Friday, Daily Ructions has learned. Harris will devote her trip to highlighting the administration’s efforts to address child poverty through tax policy.

Connecticut’s dismal record of job creation make it a laboratory for policies that seek to lift and provide opportunity. Harris is likely to visit New Haven with Representative Rosa DeLauro, chair of the House Appropriations Committee. The California Democrat may also appear with Rep. Jahana Hayes in the state’s 5th Congressional District.

Former House Majority Leader David Pudlin and former state Senator Billy Ciotto have died.

Pudlin, 68, a New Britain Democrat, succumbed to a fall down stairs. Ciotto, a Democrat beloved far beyond his hometown of Wethersfield, had been suffering from Parkinson’s. He was 91 years old. Ciotto recently enjoyed the elixir of a call from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Many will recall that Billy played the accordion with verve. Few will remember that he once accompanied the irrepressible Bernie Bernacki and me as we made our way through a humorous song at our first (and my only) Senate dinner. He served in the Senate for 12 years.