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Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont acknowledged Monday he helped hire a landscaper that illegally chopped down more than 180 trees and thousands of bushes on a property behind his Greenwich home, capping off days of questions about his level of involvement. The wealthy two-term Democrat, along with one of his neighbors and a neighborhood organization, have been accused of removing trees in protected wetlands — property they do not own — to get a better view of a pond. Lamont denied that charge, telling reporters on Monday the trees were damaged in previous storms and the plan was to clean up...

On Friday, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said that the fact that they cut taxes and “kept things open during COVID” has helped the state grow its population and the state has managed to balance its budget because it has attracted more people to the state. On CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Lamont stated, “We inherited a $2 billion deficit. The first thing thing I wanted to do five years ago was make sure we didn’t raise taxes. That’s what the five previous governors had done. Now, it’s five years later, we’ve got our budget balanced. We’re making investments. And we’re able...

On Friday’s broadcast of CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) stated that he has offered to let President Joe Biden use the Connecticut Guard to help secure the border, but Biden won’t use them. Co-host Andrew Ross Sorkin asked, “You may need housing for a different reason, immigration. You have people being bused up there — not in the same way that is being — that’s happening here — what do you think of the immigration problem in America, and do you think that blue states, which, for so long, thought this was a not in my backyard...

On May 9, the Connecticut House of Representatives passed a bill that would effectively expand the definition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation to include “discrimination” against so-called “minor-attracted persons.” H.B. 6638, also known as “An Act Revising the State’s Antidiscrimination Statutes,” passed by a landslide margin of 132-17, with two members absent from the vote. A significant majority of the state’s 53 House Republicans voted in favor of the bill. The state’s House Democratic caucus described the bill as seeking to “modernize and improve consistency in” the state’s “discrimination statutes.” The Connecticut American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),...

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) is weighing a push to end or repeal a grandfathering clause in a gun control bill in order to force residents to hand over any AR-15s. The CT Mirror noted that Connecticut’s General Assembly has passed two “assault weapons” bans, and each time, the bans had a grandfather clause, allowing those who already owned the banned firearms to keep them.

en after decades-high inflation, pandemic, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a new poll commissioned by CT Examiner suggests a close race for governor in Connecticut that mirrors the results four years ago between Democrat Ned Lamont and Republican Bob Stefanowski. In a three-way contest, Gov. Ned Lamont leads Bob Stefanowski 46% to 40%, with 5% opting for Independent Party candidate Rob Hotaling, and 10% undecided according to the nonpartisan poll released on Saturday. The CT Examiner/Fabrizio, Lee & Associates poll, conducted on Oct. 10-13, surveyed 1,200 likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 2.8%. The...

Connecticut is one of the latest blue states to announce plans to eliminate the statewide school mask mandate, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) announced on Monday. The Democrat governor announced that he endorses a plan to eliminate the statewide school mask mandate rule on February 28, 2022. From there, decisions on whether children will be forced to wear masks in schools will be determined at the local level.

Gov. Ned Lamont will end the controversial school mask mandate as of Feb. 28. That includes schools and daycare. “We now have the tools to keep ourselves safe,” Lamont said during a late afternoon virtual press conference. He said that means each city and town and local board of education can make the decision for themselves about what’s best for their community. ... Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani said the case counts are dropping and the positivity rate is dropping. She said putting this decision at the local level works best. Asked if the state had any data about in-school...

Gov. Ned Lamont won’t push for lawmakers to renew executive orders requiring certain state employees and teachers to either get vaccinated or tested for COVID-19. He said that's due to both the large number of people who’ve gotten the COVID-19 shots and the “significant administrative burden” placed on state agencies and schools to regularly test unvaccinated staff. Lamont said Thursday he still wants mandatory vaccinations for long-term care workers and employees at state-run hospitals. Lamont has provided legislative leaders with 11 executive orders he hopes they will extend.

As health officials push COVID booster shots, a debate is quickly emerging around whether the definition of "fully vaccinated" should be changed to include an additional dose of the vaccine. Why it matters: Booster shots provide remarkably strong protection against coronavirus infections, at least for a period of time. But getting the majority of Americans to stick out their arm again would be extremely challenging. Driving the news: Two governors said this week that they don't consider people who haven't received a booster shot to be fully vaccinated. "We're 11 months into the vaccination program. In my view, if you...

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) held a press conference Thursday during which he referred to his state employees who might seek a religious exemption from the coronavirus vaccine mandate as “Mother Teresas.” When asked at the state Capitol in Hartford about the standards to be used for state employees to qualify for a religious exemption from the vaccine mandate, Lamont replied:

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) issued a call Wednesday to the state’s General Assembly to convene in a special session to approve an extension of his emergency pandemic powers through February 15. As of September 17, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rated the state as having a “High Transmission” level with an increase of 17 percent in the rate of new cases per 100,000 from the previous week, but still making the most current number of new cases 126.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) this week celebrated the White House’s request to accept hundreds of Afghan refugees following the Biden administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, proclaiming it to be “our obligation and our duty to ensure these Afghan refugees feel welcome” in his state. “Yesterday afternoon, my administration was informed by the White House that our state will soon be asked to accept as many as 310 Afghan refugees for resettlement in Connecticut,” Lamont said in a statement on Thursday, emphasizing he welcomes the Afghans “with open arms into our wonderful state.”

Governor Ned Lamont on Thursday said on May 19, the state would follow CDC recommendations and not require mask wearing for fully vaccinated residents in most instances. Gov. Ned Lamont said Connecticut is following CDC guidance in ending the indoor mask mandate for people who are fully vaccinated starting May 19. The decision comes after the CDC announced Thursday that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks in most indoor settings. The state of Connecticut is getting ready to lift most remaining COVID-related restrictions that have been in place since the beginning of the pandemic and more people are eligible...

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the Connecticut Office of Tourism is launching a new summer marketing campaign to promote safe travel and fuel the Connecticut tourism industry’s recovery following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a year of saying “no” to so many things due to the pandemic, the State of Connecticut is encouraging resident and visitors to “Say Yes to Connecticut” and all of its unique experiences this summer. The multi-media campaign utilizes an array of integrated marketing tactics, including: A new television campaign that will run in-state, as well as on streaming television in proximity states;...

free shot for a shot? That could be a real possibility in Connecticut starting in the coming weeks. During his press conference Monday, Gov. Ned Lamont announced a new incentive campaign to encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The new program is called "#CTDrinksOnUs." Like Krispy Kreme or Budweiser, the new campaign will offer a free drink for those able to show their vaccine cards. Lamont said the restaurants participating will be "chipping in" in terms of cost for the free drinks, while the state will promote the campaign.

Governor Ned Lamont signed an executive order Tuesday increasing the amount CT business can be fined for violating the COVID-19 sector rules and capacity limited. Businesses can now be fined $10,000 per violation. The order goes into effect at 12:01 AM Thursday, November 26. Lamont says the action was taken in response after receiving feedback from municipal leaders, public health officials, and people from within the business community. “The sector rules and capacity limits we’ve implemented are intended to mitigate the spread of this disease to the greatest extent possible,” Governor Lamont said. “While the overwhelming majority of businesses in...

During Connecticut’s ongoing second wave of COVID-19, Gov. Ned Lamont has taken a noticeably different approach to restrictions than he did during the first wave last spring. Whereas in March the governor closed schools and businesses as part of a widespread lockdown, this time he has pledged to avoid similar measures and has resisted the types of sweeping closures that governors in Washington, Michigan, California and elsewhere have recently announced.

Connecticut added Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and California to its COVID-19 travel advisory Tuesday, making 40 states and two territories now on the list — plus two others that would qualify if not for agreements in place with governors there. There are now only seven states whose recent COVID-19 numbers fall below Connecticut travel advisory thresholds: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. Visitors from states listed on the advisory must fill out a travel form upon arriving in Connecticut, then either present proof of a negative coronavirus test or quarantine for 14 days. States are automatically added when...

Both Democrats and Republicans came together this morning to vote on if Governor Ned Lamont's decision on extending the emergency declaration powers to February would be overturned In a vote 6-4, the special committee voted on party lines to allow Gov. Lamont's decision to move forward. The extension, which would be in place until February 2021, means certain COVID-19 measures will remain until changed otherwise by the governor. “The public health emergency is not over. Period. We have a duty to protect the people of this state. Politics cannot interfere with this duty. Wear your mask. Social Distance. Minimize large...