Hartford, CT — Another day on the campaign trail, another day that Tom Foley doesn’t know specifics about important issues facing Connecticut. Today’s example was in front of the Partnership for Strong Communities, where multimillionaire Tom Foley couldn’t articulate specifics about affordable housing.

It was clear throughout his appearance that Foley — who owns two million-dollar fighter jets as toys, a $5 million yacht chartered outside of the country, and a seven-bedroom mansion — doesn’t know the basic details of housing policy.

Affordable housing affects veterans, the elderly, low-income and urban communities. What’s Tom Foley’s plan?

A lot of: “I don’t know” and “I’m not an expert.”With answers like that, it’s no wonder he won’t participate in tomorrow’s gubernatorial debate with NBC Connecticut.

When asked how he would expand affordable housing to suburban areas, he said:

“Well, you’re asking something that’s really beyond my area of expertise in this area. So I don’t really know….I don’t know the answer, but I would like to help you and others solve the problem.”

When asked how to increase low-income housing and how to deliver income rises:

“Well, if we get the economy going, then you get people’s incomes going up, and you get real estate values moving again, a lot of these problems take care of themselves. Now I’m talking about — I don’t know the specifics of the public policy and the experience of communities in Connecticut and where it hasn’t worked and where it has worked…”

When asked about supportive housing, he didn’t even know what it was:

“When you say supportive housing…I’m not exactly sure what you mean…”

The questioner then had to define it for him, to which he eventually said:

“…I think the answer’s yes?”

The list could go on and on.

His utter lack of policy knowledge even came up during his press availability — and he appeared to double down on a campaign painfully devoid of specifics. The on-topic availability can be found here. Some highlights:

“It’s not something I’m an expert on. Some of the questions they ask me I actually don’t know the answer to.”

…

“I’m a problem solver, so I was just making the point that if it’s working, if it’s a program that’s working and it’s good public policy, I support it. If it’s not working, I don’t.”

The translation? Tom Foley, who has been running for Governor for five years, will figure it out later — when he isn’t flying fighter jets.

“As someone who owns fighter jets, yachts, and mansions, Tom Foley seems to know nothing about affordable housing, even though it affects veterans, seniors, and so many others across the state. Tom Foley’s lack of policy knowledge is stunning — but to a degree, it’s to be expected from someone who made millions as he was exploiting the middle class, closing down mills, and making working families suffer,” said Devon Puglia, Democratic Party spokesman. “The litany of issues of which Tom Foley doesn’t know specifics has reached a mind-boggling point. It’s no wonder he’s refusing to participate in tomorrow’s debate with NBC.”

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