Hartford, Ct. – In an interview with NBC-Connecticut yesterday, Senate Republican leader Len Fasano criticized Governor Dan Malloy for meeting with community and religious leaders from Hartford’s North End about his Second Chance Society initiative. Instead, Fasano would prefer the Governor to spend his time meeting with GOP legislators, who Fasano insists, “know what the issues are.”

That’s right, Senator Fasano actually believes that Republican legislators know better than community leaders in the North End, and New Haven, and Bridgeport. Legislators like House GOP leader Themis Klarides, who recently suggested that a legislative alternative to Second Chance Society would be for people to just not possess drugs, completely ignoring the realities facing many urban communities across the state.

“So let me get this straight. Senator Fasano is upset that Governor Malloy is publicly meeting with people from communities most impacted by mandatory minimums and drug free zones, because he would prefer to have the Governor spend his time in private meetings with GOP legislators who have consistently misrepresented the legislation for which he is advocating. Maybe instead of criticizing the Governor for doing his job, Senator Fasano should show some leadership and help improve the safety of our communities by making Connecticut a Second Chance Society.” –Connecticut Democratic Party spokesman Leigh Appleby

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