Revolving CT Crime Door?

Edited here for space. By Craig Fishbein – first published June 16, 2022 –

Proud to join my fellow members of the Connecticut General Assembly Conservative Caucus in issuing this op-ed: DO BACKGROUND CHECKS MATTER WHEN CONNECTICUT DEMOCRATS ARE AUTOMATICALLY ERASING THE CRIMINAL RECORDS OF VIOLENT AND THREATENING PEOPLE?

Recently, our country has seen multiple tragedies involving guns being used against innocent people, resulting in mass casualties. In response, Governor Lamont and the Connecticut Democrats decry the system and plead “something must be done” to keep firearms out of the hands of violent and threatening people.

In CT it is tough to be convicted for any crime. Many first and second arrests end up being dismissed. Therefore, any actual conviction is most likely not the product of a first time run-in with the law, but a “repeat offender.” State and Federal law recognizes that some of those eventual convictions shed light on how the convicted regards others, and as a result many convictions prohibit a person from purchasing a gun.

In Connecticut, one cannot lawfully purchase a gun without a pre-purchase approval from the state police. Connecticut has many convictions that disqualify a person from obtaining such approval. Among those are any felony, a misdemeanor conviction within the last 20 years for:
Criminally Negligent Homicide
Assault 3rd degree
Assault of a Senior Citizen
Threatening
Reckless Endangerment 1st
Unlawful Restraint 2nd
Rioting 1st or 2nd
Inciting a Riot
Stalking 2nd
Possession of Illegal Drugs.

Passed in 2021, Public Act 21-32, provides for automatic erasure of numerous felony convictions … and misdemeanor convictions … making many persons previously convicted of violence and threatening, once again eligible to possess guns without having to appear before the Board of Pardons and Parole.

On the day of the law’s passage, House Republicans offered an amendment (LCO 9530) which sought to remove from automatic erasure convictions for the felonies of: 53a-60, “Assault in the Second Degree”; 53a-136, “Robbery in the Third Degree”; and 53a-167a, “Interfering with an Officer.” While all the Republicans voted for the amendment, the Democrats voted it down 81-67.

Amazingly, the Democrats also voted to automatically erase many felony hate crime convictions. Meanwhile, the Republicans once again tried to stop it. LCO9490 removed from automatic erasure felony convictions for 53a-181k, “Intimidation Based on Bigotry or Bias in the Second Degree,” … As with the above, the Democrats voted down that amendment, 74 to 72.

While the general public watches … the dramatic increase in crime during the Lamont administration, believing Democrats when they say they want to tackle the increase in gun crimes in our cities, perhaps they would think twice …. knowing at the same time, CT Democrats are making guns legally available to people previously convicted of heinous, disqualifying crimes.

It is the members of the Conservative Caucus, and the other House Republicans, that are the ones trying to keep guns out of the hands of violent and threatening people – for the safety of the public. The Connecticut General Assembly Conservative Caucus is a group of 16 Connecticut legislators dedicated to the principles of limited government, economic freedom, and individual liberty.

The members are:
Rep. Mike France, Chair (R 42);
Rep. Craig Fishbein, Vice Chair (R-90);
Rep. Mark Anderson, Secretary (R-62);
Rep. David T. Wilson, Treasurer (R-66);
Rep. Tim Ackert (R-8);
Rep. Anne Dauphinais (R-44);
Rep. Doug Dubitsky (R 47);
Rep. Kimberly Fiorello (R-149);
Rep. John Fusco (R 81);
Rep. Rick Hayes (R 51);
Rep. Brian Lanoue (R-45);
Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco (R-80);
Rep. John Piscopo (R-76);
Rep. Joe Polletta (R-68);
Rep. Kurt Vail (R-52); and
Rep. Donna Veach (R-30).