Press Releases

"While I'm obviously disappointed by the Supreme Court's ruling, I respect their decision. And while, I'm extremely grateful and honored by the outpouring of support and encouragement that I've received, I will not be a candidate for any office in 2010.

Although I won't be running for office this year, I will be spending every single moment I can working hard for Democrats up and down the ballot this fall. Make no mistake about it, my commitment to the principles and ideals of the Democratic Party will never waver.

It's been a great honor to serve the citizens of Connecticut for the past 12 years as Secretary of the State and I am tremendously grateful for all of your support. It has also been a pleasure to visit every town and city across our state and get to know so many wonderful and hard working people. Your friendship has meant the world to me and I look forward to continuing our fight for the values we all share in the days and months ahead."

Democratic candidate for Attorney General and Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz announced today that 6 more Democratic Town Committees have endorsed her candidacy. The Derby, East Haven, Haddam, Killingworth, Ledyard and Old Saybrook DTCs all voted to support Bysiewicz for Attorney General.

Bysiewicz has now received the official endorsement from 11 Democratic Town Committees. Bysiewicz had previously announced that 5 DTCs officially endorsed her candidacy including Beacon Falls, East Lyme, Middlebury, Middletown and Stafford. Bysiewicz also reported that she was endorsed by two major labor unions: Plumbers and Pipefitters local 777 in Meriden and the Connecticut Laborers District Council in Hartford.

Last week, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz won a huge victory for Connecticut voters by winning a declaratory ruling from Hartford Superior Court Judge Michael Sheldon that the people of Connecticut, not Republican Party insiders, have the right to determine who should be the next Attorney General. Bysiewicz, the clear front-runner in the race for Attorney General, filed suit in February to resolve questions raised about whether or not her background in public service, combined with her years in private law practice, sufficed to give her the right to run for and to serve as Connecticut's Attorney General.

Bysiewicz said with this matter settled, she looks forward to a spirited campaign for Attorney General based on the issues. "I want you to know one thing about me: I know how to win and I never give up - I didn't give up on myself, and if you give me the chance to serve as Attorney General, I will never give up on you. If voters want their next Attorney General to be a fighter, then I'm their candidate," said Bysiewicz.

Bysiewicz declared her candidacy for the 2010 Democratic nomination for Attorney General on January 13th and holds a commanding lead of nearly 50 points in the polls over any other Democrat seeking the position. Throughout her career in public service she has been involved in many legal and legislative successes including cracking down on illegal businesses, standing up for victim rights, keeping well-paying jobs in Connecticut, protecting our environment, fighting corruption and preventing identity theft. A graduate of Yale College and Duke University School of Law, Bysiewicz has served as Connecticut's Secretary of the State for the past eleven years. Previously, she served in the Legislature for six years and prior to that she practiced corporate law with leading law firms in both New York and Connecticut.

(Hartford) - Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz today won another huge victory for Connecticut voters by winning a declaratory ruling from Hartford Superior Court Judge Michael Sheldon that the people of Connecticut, not Republican Party insiders, have the right to determine who should be the next Attorney General. Bysiewicz, the clear front-runner in the race for Attorney General, filed suit in February to resolve questions raised about whether or not her background in public service, combined with her years in private law practice, sufficed to give her the right to run for and to serve as Connecticut's Attorney General. 

"This is not just a victory for me. This is a victory for all of the voters of Connecticut who should have the choice to vote for who they want to vote for - whether it is Attorney General or any other office," Secretary Bysiewicz said.

Bysiewicz said with this matter settled, she looks forward to a spirited campaign for Attorney General based on the issues. "Let me finish by speaking directly to the voters of Connecticut.  I want you to know one thing about me: I know how to win and I never give up - I didn't give up on myself, and if you give me the chance to serve as Attorney General, I will never give up on you. If voters want their next Attorney General to be a fighter, then I'm their candidate," said Bysiewicz. 

"An Attorney General sometimes has to go to court and fight for what they believe is right, and that is exactly what I have done here.  As Attorney General I will never stop fighting for the taxpayers, consumers and entrepreneurs of Connecticut.  I will not hesitate to go to court to protect Connecticut families and small businesses from fraud and hold big industries accountable if they charge hidden fees or manipulate our markets.  I will never stop fighting for consumers and holding accountable unscrupulous predatory lenders or identity thieves who would not think twice about stealing your hard-earned life savings. The Attorney General is the people's advocate.  I will be relentless in the pursuit of justice and undaunted by the noise and obstruction created by the opposition," Bysiewicz said.

Bysiewicz declared her candidacy for the 2010 Democratic nomination for Attorney General on January 13^th and holds a commanding lead of nearly 50 points in the polls over any other Democrat seeking the position. Throughout her career in public service she has been involved in many legal and legislative successes including cracking down on illegal businesses, standing up for victim rights, keeping well-paying jobs in Connecticut, protecting our environment, fighting corruption and preventing identity theft. A graduate of Yale College and Duke University School of Law, Bysiewicz has served as Connecticut's Secretary of the State for the past eleven years. Previously, she served in the Legislature for six years representing Middletown, Durham and Middlefield and prior to that she practiced corporate law with leading law firms in both New York and Connecticut.

 Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz announced today that five Democratic Town Committees have unanimously voted to endorse her candidacy for Attorney General.

 DTCs officially endorsing Bysiewicz include:

• Middlebury
• Middletown
• Beacon Falls
• Stafford
• East Lyme

 "I am grateful for the official support from these towns," said Bysiewicz. "Town committee members are such an active group of people; they are truly paying attention and engaging in our democracy so to have their support means a lot to me."

 Last week Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz reported raising more than $214,000 for the first quarter and $345,000 cash on-hand. Bysiewicz is one of three Democratic candidates who have formed exploratory committees or declared for the Attorney General's race this year.  The latest Quinnipiac Poll results show Bysiewicz as the clear front runner with support from 54 percent of registered Democrats.  

Now in her third term as Connecticut's Secretary of the State, Bysiewicz won re-election in 2006 with almost 70 percent of the vote.

 In her most recent filing with the State Elections Enforcement Commission, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz reports raising more than $214,000 for the quarter in her race for Attorney General.  She also reports over $345,000 cash on-hand.  In contrast, her primary opponents are reporting quarterly fundraising results between $25,000 and $50,000, according to recent news articles.

 Bysiewicz is one of three Democratic candidates who have formed exploratory committees or declared for the Attorney General's race this year.  The latest Quinnipiac Poll results show Bysiewicz as the clear front runner with support from 54 percent of registered Democrats.  

Now in her third term as Connecticut's Secretary of the State, Bysiewicz won re-election in 2006 with almost 70 percent of the vote.

-PRESS RELEASE-
BYSIEWICZ, CT DEMOCRATS SEEK AG ELIGIBILITY CONFIRMATION

(Hartford) - Seeking official confirmation of her eligibility as a candidate, Secretary of the State and candidate for Attorney General Susan Bysiewicz today filed suit in Hartford Superior Court for a Declaratory Ruling on the state's legal requirements for the Office of Attorney General.

"I am happy to have this opportunity to confirm my eligibility for the office of Attorney General for the State of Connecticut," said Bysiewicz. "It is clear that I more than meet the requirements to serve as Attorney General and this effort will confirm that once and for all."

Connecticut State Law currently requires that the Attorney General be "an attorney of at least ten years' active practice at the bar of this state..." (CGS 3-124) Through the suit, Bysiewicz argues that she meets this requirement through her service in private practice and in public service as Secretary of the State for more than a decade. Furthermore, Bysiewicz indicates that the very requirement itself is unconstitutional under the Connecticut and U.S. Constitutions.

The suit seeks injunctive relief in order to prevent any harm to the Democratic Party and the voters of Connecticut, who face uncertainty as to the status of a declared candidate for statewide office. The suit includes all required parties that have authority over placement of candidates on the primary ballot this August, including the State of Connecticut, the Connecticut Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party Chair, Nancy DiNardo.

Bysiewicz, who filed the suit as a private individual, is represented by Attorney Wesley Horton, a renowned authority on Connecticut constitutional law. Bysiewicz was also joined by Connecticut Democratic Party Chair Nancy DiNardo.

"I am proud to stand with Susan as she takes this important step to resolving a critical issue not just for this election, but for all future elections for Attorney General," said DiNardo. "Connecticut voters deserve clarity on who is legally eligible to seek this office so they can focus on the more important issue of who is the best choice to serve."

"My focus has always been fighting for the people of Connecticut," said Bysiewicz. "I look forward to discussing my strong record of service to Connecticut and my plan to protect Connecticut jobs, safeguard our consumers, and defend our environment."

Susan Bysiewicz is the Secretary of the State of Connecticut. From 1988 to 1992, Secretary Bysiewicz represented the 100th Assembly District in the State House of Representatives. In that capacity, she also served as House Chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee. A graduate of Yale College and Duke University School of Law, she has practiced corporate, international, banking, health care, and pension law at several area firms. A native of Middletown, she continues to reside there with her husband, David Donaldson, and their three children.

(MIDDLETOWN, CT)-Pledging to continue her fight for the people of Connecticut, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz today announced her candidacy for the office of Attorney General.

"As we face our greatest challenges in more than a generation, Connecticut needs strong leadership from its Attorney General," said Bysiewicz.  "It is with great hope for the future and a commitment to fighting for the people of Connecticut that I announce my candidacy for Attorney General."

As Secretary of the State since 1999, Bysiewicz has fought for Connecticut families, veterans, seniors, and consumers.  Bysiewicz's record includes:

• Cracking down on Illegal Businesses: with Richard Blumenthal, spearheaded the effort to crack down on out-of-state businesses operating illegally in Connecticut, which hurts our economy, threatens legitimate small businesses, and costs us jobs.
• Preventing Identity Theft: safeguarded the privacy of Connecticut citizens by ensuring that confidential personal data within her agency is protected or altogether eliminated from the public domain. In particular, she won passage of a law to remove all social security numbers from voter registration rolls.
• Standing up for Victims Rights: in 2004, Bysiewicz created the "Safe at Home/Address Confidentiality" program, which protects victims of domestic violence and sexual assault by keeping their addresses confidential.
• Honoring Veterans: fought the Bush Administration's efforts to curtail voter registration at Veterans Administration (VA) Hospitals. As Secretary of the State, she has honored World War II veterans across the Connecticut and will continue to fight for their rights as Attorney General
• Defending Our Environment: led the successful fight against the dangerous Broadwater Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal and was instrumental in working to ensure that the U.S. Army used smart-growth principles to protect our open spaces while building a new facility in Middletown.

 "I intend to carry on the great tradition established by my friend Richard Blumenthal, a tradition where our Attorney General places the people of Connecticut first," said Bysiewicz.  "My record as Secretary of the State has led to great strides to protect Connecticut residents and keep our state one of the safest in America."

Bysiewicz's high approval ratings from her tenure as Secretary of the State, as well has her strong fundraising, make her the likely frontrunner for Attorney General.

Susan Bysiewicz is the Secretary of the State of Connecticut.  From 1988 to 1992, Secretary Bysiewicz represented the 100th Assembly District in the State House of Representatives. In that capacity, she also served as House Chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee. A graduate of Yale College and Duke University School of Law, she has practiced corporate, international, banking, health care, and pension law at several area firms. A native of Middletown, she continues to reside there with her husband, David Donaldson, and their three children.

(HARTFORD, CT)‐‐Calling on the courts to uphold Connecticut's landmark clean elections law, Secretary

of the State and potential gubernatorial candidate Susan Bysiewicz today filed an amicus brief with the

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, making her the first candidate to officially urge

the Court to reverse the District Court judgment that struck down the clean elections law in August

(Green Party of Connecticut v. Garfield, 648 F.Supp.2d 298 (D. Conn. 2009).

Bysiewicz, a long‐time advocate for clean elections and strict campaign finance reforms, makes the case

that invalidating the Citizens Election Program (CEP) so close to the upcoming primary and general

elections will create an inequitable campaign environment for candidates who have participated in the

program in good faith. The CEP provides public campaign financing grants to qualified candidates for

state office provided that they adhere to strict fundraising and spending limits.

"The Citizens Election Program was a giant leap forward to combat the corruption that has marred

Connecticut politics in recent years," said Bysiewicz. "Now, we risk not just falling backward, but

creating harmful new disruptions to an election in‐process. For that reason, it is vital that the Court hear

from someone this law directly affects, an actual candidate who has pledged to participate in the Citizen

Election Program in 2010."

The CEP was developed and adopted as law following multiple state and municipal corruption scandals

that have marked Connecticut's recent political history. In August 2009, a federal judge ruled the CEP

unconstitutional based on a lawsuit filed by Connecticut's Green and Libertarian Parties. In her action,

Bysiewicz joins Connecticut Common Cause and Connecticut Citizen Action Group to support the

program and the principles on which the CEP was founded.

Bysiewicz argues that the first step must be to provide a fair and consistent set of rules for the 2010

elections. However, she pledged to continue her fight to protect and fine tune a system of campaign

financing that allows qualified candidates, regardless of personal wealth, to run for public office in the

years to come. "I've spent the better part of two decades trying to encourage young people to get

involved in our political process and in government. Public campaign financing ensures that anyone can

run for public office, not just the wealthiest among us or those supported by special interest money,"

said Bysiewicz.

"By establishing the CEP, we leveled the playing field so that ideas could take the place of dollars. We

cannot afford to go back in time where offices could be bought and money counted more than

anything," said Bysiewicz. "Connecticut needs the CEP in 2010; but we'll continue to need it in order to

attract the best, the brightest, and the most committed public servants in the future."

Rocky Hill – Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz announced the launch of her new campaign website, www.susan2010.com today, calling it a great way to communicate with Connecticut voters as she explores a potential run for Governor.

“This site will be a great way for us to keep in touch with one another. I’ll continue to post information about my campaign, ask for your opinions on the issues that matter to you, and give you ways to get involved should you want to join me in my efforts to get Connecticut back on the right track,” Bysiewicz wrote in an email to supporters.

She also invited Connecticut voters to read her blog (http://www.susan2010.com/blog) and follow her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/susanbysiewicz) and on Twitter (http://twitter.com/susan2010).

In addition to the full complement of social media tools, the site hosts a Meet Susan section, photo gallery, recent videos, campaign press releases, current news, and numerous ways to participate in the campaign. Supporters can use the site to invite Susan to an event, volunteer, host a fundraiser, make a contribution, or register to vote.

“One of the most important things I can do right now as I contemplate a run for Governor is to listen to the concerns that people have. I want to hear about what they feel are the most pressing issues facing our state,” said Bysiewicz. To that end, the new website includes a survey Sound off on the Issues (http://www.susan2010.com/action/survey) where voters can share their opinions with the candidate.

“New content will be added to the site on a regular basis, and when I ultimately make a decision about running for Governor, that’s where you’ll find it,” said Bysiewicz. “I look forward to seeing you online!”

(Rocky Hill) - As she explores running for governor in 2010, Connecticut Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz announced today that the Friends of Susan 2010, Inc. had raised a total of $100,460 between July 1 and September 30 of 2009.  Overall, some 551 contributors donated to the exploratory committee during the 3^rd quarter of 2009.  For the entire year, the Friends of Susan 2010 committee has raised $338,915 from 1,444 contributors.

"I am humbled and honored to receive the support of thousands of my constituents as I explore running for Governor of Connecticut in 2010," said Bysiewicz.  "As I talk to Connecticut voters about our state's future, it's clear that we need bold, visionary leadership.  As our state and the nation grapples with a difficult economy, we must ensure good paying jobs, quality affordable health care, the best schools and a high quality of life.  These contributions of support help us make a strong case for change in 2010."

So far in 2009, nearly half of the donations to Friends of Susan 2010, Inc. have come from people giving $100 or less.  In the 3^rd quarter of 2009, 271 people gave less than $100 totaling $17,385.  For the entire year 512 contributors have donated less than $100 totaling $35,910.