Bacon Brothers and lobbyists are players at Lamont’s inaugural ball | Politics & Government

Inaugural balls are maybe the final place the place a lobbyist or state contractor can exceed a $50 annual restrict on wining and eating an elected official. Contributions to an inaugural are deemed a present to the state, not a person.

The inauguration itself is free and open to the general public.

Lamont and 4 different statewide constitutional officers will probably be inaugurated that morning on the State Armory, instantly west of the Capitol complicated. They are going to exit to a cannon salute and, if climate allowing, a helicopter flyover.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, who serves as president of the Senate, will take the oath earlier on the Capitol, then preside over the swearing in of lawmakers. All 36 senators and 151 Home members start their new phrases on Jan. 4.

Lamont, Bysiewicz and Legal professional Common William Tong are beginning second phrases.

At noon, Lamont will deal with a joint session of the Common Meeting. For the primary time because the arrival of COVID-19, the general public galleries of the Home and Senate are anticipated to be open.

The inaugural ball runs from 6:30 p.m. to midnight.

Since at the least 1998, the Workplace of State Ethics and its predecessor, the State Ethics Fee, has given the identical recommendation: Connecticut legislation locations no limits on contributions from lobbyists, their purchasers or contractors for inaugurals. 

Elected officers usually are barred from accepting items from a state contractor or lobbyist, apart from token gadgets valued lower than $10 or not more than $50 in meals and drinks over the course of a yr.

In a latest trade of emails with ethics officers, Lamont’s workplace outlined its inaugural plans and confirmed that the recommendation from ethics attorneys was unchanged.

“In preparation for the upcoming Governor’ s inaugural ball, a committee has been established consisting of 1 present Workplace of the Governor worker and three non-state workers,” wrote Walter Menjivar, the affiliate common counsel.

The worker is Kathy Damato, the administrator of the governor’s workplace who additionally labored for Lamont’s predecessor, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. The three others are Brian Durand, Michael Mandell and Steve Kinney, all authorities affairs advisors performing as volunteers.

“This committee intends to succeed in out to Connecticut companies, a few of whom will probably be state contractors and lobbyists looking for donations for the occasion,” Menjivar wrote. “Sponsors of the occasion will probably be acknowledged on the Governor’s ball and the committee will preserve a listing of all contributors that will probably be out there to the general public upon request.”

Durand is Malloy’s former chief of workers who has a political and authorities affairs consulting agency with Mandell, the previous govt director of the Connecticut Democratic Occasion underneath Malloy. Kinney is a former aide to U.S. Sen Chris Dodd. Durand and Kinney are registered lobbyists.

Contributions to the committee will probably be restricted to $25,000, mentioned Anthony Anthony, a spokesman for Lamont. There is no such thing as a restrict underneath the legislation.

Marianne Sadowski, the deputy common counsel to the Workplace of State Ethics, suggested Menjivar that state coverage is unchanged since an off-the-cuff opinion issued in December 1998 by Rachel Rubin, then the managing director the State Ethics Fee.

“The Fee will contemplate the inauguration and any associated actions to be official state capabilities. Subsequently, any items or companies offered to assist these occasions will probably be a ‘present to the state’ and exempt from the present limits contained within the Code. Because of this you aren’t restricted from any entity, together with registered lobbyists and/or individuals who’ve enterprise earlier than the Workplace of the Governor.”

Rubin suggested that contributions from lobbyists would “foster goodwill and are, subsequently, an expense in furtherance of lobbying. The lobbyist might want to embody the entire quantity contributed on its monetary disclosure type.”

Lobbyists should disclosure charges and expenditures associated to lobbying to the Workplace of State Ethics.

Rubin was replying to an inquiry for a lawyer representing the inaugural committee of Gov. John G. Rowland, who had simply been reelected to his second time period. Rowland’s committee restricted contributions to $5,000.

Damato mentioned Monday that the Lamonts will probably be answerable for any prices not lined by the sponsors or sale of tickets. She had no ultimate finances for the ball, however mentioned she hoped to remain near the “ballpark” variety of almost $800,000 from 4 years in the past.

As was the case 4 years in the past, the ball largely will characteristic meals and music produced by Connecticut residents.

It’s a paying gig for the Bacon Brothers, the band led by the actor and his brother, Michael Bacon, a composer and music professor. Kevin Bacon and his spouse, actress Kyra Sedgwick, personal a farm in Litchfield County.

“They’re not volunteering. They’re being paid, as is the DJ that’s coming in, as is a few different folks” mentioned Damato, who declined to determine them. “I don’t wish to spoil the shock.”

A band led by MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, who lives in Connecticut together with his spouse and “Morning Joe” co-host, Mika Brzezinski, performed at Lamont’s first inaugural. In addition they had been paid, Damato mentioned.

The second inaugural will probably be unconventional, with parts unfold all through the performing arts complicated. The Bacon Brothers will carry out within the William H. Mortensen Corridor, the Bushnell’s authentic 2,799-seat theater, whereas patrons will eat, drink and converse within the newer ports of the middle.

“We wish to give folks one thing barely completely different and a bit of bit extra intimate to kick off time period two,” Anthony mentioned.

Whereas the Mortensen is hardly a ballroom, there will probably be dancing to the Bacon Brothers.

Damato mentioned the band will carry out from a smaller stage constructed on the primary stage. The remainder of the stage, plus a lined orchestra pit, will turn into a dance flooring.

“And I feel that’d be a blast, to be up on the stage and dance,” Damato mentioned. “How typically do you get to try this?”