Peter Wolfgang's Roe v Wade Speech!

Bridgeport walk for Life: If you missed the Bridgeport 39th Roe v. Wade Memorial last weekend we invite you to view this full, uncut video of Peter Wolfgang's speech.

After viewing the speech, please consider donating to FIC so that we can carry on the fight for a Connecticut where every unborn child will be protected in law and welcomed in life.

The Family Institute of Connecticut New Promo Video!

View FIC's First-Ever Promotional Video! Click this link to view the page and see the video.

Partial Victory, Immediate Backlash

School Officials Back Down on Forcing Attendance at Gay Play  "Reprising Gay Kiss, Despite Uproar" says the front page headline in today's Courant. But the subheading provides the real story: "Controversial Play Is Now Optional." The reason the school changed its policy is buried deep in the article:

The Family Institute of Connecticut, a conservative group that opposed gay marriage in the state, sent a mass email Monday with the subject "Forced Pro-Gay Indoctrination at Hartford Public High School," criticizing what it considered "an outrageous attack on parental rights." Principals of the nursing and law and government academies decided against requiring permission slips for the opening performance.

That won't be the case for Friday's show. Jack Baldermann, the executive principal of Hartford High who also heads the school's Engineering and Green Technology Academy, said that all the freshmen need an OK from their parents and that he expected more than half to attend. The sophomores, juniors and seniors in his academy can choose to opt out and work on assignments.

That is what a single email from FIC Action can help to accomplish. Following our Monday alert, FIC Action President Peter Wolfgang did interviews with CitizenLink, Family News in Focus, American Family Radio and Fox 61 (see the video here). Other outlets such as LifeSiteNews picked up the story. Many of you took the initiative and contacted school officials directly.

The result is most visible in the Fox 61 story, which begins with the claim that school officials are standing by their decision to make attendance at the gay propaganda play mandatory, but ends with the admission that they will now allow opt-in/out-outs. 

This is a partial victory for parental rights and against the gay agenda in Hartford's public schools. But the rage of our political elites at suffering even this minor setback in their campaign to force pro-gay indoctrination on the state's youth is already evident.

Though FIC has been headquartered in Hartford for a decade, the Courant claimed the calls and emails to the school came "mostly from conservative out-of-towners." 

The Courant managed to find two football players who approved of the play and then pitted them against their fellow jocks. One of them calls his teammates "disrespectful" for leaving the play, adding that "you have to accept" what the play was promoting. Another called into question the "character" of his teammates who chose to leave. Not a single one of the dozens of students who walked out are interviewed for their view. 

More disturbing, though the Courant reports that school officials say attendance "is now considered optional," it is clear that those same school officials are still pressuring students to attend another showing of the play:

"We're not going to force them to come," [Jack] Baldermann [executive principal of Hartford High] said...But Baldermann has told his students that he would like them there..."

The counter-attack continues throughout today's Courant. The photo accompanying the main story depicts the two men kissing. In an op-ed, local writer Gina Barreca says "a handful of outraged parents of Hartford High students, some football players and a coven of conservative community members" were acting out of "inherited, unexamined and brittle prejudice" against a genre of play "unduly causing people to think." (The irony in Barreca's refusal to engage people with differing views was clearly lost on her.) 

Most disturbing of all is today's Hartford Courant editorial. The editors scolded the students who walked out of the play, saying they "have a lot to learn" and that the walk-out was "a shocking display of intolerance," while students who cheered the play's propaganda had it counted "to their credit" by the paper. The editorial allowed that some students "may come from homes with inflexible views on same-sex affection," noting that one angry parent returned to the school with a Bible. But, sniffed the editors, coming from a home where the Bible is taught is "no excuse for poor student behavior." 

By "poor student behavior" the editors mean the brave refusal of a few dozen students to be indoctrinated against the values of their parents by the public officials whose salaries their parents pay for. 

It gets worse. The editorial ends by noting that "More acceptance is needed all around, even in the strictest households." What does this mean? Who would the Courant propose to enforce this "greater acceptance" against the will of Connecticut's traditional-minded households? The government? The schools? Will they be knocking on our door to see if we conform to standards of "greater tolerance" as defined by the Courant's editors? At a bare minimum, the Courant calls on the city's high schools to add more events "like this play" to "broaden students' perspective" so that they will think less independently and more like the editors of the Courant. 

Ironically, the same edition of the Courant includes a farewell piece by departing columnist Helen Ubinas, who says her writing was motivated by a desire "to keep the powerful honest and give those without power a voice." In the matter of Hartford High's forced pro-gay indoctrination, who is the powerful and who is the powerless? 

Are the kids who were forced to see this play "the powerful"? Or the few dozen who walked out? Or their parents who were not given the opportunity to opt-out their children? Or the one angry parent who returned to the school with a Bible?

Are the school officials who forced students to see this play and kept their parents in the dark "the powerless"? Or the gay advocacy group that colluded with them and collects public money for its efforts? Or the Courant editors? Are the Courant editors "the powerless" and those few students who resisted their agenda somehow "the powerful"?

Fortunately, there is a voice for traditional households buffeted by the cultural aggression of Connecticut's political and media elites. Family Institute of Connecticut Action helped make Hartford Public High School back down from forcing gay propaganda on its students. Every single letter in the print edition of today's Courant criticizes Hartford High's propaganda because you answered our call to speak up. And FIC Action will continue its three year old fight to pass a law requiring an opt-in for parents. 

Resistance to no other left-wing cause, not even abortion, enrages the cultural elites like our refusal to kowtow to the gay agenda. In Connecticut, FIC Action is virtually alone in leading that resistance. We hope you will stand with us. 

Forced Pro-Gay Indoctrination
at Hartford Public High School

Just As We Warned: Outrageous Attack on Parental Rights.

Hundreds of students at Hartford Public High School were forced Friday to watch a play promoting approval of homosexual activity, including a scene with two men kissing:

"Then the actors kissed and a piercing clamor rang through the auditorium. There were screams and loud voices and a bit of feigned or real disgust. Dozens of students, mostly male and a few in their Owls football jerseys, hurried out of their rows and walked out. A few jumped over seats to leave."

Even more disturbing is this: 

"[Adam] Johnson [principal of Hartford High's law and government academy] and David Chambers, principal of the nursing academy, said the students had heard ahead of time that there might be same-sex affection in the play. Some asked to be excused. Chambers considered sending an opt-out letter to parents but decided against it."

What an outrageous attack on parental rights. FIC Action has been anticipating it for a long time. 

Earlier this year Sen. Kevin Witkos (R-Canton) proposed a bill at our request that might have prevented this situation, if the bill had become law. This is from our February, 2011 legislative breakfast agenda:

"Now that same-sex 'marriage' has been undemocratically imposed on Connecticut, we must pass a law requiring schools that provide instruction on marriage or human sexuality to inform parents that they may opt to remove their children from such instructions without penalty against the student."

That bill, tragically, was never given a public hearing. We will fight for it again next year and every year until it is passed. 

In the meantime, we suggest that you send a letter to the Hartford Courant politely expressing disagreement with Hartford Public High School's decision to indoctrinate students in the homosexual agenda, particularly without even notifying parents that they have the right to opt-out their children. 

How did your legislator vote
on the "Bathroom Bill"?
HOLD YOUR LEGISLATORS ACCOUNTABLE,
RECLAIM CONNECTICUT!!!
Click this link to see how your Representative Voted!

New York Defeat,
Connecticut Difference

Last week, pro same-sex "marriage" activists accomplished something in New York that they were never able to accomplish in Connecticut. They redefined marriage through the state legislature. 

These same forces repeatedly tried and failed to redefine marriage at the Connecticut General Assembly, eventually achieving their goal in our state only by court order. Family Institute of Connecticut defeated same-sex "marriage" at the legislature every year prior to the court's ruling and even defeated our opponents after the ruling, when we won the strongest religious liberty exemptions against same-sex "marriage" in the nation. 

The media will not tell you the true history of how marriage was redefined in Connecticut, choosing instead to play down the court's ruling and play up a supposed legislative "sign off" on the ruling. The truth is that our legislature explicitly defined marriage as between a man and a woman in the 2005 civil unions law, let a same-sex "marriage" bill die in 2007 and only acquiesced to same-sex "marriage" in 2009 after the court had already redefined marriage in 2008. 

FIC saw an opportunity in the 2009 codification vote and we seized it. What was supposed to be a pro forma legislative "sign off" of the court's redefinition of marriage became instead the vehicle through which we enacted some of the strongest religious liberty exemptions against same-sex "marriage" in the nation. 

Because of our work, same-sex "marriage" never came to Connecticut through the legislative process and could only be imposed by a 4-3 vote of our state Supreme Court. Because of our work, same-sex "marriage" will never have the democratic legitimacy in Connecticut that it unfortunately now has in New York.

Pro-Life Breakthrough in Connecticut!
We told you a few months ago that the Family Institute of Connecticut had secured the pro-life movement’s #1 legislative goal in Connecticut, a public hearing on parental notification for minor girls seeking to obtain an abortion. The idea was part of a larger study on adolescent health.

That hearing occurred yesterday. It was the single best day the pro-life cause has ever had at our state Capitol. 

This was not only the first-ever public hearing on parental notification in Connecticut—it was the first public hearing on any potential regulating of abortion in our state in over 20 years. This hearing shows that the pro-life wave passing through other states' legislatures in 2011 is having an effect even in Connecticut!  

(Go here to share this message on facebook and Twitter.) 

We wish to thank those local experts who spoke yesterday in favor of parental notification: Senator Michael McLachlan (R-Danbury), Dr. Dan O’Neil, Dr. Judith Mascolo, Donitta Young (ABC Women’s Center), Nicole Peck (Silent No More), Lisa Maloney (CareNet Pregnancy Center of Southeast Connecticut) and Mary Lou Peters. They were the reason the hearing went so well.

The other reason is that our opposition was caught unprepared, even though FIC had publicly announced months ago that parental notification would be a part of this hearing. Susan Yolen, a vice-president of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, was especially furious and flat-footed. She complained about the hearing (“I came here thinking we were talking about” something else), repeatedly cited her lack of preparation (“I didn’t bring statistics about parental notification to impress you”) and was rude to the Committee (“Well, I’m going to interrupt because I’m the one testifying.”).

Said one long-time Capitol insider to FIC: “This is unusual. This is the first time I’ve ever seen Planned Parenthood on the defensive.”

The legislative committee that held this hearing will soon issue a study on its findings. We will keep you posted on future developments and what you can do to help. 

FIC also wishes to offer a special thanks to Sen. John Kissel (R-Enfield). It was Sen. Kissel who first suggested, at FIC’s Feb. 3^rd legislative breakfast, the idea that led to yesterday’s hearing. It was his good advice that led to FIC’s biggest ever pro-active victory, a public hearing on parental notification.
 

          Standing Tall, Fighting On!   
Bathroom Bill Passes Senate
Last night, Governor Malloy dragged the Bathroom Bill across the finish line. But by doing so, he may have inadvertently transformed next year’s legislative elections. 

The Bathroom Bill passed the Senate by a vote of 20-16 and will soon become law. This is FIC Action’s first legislative loss in the four years since Peter Wolfgang became President. And it happened only because FIC Action stood alone against the Governor himself.

Early on, FIC Action secured the vote of every single Republican in opposition to this bill. But the Democrats, the majority party, have absolute control over the legislative process. Two weeks ago, we had flipped enough Democrats in the House to kill the bill. That is when Gov. Malloy’s lobbying for the Bathroom Bill kicked into overdrive.

The Governor personally worked the Democrats until he had flipped back enough votes in the House to pass the bill. As soon as our opposition had the votes, they rushed the bill to the House floor, giving the Republicans thirty minutes notice. A similar scenario played out last night (Friday, June 3rd) in the Senate. We were told at 9 p.m. that debate on the Bathroom Bill would begin at 10 p.m. By 12:30 a.m. every amendment had been defeated and the bill had been passed. 

Even up against the one-party rule of Gov. Malloy, FIC Action beat back the Bathroom Bill until the final week of the session and the Governor only won by three votes. Every single Republican as well as two Democrats (Joan Hartley and Paul Doyle) voted no on the Bathroom Bill. Only partisan Democrats who chose to represent the Governor over their own constituents voted yes. 

FIC Action has much to be proud of in the fight against the Bathroom Bill. Standing alone, we secured the unprecedented support of the entire CT GOP, we flipped votes, educated the public, held a prayer rally attended by nearly five hundred people and launched our first-ever facebook advertising and robocall campaigns. Our members sent over 3,400 emails to their legislators and made thousands of phone calls. 

Ultimately, we lost because we were up against the Governor and his Democrat majorities. Even so, the Governor could barely drag the Bathroom Bill across the finish line. And, as we have seen in the years since the Supreme Court imposed same-sex “marriage,” our biggest victories usually follow a defeat. 

We are already seeing the phone lines burning up at local talk radio programs by voters who are furious over the passage of the Bathroom Bill. They will be even more focused when they learn the details of the vote.

Amendments exempting bathrooms from the bill and allowing the removal of K-5 teachers who are undergoing a sex-change were defeated. Senator Gerratana reacted to the first amendment with a seeming lack of concern about increasing opportunity for sexual predation. Sen. Coleman reacted to the second amendment by saying that “children are resilient” and therefore it is ok to expose them to sex-transitioning teachers.

Much of the comments from Senators voting for the Bathroom Bill followed this tendency to favor a politically correct minority over the common sense concerns of the majority. Beth Bye cried. Steve Cassano accused his own constituents of supporting discrimination. Ed Meyer misled his fellow Senators by telling the story of transgender tennis player Renee Richards without telling them that Richards regrets his sex-change operation and discourages others from undergoing it. When Len Suzio asked Eric Coleman, "For legislative intent, is the intent of this bill to allow situations where a middle school boy can go to the girls restroom, as occurred in Orono Maine?," Coleman simply responded "Yes."

If the Senators who voted no on the Bathroom Bill are willing to make it an issue in next year’s legislative elections, 2012 could be a year like none other. Gov. Malloy has unintentionally handed us our best opportunity to make pro-family gains at the polls if we press the advantage. 

In the days ahead, you will be hearing more about the Bathroom Bill, our friends and foes in that fight and the next election. Right now, we want to thank you, our members, for the most impressive lobbying effort we have ever undertaken. And we ask you to remain alert. One phase of this fight is over but the next is just getting started.

Standing tall, fighting on: Family Institute of Connecticut Action!

   Worst Anti-Family Vote in Six Years! 

Last night, the House of Representatives cast the single worst, most anti-family vote in the last six years. They passed the Bathroom Bill, which does more to move Connecticut toward a society incapable of grasping objective truth than any vote since the 2005 civil unions fight. You can read about it here.

Just 24 hours earlier we had won enough support to defeat the bill. But, according to several sources, Gov. Malloy then responded by heavily lobbying the Democrats until they had the necessary votes. The Governor's influence was especially felt in the defeat of an amendment that would have protected women's bathrooms from the Bathroom Bill.

With only FIC Action lobbying against the Bathroom Bill, the amendment failed by just three votes. That tally leads us to believe that if the Catholic Church had joined FIC Action in opposing the Bathroom Bill, the bill would be dead by now. 

In Massachusetts, the Catholic Church was critical to defeating the Bathroom Bill. But here in Connecticut, the Church's lobbying arm took the position that as long as they were satisfied that the Bathroom Bill had "protection for religious institutions," the Church would not oppose it. FIC Action is concerned that the Church's position may play a pivotal role in causing the Bathroom Bill to become law. 

While we are concerned about our old ally, we are heartened by the arrival of new friends. Every single Republican present last night voted against the Bathroom Bill. You can see how your state representative voted here. 

In the entire history of Connecticut's pro-family movement, the GOP has never stood with us the way they did last night. They kept the debate going for five hours and forced the Bathroom Bill's proponents to go on the record in support of every unsavory aspect of the bill. We are already seeing indications that the public is outraged by what they learned about the Bathroom Bill last night.

FIC Action's growing strength at the legislature can best be illustrated by the voting history of Rep. Themis Klarides, a Republican who never supported us on anything--until the House vote on the Bathroom Bill. We know from long experience what it is like to have Themis as a fierce foe. After last night, we now know what it is like to have her as a fierce friend. Thank you, Themis. 

Fourteen brave Democrats also voted against the Bathroom Bill. This includes several Democrats who had never voted with us before. Though their numbers are small, we are seeing the possible re-emergence of a pro-family wing of the Connecticut Democratic Party. 

That wing of the party will not include Rep. Kim Fawcett (D-Fairfield, Westport), who gave the most disgraceful speech of the evening. Announcing that she is a Christian, she said "it's because my faith is so important to me" that she is voting for the Bathroom Bill, and she blasted FIC Action for having "slandered" the bill," saying we "stirred up fear" and that we have "not stood up for the same God or the same faith that [she] hold[s] so dear."

It fact, it was Fawcett, not FIC Action, who embarrassed the faith, by referencing it for the sole purpose of attacking the motives of those with whom she disagrees. In the most dramatic moment of the evening--one not recorded by the Courant's article--House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero interrupted her tirade and forced her to stop her attack on FIC Action by citing the House rules she was breaking. 

The Bathroom Bill now moves to the Senate, where we will do everything we can to defeat it. You can help by donating to FIC Action, the only organization leading this fight. You can also help by clicking on the link below to send an updated email that we have written for you to your state senator.
 

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://www.votervoice.net/link/target/fict/84rBNc3P.aspx 
 

Defund Planned Parenthood...
IN THE CONNECTICUT STATE BUDGET!

The fight to defund Planned Parenthood stalled this past weekend with the announcement of a budget agreement that continues the flow of taxpayer dollars to the nation's largest abortion provider. But that was the federal budget. Here in Connecticut, the fight to defund Planned Parenthood in the statebudget is just getting started--and we need your help to make it happen!

Last week, the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference revealed some stunning facts about Governor Malloy's proposed state budget. While other health services are being cut, the $3.8 million budgeted for Planned Parenthood remains basically untouched! 

Planned Parenthood always reacts to the threat of defunding by emphasizing their non-abortion services. When Peter Wolfgang appeared on WNPR to debate the head of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, he highlighted the taxpayer funded Community Health Centers that provide many of the same services as Planned Parenthood but do not provide abortions.  Instead of allocating funds that indirectly provide taxpayer support for abortions, why not shift Planned Parenthood's funding to these federally qualified Community Health Centers instead? 

Shockingly, Governor Malloy has chosen to do the exact opposite. The same line item in the Connecticut Department of Public Health Budget funds Planned Parenthood, the Community Health Centers and Waterbury Health Access. The funding for Planned Parenthood remains approximately the same, while the funding for the Community Health Centers and Waterbury Health Access will be cut! Even Life Star faces a drastic cut under the Governor's budget, but not Planned Parenthood!

In addition, the Catholic Conference has revealed that Planned Parenthood in Connecticut receives annually $2.5 million directly from the federal government for the same services paid for through the state budget. And Planned Parenthood in Connecticut has had an average operating surplus of $1.5 million per year from 2008-2010.

Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of the roughly 15,000 abortions a year in Connecticut. Yet they receive millions of dollars from Connecticut taxpayers even in this overwhelming budget crisis, even though funding for programs for the elderly, Medicaid patients and Life Star are being cut. There are even no-bid multi-year state contracts specifically designed for Planned Parenthood.

This is not "shared sacrifice." This is pro-abortion population control ideology being funded by your tax dollars in the midst of the greatest budget crisis to hit Connecticut in years. Here is what you can do to stop it:

1) Use our Grassroots Action Center to send an e-mail directly to your state senator and state representative by clicking on the link at the bottom of this message (then click "take action" at the bottom of the next screen). We have provided some basic points, but please either put the message in your own words or add a brief introduction and conclusion!  Personalized and polite messages have a much greater impact. Let our legislators know that you oppose funding Planned Parenthood in our state budget.

2) Please call your state senator and state representative and ask them to take Planned Parenthood's funding out the state budget. By following step 1, above, our system will have already told you who your legislators are. Please call their offices at the following numbers: House Democrats 1-800-842-8267, House Republicans 1-800-842-8270, Senate Democrats 1-800-842-1420, Senate Republicans 1-800-842-1421. In particular, if your legislator(s) are Republican, ask them to remove Planned Parenthood's funding in the GOP's alternative budget. Upon receiving the Connecticut Republican Party's highest award on April 9th, House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero said in response to Gov. Malloy's tax-heavy budget: "So what do we do about it, as Republicans? ... What we are going to do about it is set forth a vision. ... Within the next 10 days, you will see our vision for the state of Connecticut." Tell Republican lawmakers: Show us your vision! Defund Planned Parenthood!

3) Click here to donate to the Family Institute of Connecticut Action. FIC Action, the lobbying arm of Connecticut's pro-family movement, is your eyes and ears at the state Capitol. Your support allows us to continue to be your voice for faith and family.

4) Forward this message to every like-minded state resident you know and ask them to do likewise. We need as much support as possible to defund Planned Parenthood in the Connecticut State Budget!

Thank you for making your voice heard in the fight to defund Connecticut's largest abortion provider. Click on the link below to contact your state senator and state representative.

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://www.votervoice.net/link/target/fict/Rq6N5GfQ.aspx 

FIC’s Biggest-Ever
Pro-Active Victory!

The pro-life movement’s #1 legislative goal in Connecticut was accomplished earlier this month. And it happened because of the Family Institute of Connecticut.

The Program Review and Investigations Committee has agreed to a study about teen health. The scope of the study will include parental notification for minor girls seeking to obtain an abortion. There will be a public hearing on the study this summer.

In other words: We secured a public hearing on parental notification!

Our accomplishment is such a delicate matter at the state Capitol that it is only now, two weeks later, that we can even tell you about it. We cannot provide our usual behind-the-scenes report, but we do wish to acknowledge our gratitude toward those legislators who attended FIC’s February 3^rd legislative breakfast.

Connecticut is one of only a handful of states that does not have a parental notification law. Though there was an informational hearing on it a few years ago, getting a public hearing on parental notification has been the #1 legislative goal of Connecticut pro-lifers.

Make no mistake: This hearing does not end the roughly 15,000 abortions a year occurring in Connecticut. Our ultimate goal is a state where every unborn child is protected in law and welcomed in life.

But even those who do not share that goal will agree with us that it is a travesty that a minor girl can obtain an abortion without notifying her parents. Correcting that travesty is a first step toward a more humane Connecticut. By taking this step, FIC has secured the first public hearing on abortion in Connecticut in over twenty years.

We are grateful to our allies on Program Review for what they have accomplished. We are also grateful to those legislators who do not yet share our pro-life convictions but voted for this study in good faith and with an open mind. We pledge to work with those on both sides of the abortion issue on our shared goal of protecting the health of Connecticut’s minor girls.

Leading the pro-life fight: Please click here to donate to the Family Institute of Connecticut. Thank you!

 

On Lubbie Harper,
FIC's Point Was Made

Below is a newspaper article on Judge Lubbie Harper's confirmation, which we are reprinting with the publisher's permission. Without FIC, Harper would have faced no resistance for his outrageous decision to redefine marriage. We are very grateful to all of you who contacted your legislators about this matter. 

Judge confirmed despite objections to ruling
BY PAUL HUGHES
WATERBURY REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
03/17/2011 

HARTFORD — State Rep. Alfred C. Adinolfi suspects a spot on the Supreme Court is a “political reward” for Appellate Judge Lubbie Harper Jr. for voting to legalize same-sex marriage.

Adinolfi, R-Cheshire, was among 20 representatives and senators who voted against Harper’s appointment to the state’s highest court on Wednesday. The nomination passed overwhelmingly.

Harper was tapped to hear the appeal that led to the Supreme Court’s landmark 4-3 ruling in 2008 that legalized same-sex marriage. He was called up from the Appellate Court after two justices recused themselves.

Harper proved to be the swing vote in the case, and that bothered a number of the 20 dissenting lawmakers Tuesday.

Harper is Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s first nominee to the Supreme Court.

“Governor Malloy respects that there will be differing opinions on issues like these, but believes that Lubbie Harper is the right man for the job,” said Colleen Flanagan, a Malloy spokeswoman.

On the Senate floor, Sen. Kevin D. Witkos, R-Canton, said he could not support a nominee whom he considers to be an activist judge.

Sen. Joan V. Hartley, D-15th District, had objections along the same line. The Waterbury lawmaker was the only Democratic senator to vote against Harper.

Hartley said the Supreme Court overstepped in legalizing same-sex marriage. The dissenting justices in the case said the decision should have been left to elected lawmakers.

“It was absolutely an issue within the purview of the legislature,” Hartley said.

A sharply divided Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution prohibits the state government from denying same-sex couples the right to marry.

The three dissenting judges concluded no such fundamental right exists.

Adinolfi said the Supreme Court appointment smacks of payback for the gay marriage ruling because the 68-year-old Harper is close to retirement age. He will turn 69 on Nov. 30. Under state law, judges must retire at age 70.

Adinolfi said the promotion assures Harper will retire with a higher pension. Judges on the Appellate Court now earn a salary of $152,637 a year. A justice on the Supreme Court makes $162,520 annually.

“A lot of us looked at it as a political reward where he would get the higher pension in year and a half,” Adinolfi said.

Sen. Robert J. Kane, R-Watertown, said he shared the concerns about Harper’s age. He also said he voted against him because of the same-sex marriage ruling.

Kane said it did not make sense to vote to appoint a Supreme Court justice who would serve 18 months. He said he would have opposed the Harper nomination on that basis alone, regardless of the same-sex marriage ruling.

Reps. Anthony J. D’Amelio, R-71st District, and Selim G. Noujaim, R-74th District, also voted against the Harper nomination. The two Waterbury lawmakers said Harper’s age and his role in legalizing gay marriage colored their decision.

“Many of my constituents called me regarding his stance on the same-sex marriage vote. That was one of the issues that weighed on me,” D’Amelio said. Noujaim said he also had concerns about Harper’s constitutional views based on his responses to questions posed during his confirmation hearing.

The House voted 124-16 to confirm Harper’s appointment, and then Senate followed with a 24-7 vote. Three Democrats and 13 Republicans opposed Harper in the House. Hartley and a half dozen Republican senators voted against him.

Fighting for you! Please donate to the Family Institute of Connecticut!