Governor Dannel Malloy made a recent fundraising trip to California on the state Democrats' dime, and now questions are being asked about whether he approached an executive who works for a company that does work for the University of Connecticut. More on that below, and discussion of why Michael Skakel will get a new trial, in The Wheelhouse Digest.
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MALLOY RAISING MONEY IN CALIFORNIA
The governor hedged when asked at how many events and where he raised funds.
At a brief press conference on Wednesday, Governor Malloy told reporters, "I am trying to raise money for Democratic causes," explaining a recent trip to California paid for by the Connecticut Democratic Party. The question is, who has he approached? State contractors are barred from making contributions to candidates for statewide office in Connecticut, like McKinsey & Co., which contracts with the University of Connecticut.
Read more at The Connecticut Mirror.
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SKAKEL'S DEFENSE CITED AS "INEFFECTIVE"
New lawyers criticized the original one for not presenting key evidence that could have led to an acquittal.
Michael Skakel, a nephew of Ethel Kennedy who was convicted in 2002 of a 1975 murder, was granted a new trial Wednesday by Judge Thomas Bishop. Skakel's original trial lawyer, Michael "Mickey" Sherman, performed inadequately and made errors of judgment, Bishop noted in his decision. Skakel's current lawyer, Hubert Santos, was "thrilled with the decision."
Read more at A Public Defender.
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HIGH-RISES: HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Revel in an interactive documentary about 2,500-year history of vertical living.
The New York Times published online an interactive documentary about architecture, destruction, the urge to build higher, and how it all relates to social inequality and the growth of urban settings. It's part of the National Film Board of Canada's HIGHRISE project, which is exploring vertical living around the world.