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Connecticut's Attorney General-Elect Could Find Activism In Defending Civil Rights

Chion Wolf
/
Connecticut Public Radio
William Tong, a Democratic State Representative out of Stamford, defeated Republican Sue Hatfield in November to become the state Attorney General-elect. He will succeed George Jepsen.

A state attorney general is expected to be the “people’s lawyer.” William Tong said that when he assumes Connecticut’s attorney general post in January, he’ll look for a new way to advocate for his constituents.

Tong appeared on Connecticut Public Radio’s Where We Live Monday and said he’d ask the General Assembly to give him the power to create a civil rights division within his office.

“When there’s pervasive discrimination, for example in housing, or in the employment market, or if our friends and neighbors in the LGBTQ-plus community are targeted in the private sector, the attorney general should be able to stand up and fight for them and fight for the people of this state,” Tong said.

State governments in Massachusetts and New York have similar commissions that empower attorneys general to enforce the protection of their citizens’ civil rights.

Tong said he’s not only looking for the power to act, but he also wants to access resources and manpower to properly defend the rights of Connecticut residents.

Frankie Graziano is the host of 'The Wheelhouse,' focusing on how local and national politics impact the people of Connecticut.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.