Hartford Courant -- January 27, 2022

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Holding firm on Ukraine Tackling inflation Huskies get past DePaul Clear and cold
U.S., NATO say there will be no concessions Fed indicates that it plans to raise interest Ducharme’s late basket lifts No. 10 UConn Mostly sunny and cold, with
on Moscow’s demands. NEWS, PAGE 4 rates as soon as March. NEWS, PAGE 8 to 80-78 win over DePaul. SPORTS, PAGE 1 a high of 28. SPORTS, PAGE 6
VOLUME CLXXXVI CCOOUURRAANNTT..CCOOMM THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022
HARTFORD BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Food hall launches expansion
$6 million addition to shape Parkville Market as Mouta, sees a bright future. He is loans from a joint development old Capitol City Lumber Co. build-
launching expansions into two of fund from the city of Hartford and ing that stood vacant and decaying
entertainment spot, home of Hog River Brewing
four buildings that encompass the the Capital Region Development for years.
market site, with plans for small Authority. The public loans target Vendors offer a smorgasbord
By Kenneth R. Gosselin stacked against it. and large event venues, a roof- the building with the entertain- of international delicacies and
Hartford Courant Two years later, however, the top deck and a new home for the ment options. dining options that range from
market has steadily added to its Hog River Brewing Co., which has What is Parkville Market? The fried chicken and poke bowls to
HARTFORD — Hartford’s dining options, now offering 20 outgrown its quarters across the market is a food hall styled after pho and ice cream. The market
Parkville Market opened in restaurant vendors, plus three bars. street. larger ones such as Chelsea Market also hosts popups and special holi-
2020 just as the first wave of Even with delays in the return Altogether, the expansions come in New York City and the Reading day-themed events.
the pandemic swept through of office workers to downtown, in at about $6 million and include Terminal Market in Philadelphia.
Connecticut, the odds seemingly the market’s developer, Carlos $4 million in publicly funded The market was created in the Turn to Expansion, Page 2
UConn
appoints
interim
president
Maric has overseen
increases in school’s
research funding
By Seamus McAvoy
Hartford Courant
The UConn Board of
Trustees voted unanimously
Wednesday to appoint Dr.
Radenka Maric, the school’s
vice president
for research,
innovation
and entrepre-
neurship, as
the university’s
new interim
president.
“If we all
President Joe Biden has nominated Vanessa Avery of the Connecticut state Attorney General’s office to be the next U.S. Attorney for the state of Maric think that
Connecticut. MARK MIRKO/HARTFORD COURANT we are here
to give the skills, the knowl-
‘UNIVERSALLY edge and the opportunities to
Avery was one of six U.S. Attorney our students, we are going to
nominees announced by the White be successful,” Maric told the
House early Wednesday morning. board at Wednesday’s meeting.
RESPECTED’ “These individuals were chosen Maric has overseen great
for their devotion to enforcing the strides in the university’s
law, their professionalism, their research funding since starting
experience and credentials in this as vice president for research
field, their dedication to pursu- in 2017.
ing equal justice for all, and their The $375.6 million in new
President Biden nominates Vanessa Avery to be the first commitment to the independence awards secured for UConn
Black woman to serve as Connecticut’s US Attorney of the Department of Justice,” the researchers in the 2020-21
White House said in a statement. fiscal year surpasses the previ-
Avery has been Chief of the Divi- ous year’s then-record of
By Edmund H. Mahony | Hartford Courant sion of Enforcement and Public $285.8 million, and is a 103%
P Protection at the Connecticut Attor- increase since 2017.
resident Joe Biden has nominated associate state Attorney General ney General’s Office since 2021, and UConn now ranks first
Vanessa Avery to be Connecticut’s next U.S. Attorney, the state’s top an Associate Attorney General in that among New England public
federal law enforcement officer. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Avery, office since 2019. universities in external
an associate state Attorney General, will be the first African American “It’s a really good choice — I talked research funding, but still lags
woman to serve as U.S. Attorney in Connecticut. Avery replaces former with the senators about it and they’re behind some other public flag-
U.S. Attorney John Durham, who left office following Biden’s election, ships. Maric and the trustees
and Leonard Boyle, who has held the office since on an interim basis. Turn to Avery, Page 2
Turn to Maric, Page 3
Breyer to retire from Supreme Court
 President Joe Biden At 83, liberal justice’s with more moderate justices right
said as a candidate that if departure expected and left of center.
he were given the chance Breyer has been a justice since
over the summer
to nominate someone to 1994, appointed by President
the court, he would make Bill Clinton. Along with the late
history by choosing a Black By Mark Sherman Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,
woman. Breyer’s retirement and Michael Balsamo Breyer opted not to step down the
should give Biden that Associated Press last time the Democrats controlled
opportunity. News, Page 4 the White House and the Senate
WASHINGTON — Liberal during Barack Obama’s presidency.
 Senate Democrats who Supreme Court Justice Stephen Ginsburg died in September 2020,
have played defense for Breyer is retiring, giving Presi- and then-President Donald Trump
the last three Supreme dent Joe Biden an opening he has filled the vacancy with a conser-
Court vacancies plan to pledged to fill by naming the first vative justice, Amy Coney Barrett.
move swiftly to replace Black woman to the high court. Breyer’s departure, expected
Breyer, using the rapid 2020 Breyer, 83, has been a pragmatic over the summer, won’t change
confirmation of Justice force on a court that has grown the 6-3 conservative advantage Justice Stephen Breyer, the senior member of the high court’s three-
Amy Coney Barrett as a new increasingly conservative in recent member liberal wing, was nominated to the court in 1994 by President
standard. News, Page 4 years, trying to forge majorities Turn to Breyer, Page 3 Clinton. ERIN SCHAFF/THE NEW YORK TIMES 2021
Manchester ends relationship with Parkade developer Opinion .....................News, 10 Puzzles ...Connecticut, 7, 9
Obits ...................News, 12-14 Comics ...Connecticut, 8-9
Manchester has ended a relationship with developers who promised a $190 million rebirth of Lottery ........................News, 2
the Manchester Parkade, saying the partners moved too slowly. CONNECTICUT, PAGE 1 Classified ..................News, 11
2 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Thursday, January 27, 2022
FROM PAGE ONE
Avery think it’s a good thing for at the Hartford law firm Avery’s current boss, with and has deep connec- she insists on accountabil-
Connecticut.” McCarter & English. Attorney General William tions across the Connecti- ity and respect for the rule
from Page 1 She was an assistant U.S. She received a law degree Tong, praised the nomina- cut legal community,” Tong of law.”
Attorney in the office’s civil from Georgetown Univer- tion said. “In our work together,
very enthusiastic,” Gov. Ned division from 2014 to 2019. sity Law Center in 1999 and “She is universally Vanessa always leads with Edmund H. Mahony can
Lamont said Wednesday From 2006 to 2014, Avery an undergraduate degree respected by every integrity and a strong be reached at emahony@
morning in New Britain. “I was a litigation attorney from Yale University in 1996. colleague she has worked commitment to justice, and courant.com
The second phase of the market will be in a building just east of the main venue. This building will focus on entertainment options,
including an 11,000-square-foot ground floor space for concerts, stand-up comedy, weddings, corporate functions and other
events. Developer Carlos Mouta said he hopes the space will be ready by late spring or early summer and will include a bar.
Expansion
from Page 1
A new restaurant will
debut in February called
“The Lettuce Bar,” which
will offer soups and salad.
The market has been
averaging 65,000-75,000
visitors a month this winter,
a number that is lower than
expected because of the
recent coronavirus surge
but is expected to pick up as
the latest wave of the coro-
navirus subsides.
Where will the expan-
sion be? The second phase
of the market, to be known
as “The Hall at Parkville
Market,” will be created in
a 30,000-square-foot build-
ing just to the east of the
main market building.
This building will focus
on entertainment options,
including an 11,000-square-
foot ground floor space for
concerts, stand-up comedy,
weddings, corporate func-
tions and other events.
Mouta said he hopes the
space will be ready by late
spring or early summer and
will include a bar.
Elsewhere on first floor,
the plans envision a sports
bar or restaurant and a
commercial kitchen for
catering events. Developer Carlos Mouta stands on the balcony of the building next to Hartford’s Parkville Market. The food hall is launching a $6 million expansion to bring more
On an upper floor, there entertainment options to the venue. COURANT FILE
will be a smaller event
space and bar, roughly half more, larger restaurant Where is the brewery pit. There also are discus- plans for the neighbor- new apartments, restau-
the size of the one on the stalls on the upper floor going? The Hog River sions about building stairs hood? There is a push rants and arts venues and
ground floor. Above that, coming sometime in the Brewery plans to expand that would link the brewery, by city leaders and the start-up space fostering
there would be a rooftop future. across Park Street to a new, set up on a hill, to the street private sector to create innovation, building on the
deck. The stalls would be up larger location. below. an arts and innovation neighborhood’s long history
“There are no rooftops to 1,000 square feet, nearly The building would The relocation of the corridor in Parkville, with of manufacturing.
around here, and people triple what is available in include larger spaces for brewery could come later Bartholomew Avenue as its
love rooftops,” Mouta said. the main market building its brewing operations, a this year. “spine.” Kenneth R. Gosselin can
All this could be done for to accommodate vendors rooftop deck and a patio How does Parkville The vision calls for a be reached at kgosselin@
the fall, Mouta said, with that are growing. that would feature a fire- Market fit into the larger mixed-use community of courant.com
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Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Thursday, January 27, 2022 3
FROM PAGE ONE
Informants, FBI blur Whitmer kidnap case
Trial scheduled for Critics of such FBI
March will focus on methods include Michael
German, a former under-
domestic terrorism
cover FBI agent. German,
who is now a fellow at the
By Neil MacFarquhar Liberty & National Secu-
The New York Times rity Program of the Bren-
nan Center for Justice, said,
On a rainy night in north- “Rather than focus on those
ern Michigan in Septem- crimes and investigating
ber 2020, a group of armed them, there appears to be
men divided among three more interest in this method
cars surveyed the land- of manufacturing plots for
scape around the vacation the FBI to solve.”
cottage of Gov. Gretchen Prosecutors argue that
Whitmer, considering how they remove real threats.
to kidnap her as payback for Nils Kessler, the assistant
her COVID-19 lockdown U.S. attorney prosecuting
measures. the kidnapping suspects,
Two men descended from has drawn parallels between
the lead car to inspect a their plans and the Jan. 6
bridge on Route 31 in nearby attack. “As the Capitol riots
Elk Rapids, assessing what demonstrated, an inchoate
was needed to blow it up to conspiracy can turn into a
delay any police response to grave substantive offense
the house on nearby Birch on short notice,” he wrote.
Lake. Still, prosecutors have
After team members sought to distance them-
returned to the rural camp selves from Robeson, 58,
where they had already another pivotal FBI infor-
conducted military-style mant. A paving contrac-
training exercises, a man tor from Wisconsin and
identified as “Big Dan” in Five men charged with plotting to abduct Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer go on trial in March. JEFF KOWALSKY/GETTY-AFP the leader of a paramilitary
government documents group, he pleaded guilty in
asked the assembled group, of conversations and other Watchmen or other armed, War, was working at the past crimes and work as an October to federal charges of
“Everybody down with events secretly recorded by paramilitary groups. One post office, looking online informant, was there, too. possessing a high-powered
what’s going on?” Another informants or undercover of the six facing a federal for ways to practice his The “explosives expert” sniper rifle, illegal for a felon.
man responded, “If you are agents. kidnapping conspiracy military skills, according to who could topple the bridge His list of felonies and
not down with the thought The defense lawyers charge pleaded guilty and the court documents, when was actually an undercover other crimes dating to the
of kidnapping, don’t sit want the case thrown out is expected to testify against the Wolverine Watchmen’s FBI agent, as was a man in 1980s include forgery, jump-
here.” on entrapment grounds, the rest. The other eight, Facebook page popped up. another vehicle. ing bail and battery.
Of the dozen men on accusing investigators who participated in some Members were adherents The defense lawyers, Robeson organized a
that mission, four of them of “egregious overreach- military-style training, of the anti-government using that same trove of meeting in Ohio, in June
including “Big Dan” were ing” by manipulating the were accused in two sepa- “boogaloo” movement who evidence material, have 2020 involving members of
either government infor- accused men to drive the rate, ongoing state cases on seek to speed a societal built an entirely different armed paramilitary groups
mants or undercover FBI plot forward. a lesser charge of providing collapse. scenario of what happened. from a half-dozen states
agents, according to court Prosecutors will attempt material support for terror- Alarmed by their discus- They depict the accused as as far away as Virginia and
documents. to prove that the suspects ism. sions about targeting law reluctant puppets who were Missouri. He also hosted
The events of that night were inclined toward the In recent weeks, the enforcement officers, Dan entrapped. a field training exercise
will be a key element violence from the start. already complicated case reported them to local police The defense lawyers in Wisconsin in July and
when, on March 8, five In another challenge, has become more entangled, and eventually agreed to in the federal case either helped to survey the gover-
men charged with plotting prosecutors have made an with the two sides arguing become an FBI informant, declined or ignored requests nor’s cottage. He received
to abduct the Democratic unusual decision not to call over what evidence can be he said in state court. He to comment, while a spokes- nearly $20,000.
governor will go on trial in to the witness stand three presented in federal court. was paid about $54,000 over person for the U.S. attorney In a filing in early Janu-
U.S. District Court in Grand FBI agents with high-pro- The informant known the course of the roughly in Western Michigan said ary seeking to bar recorded
Rapids, Michigan. file roles in the investiga- as “Big Dan” or “Confiden- six-month investigation. the office would not discuss statements by Robeson
The trial is being closely tion. One agent was fired tial Human Source-2” in He was not alone. The FBI pending criminal matters. from the trial, prosecutors
watched as one of the most last summer after being government papers will be deployed at least 12 infor- The FBI referred questions called him a “double agent”
significant recent domes- charged with domestic the star witness for the pros- mants, as well as several to the U.S. attorney. who had worked “against
tic terrorism cases, a test violence. Another agent, ecution. Descriptions of undercover agents, accord- Sting operations using the interests of the govern-
of Washington’s commit- while supervising “Big Dan,” Dan’s interactions with the ing to defense filings. informants are a thorny ment.” He attempted to get
ment in the wake of the Jan. tried to build a private secu- suspects are rife throughout On the nighttime surveil- tactic in terror cases. In evidence destroyed and
6, 2021, attack on the U.S. rity consulting firm based in the court documents, and he lance operation of the gover- those developed after offered the defendants funds
Capitol to pursue far-right part on some of his work for already testified extensively nor’s cottage, for example, 9/11, FBI agents often got from a charity to buy weap-
groups. the FBI. in one state case last year. the defense described “Big involved when someone ons, among other acts, they
Both the prosecution and All 14 suspects arrested Around March 2020, Dan, Dan” as the main orga- expressed interest in join- said.
the defense are relying heav- in October 2020 were a veteran in his mid-30s who nizer. Stephen Robeson, ing al-Qaida or in fomenting His lawyer, Joseph Bugni,
ily on more than 1,000 hours members of the Wolverine was wounded in the Iraq with a long history of both some kind of terrorist act. declined to comment.
Breyer Maric talented and unflappa-
ble Dr. Radenka Maric to
from Page 1 from Page 1 steer UConn on an interim
basis,” Gov. Ned Lamont,
on the court because his have previously spoken of who appointed Maric to
replacement will be nomi- the need to raise research the Connecticut Innova-
nated by Biden and almost funding further to compete tions Board of directors,
certainly confirmed by a with the country’s premier said in a statement. “Our
Senate where Democrats research universities. Huskies will remain in
have the slimmest major- At a board meeting in good hands.”
ity. It also will make conser- October, Maric estimated “I am going to depend
vative Justice Clarence that UConn would likely on the feedback of many
Thomas the oldest member need to generate award of you,” Maric told the
of the court. Thomas turns dollars in the $500 million trustees. “We all care, we
74 in June. range to be considered want to present excellence,
Senate Majority Leader for membership with the and we want to provide
Chuck Schumer said Biden’s Association of American opportunity to all of our
nominee “will receive a Universities, an invita- students.”
prompt hearing in the tion-only group of 66 of With undergraduate
Senate Judiciary Committee the country’s top research students set to return to
and will be considered and institutions. campus soon, Maric will
confirmed by the full United Maric came to UConn be tasked with steering
States Senate with all delib- in 2010 as a professor of the university ahead in
erate speed.” chemical and biomolec- what officials hope are the
Republicans who changed ular engineering, and final weeks of the omicron-
the Senate rules during the has worked closely with driven surge of COVID-19.
Trump era to allow simple students to help them Maric succeeds Dr.
majority confirmation of secure research funding, Andrew Agwunobi, who
Supreme Court nominees incubate their projects and the university announced
appeared resigned to the Then-President Bill Clinton and Supreme Court nominee Stephen Breyer leave the White House eventually secure patents. is leaving in February to
outcome. in 1994, as the president officially introduced Breyer to the nation. Breyer is retiring, giving Since coming to take a top management
Sen. Lindsey Graham President Joe Biden an opening he has pledged to fill by naming the first Black woman to the Connecticut, all three of role with insurance giant
of South Carolina, the top high court. DOUG MILLS/AP FILE her children have gradu- Humana. Agwunobi had
Republican on the Senate ated from UConn. served as CEO of UConn
Judiciary Committee, said South Carolina’s presiden- obscure questions about bipartisan support even Maric was born in Health since 2014, and was
in a statement: “If all Demo- tial primary in 2020. pop stars. after Carter’s defeat for Yugoslovia and educated at named interim president
crats hang together — which Biden has been focused on He is known for his elab- reelection in 1980. Breyer Kyoto University in Japan in July following the resig-
I expect they will — they have filling federal judicial nomi- orate, at times far-fetched, served for 14 years on the 1st — as such, she’s fluent in nation of Thomas Katsou-
the power to replace Justice nations with a more diverse hypothetical questions to U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals four languages: Croation, leas.
Breyer in 2022 without one group of judges, and the lawyers during arguments, before moving up to the English, German and Japa- Trustees on Wednes-
Republican vote in support.” Supreme Court has not been and he sometimes has had Supreme Court. nese. day applauded Agunobi’s
Liberal interest groups on top of his mind during his the air of an absent-minded His 87-9 high-court A painter, pianist and leadership, particularly
expressed relief. They had first year in office, according professor. He taught anti- confirmation was the last amateur chef, Maric also as the pandemic strained
been clamoring for Breyer’s to White House aides. trust law at Harvard earlier with fewer than 10 dissent- designs and sews many of the university and UConn
retirement for the past year, A decision on a nominee is in his professional career. ing votes. her own clothes. health.
concerned about confirma- expected to take a few weeks, He also spent time work- Breyer’s opinions were Maric worked as a “His vigilance to keep
tion troubles if Republicans aides and allies said. ing for the late Sen. Edward notable because they never program manager for us moving forward, and
retake the Senate But Biden has expanded Kennedy when the Massa- contained footnotes. He was Canada’s Institute for Fuel his compassion for our
“Justice Breyer’s retire- his pool of applicants by chusetts Democrat was warned off such a writing Cell Innovation prior to constituents in particular,
ment is coming not a moment naming more Black women chairman of the Senate device by Arthur Goldberg, joining UConn, and is a is unparalleled,” Toscano
too soon, but now we must to the bench. Judiciary Committee. That the Supreme Court justice highly-regarded expert in said.
make sure our party remains Often overshadowed by experience, Breyer said, for whom Breyer clerked as clean energy innovation. The university will
united in support of confirm- his fellow liberal Ginsburg, made him a firm believer in a young lawyer. Her efforts to elevate soon launch a committee
ing his successor,” Demand Breyer authored two major compromise. “It is an important point to UConn’s reputation as a to consider applicants for
Justice Executive Director opinions in support of abor- Still, he could write fierce make if you believe, as I do, quality research institu- the permanent position,
Brian Fallon said. tion rights on a court closely dissents, as he did in the that the major function of an tion have won her popu- and hopes to hire someone
Among the names divided over the issue, and Bush v. Gore case that effec- opinion is to explain to the larity among the trustees. by next fall.
being circulated as poten- he laid out his growing tively decided the 2000 elec- audience of readers why it Dan Toscano, board chair, Maric will begin as
tial nominees are Cali- discomfort with the death tion in favor of Republican is that the court has reached described her Wednesday interim president on Feb.
fornia Supreme Court penalty in a series of dissent- George W. Bush. Breyer that decision,” Breyer once as a “great voice for the 1. Agwunobi will stay with
Justice Leondra Kruger, ing opinions in recent years. unsuccessfully urged his said. “It’s not to prove that engine of the university.” the university to oversee
U.S. Circuit Judge Ketanji In more than 27 years on colleagues to return the you’re right. You can’t prove “Once I got over the transition through
Brown Jackson, prominent the court, Breyer has been case to the Florida courts so that you’re right; there is no the knowledge that Feb. 20.
civil rights lawyer Sherrilyn an active and cheerful ques- they could create “a consti- such proof.” [Agwunobi] would be Dr. Bruce Liang, dean
Ifill and U.S. District Judge tioner during arguments, a tutionally proper contest” by Breyer and his wife, leaving, I felt much better of the UConn School of
J. Michelle Childs, whom frequent public speaker and which to decide the winner. Joanna, a psychologist and when I had the opportu- Medicine, is expected to be
Biden has nominated to quick with a joke, often at His time working in the daughter of the late British nity to sit down with Dr. selected as interim CEO of
be an appeals court judge. his own expense. He made Senate led to his appoint- Conservative leader John Maric talking about the UConn Health.
Childs is a favorite of Rep. a good-natured appearance ment by President Jimmy Blakenham, have three chil- path ahead for UConn,”
James Clyburn, D-S.C., who on a humorous National Carter as a federal appeals dren — daughters Chloe and Toscano said. Seamus McAvoy may be
made a crucial endorse- Public Radio program in court judge in Boston, and Nell and a son, Michael — “UConn is incredi- reached at smcavoy@
ment of Biden just before 2007, failing to answer he was confirmed with and six grandchildren. bly fortunate to have the courant.com
4 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Thursday, January 27, 2022
US, NATO stand firm against Russia
Allies reject top said the U.S. is open to other
ideas to ease Russia’s stated
Moscow demands
concerns.
in Ukraine crisis The U.S. proposals,
echoed in the NATO docu-
By Vladimir Isachenkov ment, include the potential
and Matthew Lee for negotiations over offen-
Associated Press sive missile placements and
military exercises in East-
WASHINGTON — The ern Europe as well as broad
Biden administration arms control agreements as
and NATO told Russia on long as Russia withdraws its
Wednesday that there will troops from the Ukrainian
be no U.S. or NATO conces- border and agrees to halt
sions on Moscow’s main inflammatory rhetoric
demands to resolve the crisis designed to deepen divisions
over Ukraine. and discord among the allies
In separate written and within Ukraine.
responses delivered to Moscow has demanded
the Russians, the U.S. and guarantees that NATO will
NATO held firm to the alli- never admit Ukraine and
ance’s open-door policy other former Soviet nations
for membership, rejected as members and that the
a demand to permanently alliance will roll back troop
ban Ukraine from joining, deployments in former
and said allied deployments Soviet bloc nations. Some of
of troops and military equip- these, like the membership
ment in Eastern Europe are pledge, are nonstarters for
nonnegotiable. the U.S. and its allies, creat-
“There is no change, there ing a seemingly intractable
will be no change,” Secre- stalemate that many fear can
tary of State Antony Blinken only end in a war.
said. Also not up for negoti- The Kremlin has repeat-
ation will be the U.S. and U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan enters the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow. ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/AP edly denied it has plans
European response to any to attack Ukraine, but the
Russian invasion of Ukraine, ing to have lost a battle of Russia’s actions that under- in a spirit of reciprocity with Europe and North America U.S. and NATO are worried
he said, repeating that any wills, the U.S. response did mine security, a principled a determination to enhance rest,” Stoltenberg said. “This about Russia massing its
such incursion would be met outline areas in which some and pragmatic evaluation of collective security for all of is about respecting nations troops near Ukraine and
with massive consequences of Russia’s concerns might the concerns that Russia has us, there are very positive and their right to choose conducting a series of
and severe economic costs. be addressed, provided it raised, and our own propos- things in this in this docu- their own path. sweeping military maneu-
The responses were not de-escalates tensions with als for areas where we may ment that could be pursued. “Russia should refrain vers.
unexpected and mirrored Ukraine. be able to find common We can’t make that decision from coercive force postur- Speaking to Russian
what senior U.S. and NATO Speaking in Washington, ground.” for President Putin.” ing, aggressive rhetoric and lawmakers Wednesday
officials have been saying for Blinken said Russia would Blinken said he hoped to NATO Secretary-Gen- malign activities directed before the U.S. and NATO
weeks. not be surprised by the speak with Russian Foreign eral Jens Stoltenberg said against allies and other responses were delivered,
There was no immedi- contents of the several page Minister Sergey Lavrov in Brussels that the alliance nations. Russia should also Lavrov said he and other top
ate response from Russia, American document that about the response in the had sent a separate reply withdraw its forces from officials will advise Putin on
but Russian officials have U.S. Ambassador to Russia coming days. But he stressed to Russia with an offer to Ukraine, Georgia, and the next steps.
warned that Moscow would John Sullivan delivered the decision about pursuing improve communications, Moldova where they are “If the West continues its
quickly take “retaliatory Wednesday to the Russian diplomacy or conflict rests examine ways to avoid mili- deployed without these aggressive course, Moscow
measures” if the U.S. and its Foreign Ministry. with Russia and more specif- tary incidents or accidents, countries’ consent.” will take the necessary retal-
allies reject its demands. “All told it sets out a seri- ically with Russian Presi- and discuss arms control. He While refusing to consider iatory measures,” Lavrov
Seeking possible ous diplomatic path forward dent Vladimir Putin. also rejected any attempt to any changes to NATO’s said.
off-ramps that would allow should Russia choose it,” he “We’ll see how they halt membership. open-door policy, its rela- But he indicated Russia
Russia to withdraw the esti- said. “The document we’ve respond,” he said. “But “We cannot and will not tionship with non-ally wouldn’t wait forever.
mated 100,000 troops it has delivered includes concerns there’s no doubt in my compromise on the princi- Ukraine, or allied troop “We won’t allow our
deployed near Ukraine’s of the United States and our mind that if Russia were to ples on which the security of and military deployments proposals to be drowned in
border without appear- allies and partners about approach this seriously and our alliance, and security in in Eastern Europe, Blinken endless discussions,” he said.
Vacancy giving Biden
chance to fulfill pledge
President vowed to Court candidate could come the court, he would make
from among that group, history by choosing a Black
pick Black woman
Biden aides and allies said. woman.
for next open seat Almost all of the recent “As president, I’d be
Supreme Court nominees honored to appoint the first
By Colleen Long, have been federal appeals African American woman.
Zeke Miller and judges. Because it should look like
Michael Balsamo By the end of his first year, the country. It’s long past
Associated Press Biden had won confirmation time,” Biden said in Febru-
of 40 judges, the most since ary 2020 shortly before
WASHINGTON — Pres- President Ronald Reagan. Of South Carolina’s presiden-
ident Joe Biden is eyeing at those, 80% are women and tial primary.
least three judges as poten- 53% are people of color, the The White House has
tial Supreme Court nomi- White House said. reiterated Biden’s campaign
nees who would fulfill his Brown Jackson, 51, pledge since his election.
campaign pledge to nomi- was nominated by Presi- Adding a Black woman
nate the first Black woman dent Barack Obama to be a to the court would mean a
to the nation’s highest court, district court judge. Biden series of firsts — four female
according to aides and allies. elevated her to the U.S. justices and two Black
With Justice Stephen Court of Appeals for the justices serving at the same
Breyer planning to retire, District of Columbia Circuit. time on the nine-mem-
early discussions about a Early in her career, she was ber court. Justice Clarence President Joe Biden would make history by choosing a Black woman for the Supreme Court.
successor are focusing on also a law clerk for Breyer. Thomas is the court’s only Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, 83, is expected to retire in the summer. ANDREW HARNIK/AP
U.S. Circuit Judge Ketanji Childs, a federal judge Black justice and just the
Brown Jackson, U.S. District in South Carolina, has second ever, after Thurgood three nominees made an about Justice Brett Kava- seen as contenders: Holly
Judge J. Michelle Childs and been nominated but not Marshall. already conservative court naugh’s contentious 2018 Thomas, a civil rights
California Supreme Court yet confirmed to serve on Biden now has the even more conservative. hearing. Still, Democrats lawyer he named to the U.S.
Justice Leondra Kruger, the same circuit court. She chance to show Black voters With the larger push to have the 50 votes plus a Court of Appeals for the 9th
according to four people is a favorite among some increasingly frustrated with diversify the judiciary — tiebreaker in Vice President Circuit and Candace Jack-
familiar with the matter high-profile lawmak- a president they helped to Trump largely appointed Kamala Harris that they son-Akiwumi, a former
who spoke on condition of ers, including Rep. James elect that he is serious about white men during his time need to confirm a nominee. public defender he named
anonymity to discuss White Clyburn, D-S.C. their concerns, particularly in office — Biden’s team has Biden is aware of the to the U.S. Court of Appeals
House deliberations. Kruger, a graduate of after he has been unable to consulted with the NAACP challenges that come with for the 7th Circuit.
Brown Jackson and Harvard and Yale’s law push through voting rights Legal Defense Fund, Black a confirmation. As a sena- Biden could also choose
Kruger have long been seen school, was a Supreme legislation. caucus members, Clyburn tor, he served as chairman someone from outside the
as possible nominees. Court clerk and has argued At the same time, Brey- and influential Democratic of the Judiciary Commit- judiciary. One contender
Since Biden took office a dozen cases before the er’s replacement by another lawyers. tee, overseeing six Supreme would be Sherrilyn Ifill,
in January 2021, he has justices as a lawyer for the liberal justice would not Even with a narrowed Court confirmation hearings head of the NAACP Legal
installed five Black women federal government. change the ideologi- field and the court’s major- from 1987 to 1995, including Defense and Educational
on federal appeals courts, When Biden was running cal makeup of the court. ity not to be altered, there’s Breyer’s. Fund. Ifill, 59, has headed
with three more nomina- for the White House, he said Conservatives outnumber no guarantee a nominee will Two other Black women the fund since 2013 and has
tions pending before the that if he had the chance liberals by 6-3, and former sail through the Senate. Biden appointed to federal announced she is stepping
Senate. Another Supreme to nominate someone to President Donald Trump’s Republicans remain upset appeals courts are also down in the spring.
Democrats eye swift confirmation of Biden’s Supreme Court selection
By Mary Clare Jalonick Bader Ginsburg — and just ule, even if Breyer erate speed.” At the same time, Demo- together — which I expect
and Lisa Mascaro five weeks after Ginsburg’s does not officially Durbin said he crats will be hoping for they will — they have the
Associated Press death in September of that step down until the looks forward to a handful of Republican power to replace Justice
year. Democrats sharply summer. moving the nomina- votes. Sens. Susan Collins Breyer in 2022 without one
WASHINGTON — Senate criticized that timeline then, In statements, tion “expeditiously” of Maine, Lisa Murkow- Republican vote in support,”
Democrats plan to move arguing that most confirma- Senate Major- through the commit- ski of Alaska and Lindsey Graham said. “Elections
swiftly to replace retir- tions had taken much longer ity Leader Chuck tee. Graham of South Carolina, have consequences, and
ing Supreme Court Justice and that Republicans were Schumer, D-N.Y., Democrats could for example, all voted last that is most evident when it
Stephen Breyer, using the trying to jam the nomination and Senate Judiciary Schumer hold committee year to confirm U.S. Circuit comes to fulfilling vacancies
rapid 2020 confirmation of through in case Trump lost Committee Chair- hearings and a full Judge Ketanji Brown Jack- on the Supreme Court.”
Justice Amy Coney Barrett reelection. man Dick Durbin, D-Ill., vote in the Senate before son, one of Biden’s possible It will be the first time
as a new standard. But now that they hold the made clear that they would Breyer steps down. The nominees. Democrats have had a
Barrett was confirmed presidency and the Senate, move quickly. Senate would just refrain Graham indicated in a Senate majority and the
exactly a month after Democrats navigating the Schumer said the nomi- from sending the president statement Wednesday that opportunity to fill a Supreme
then-President Donald complicated politics of a nee will “be considered and the paperwork on the final he’s unlikely to support Court vacancy since Justice
Trump nominated her to 50-50 chamber are eyeing confirmed by the full United confirmation vote until Biden’s pick. Elana Kagan was confirmed
replace the late Justice Ruth a similarly swift sched- States Senate with all delib- Breyer has retired. “If all Democrats hang in 2010.
Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Thursday, January 27, 2022 5
WORLD & NATION
Defend Chernobyl in an invasion?
Ukraine does have spreading radiation seems
minimal. But one object
strategy for highly
in the zone is particularly
radioactive site vulnerable: a new, $1.7 billion
stainless steel arch over the
By Andrew E. Kramer destroyed reactor, paid for
The New York Times mostly by the United States
and about 30 other coun-
CHERNOBYL, Ukraine — tries. It was completed in
Ukrainian soldiers, Kalash- 2016 to prevent the spread
nikov rifles slung over their of highly radioactive dust.
shoulders, patrolled through The town of Chernobyl
a silent, snowy forest, pass- is still partially occupied
ing homes so long abandoned by workers who live there
that vines twirl through the during rotations. They
broken windows. maintain the containment
The fields are fallow, the structure over the damaged
cities deserted and the entire reactor, roads and other
Chernobyl zone in northern infrastructure.
Ukraine is still so radioactive Before the Russian
it would seem the last place buildup, the main security
on Earth anybody would concern in Chernobyl was
want to conquer. illegal mushroom picking
But while most of the and collection of scrap metal,
attention around a potential activities that risk spreading
invasion by Russia is focused radiation.
in the east, the shortest route Most of the time, soldiers
from Russia to Ukraine’s on patrol face little risk from
capital, Kyiv, is from the radiation. But longer-lived
north. And it passes through particles remain, creating
the isolated zone around invisible, lethally dangerous
the Chernobyl power plant, A Ukrainian border guard on patrol with Ukrainian police in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. TYLER HICKS/THE NEW YORK TIMES hot spots in the forest. Some
where the 1986 meltdown emit levels of radiation thou-
of a reactor caused the worst Soviet authorities estab- from around the former suspicions, they went ahead a called the Polesie State Radi- sands of times higher than
nuclear disaster in history. lished it three decades ago Soviet Union. He said he was few days later with May Day oecological Reserve. normal. The soldiers have
That makes Chernobyl an was to limit, through isola- outraged that Russia could parades in Ukraine, march- That changed in Novem- marked routes to avoid these
area that Ukraine thinks it tion, the lethality of the acci- potentially menace the zone ing schoolchildren through ber amid a migrant crisis in places, which were long ago
needs to defend, forcing its dent at the nuclear plant. militarily. swirling radioactive dust. Belarus and a troop buildup mapped by scientists.
military to deploy security Radioactive particles left in “We liquidated the acci- That attitude helped in Russia. Still, while patrolling in
forces into still radioactive the soil or trapped under the dent together,” Kovalchuk stir anti-Soviet sentiment The two developments the zone, the soldiers must
forest, where they carry both containment structure of said. “For them to do this to throughout Russia, Belarus were ominous in combina- carry devices on a lanyard
weapons and equipment to the destroyed reactor while us now just makes me feel and Ukraine, the republics tion. Moscow began mass- around their necks that
detect radiation exposure. they slowly decay would sorry for people” in Ukraine, most affected, and the acci- ing troops in a way that continuously monitor expo-
“It doesn’t matter if it is pose little risk to soldiers, as he said. dent is now seen as one cause suggested plans for an incur- sure; under the protocols
contaminated or nobody long as those soldiers did not The Chernobyl nuclear of the collapse of the Soviet sion into Ukraine via Belarus. for patrolling in the zone,
lives here,” said Lt. Col. linger in highly irradiated power plant’s reactor No. Union five years later. Kyiv also feared Belarus if a soldier stumbles into a
Yuri Shakhraichuk of the areas. But the land must be 4 exploded and burned The Chernobyl zone might create a provocation highly irradiated patch, he
Ukrainian border guard abandoned, in some places during a test on April 26, covers about 1,000 square such as herding migrants is taken off duty to avoid
service. “It is our territory, for hundreds of years. 1986, releasing about 400 miles straddling the shortest toward the Ukrainian border further exposure.
our country, and we must Two months ago, the times more radiation than direct route from the Belar- — as it did with Poland — and So far, none of the border
defend it.” government deployed addi- the bombing at Hiroshima. usian border to Kyiv. While provide the spark for war. guards deployed into the
The Ukrainian forces in tional forces into the area, Thirty people died in the it is not necessarily the most Ukraine responded by zone in November have
the area, known as the Cher- because of increased tensions immediate aftermath of the likely invasion route from the deploying 7,500 additional been exposed to high doses,
nobyl Exclusion Zone, would with Russia and Belarus, a accident, most from radi- north, because it is swampy guards to the Belarusian according to Shakhraichuk.
not be sufficient to rebuff an Kremlin ally whose border ation exposure; studies of and densely forested, border. Shakhraichuk said “There are very dangerous
invasion, if one came; they is 5 miles from the stricken longer-term health effects Ukraine has not ruled it out. he could not disclose how places to avoid,” said Maj.
are there mostly to detect reactor and where Russia has have been mostly inconclu- Before last fall, the 700 many went specifically to Aleksei Vegera, who serves
warning signs. “We collect recently moved troops. sive but suggest that there miles of border between Chernobyl. But fears about with the Chernobyl police
information about the situ- “How can this be?” said could eventually be thou- Ukraine and Belarus were an incursion from Belarus force. Members of that force,
ation along the border” and Ivan Kovalchuk, a Ukrainian sands of deaths from cancer. almost unguarded, particu- have only grown as Russia accustomed to working in
convey it to Ukraine’s intel- firefighter who helped extin- At the time of the accident, larly in the irradiated areas. directs troops and equip- the area, accompany border
ligence agencies, Shakhraic- guish the fire at the plant in Ukraine was a Soviet repub- About 90 miles of the border ment there ahead of planned guards on patrols.
huk said. the first days after the acci- lic, and initially, the Soviet separates the Ukrainian zone joint exercises with Belarus “We do try to be careful,”
The concept of the Cher- dent, risking his life along- authorities tried to cover up from a similarly isolated and in February. he said. “But, what can I say,
nobyl Exclusion Zone when side Russians and people the disaster. To avoid raising irradiated area in Belarus, The risk of a war further I’m used to it.”
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6 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Thursday, January 27, 2022
WORLD & NATION
Shining light on ‘Righteous Rescuers’
Campaign focuses
on those who saved
Jews in Holocaust
By Kirsten Grieshaber
Associated Press
DURACH, Germany —
Andrzej Sitkowski was 15
years old when his mother
told him that she had been
asked by a neighbor to hide
a little Jewish girl from the
Nazis at their home.
“It was a short conver-
sation, and then, yes, we
decided to take in Hadassah
and she was brought over to
our house in 1943,” Sitkow-
ski said, looking back at
those difficult years during
World War II when he lived
with his widowed mother,
Helena, and younger sister,
Magda, on the outskirts of
the Polish capital of Warsaw
under German occupation.
“Fear was our daily dish
during those years anyway,”
Sitkowski said at his home
in the Bavarian village of
Durach, where he settled 10
years ago with his German
wife.
Almost eight decades after
Hadassah Kosak’s rescue, Now 93, Andrzej Sitkowski was 15 when he and his mother hid a Jewish girl from the Nazis at their home in Poland during World War II. ALEXANDRA BEIER/AP
the 93-year-old Polish man
is still regularly in touch with 27, 1945, Yad Vashem and the Over the past 60 years Yad the helpers, but their entire their memories often wander expelled all people who had
Kosak, now 84, who after the Conference on Jewish Mate- Vashem has recognized about families. back to those months of lived there. So they needed to
war immigrated via Israel to rial Claims against Germany 28,000 individuals from some Still, when you ask Sitkow- hiding when the Sitkows- escape again and eventually
the United States where she have teamed up to highlight 50 countries as “Righteous ski about why he and his kis shared their meager food the Sitkowskis and Kosaks
became a professor of history the stories of “Righteous Rescuers.” The organiza- mother decided to help Jews rations with Hadassah, when had to split up and survived
in New York. Rescuers” like the Sitkowskis tion still receives hundreds despite the huge personal Andrzej taught 5-year-old the last months of the war in
For their efforts to help who risked everything. of applications each year to risks, he says it simply was Hadassah how to read and different places across Poland
save the lives of Kosak, her As part of a social media honor others, mostly post- their duty as human beings. write, and when they made until the Soviet Army liber-
sister Marion and their campaign called #Don’tBe- humously. Of all the rescuers “When my mother told their neighbors and acquain- ated Poland from the Nazis
mother, Bronislawa, who ABystander, the Claims still alive today, most helped me about the request ... there tances believe a fabricated in January 1945.
later came to stay with the Conference and Yad Vashem their parents as children or were no long deliberations. story in which Hadassah While Hadassah Kosak
Sitkowskis, Andrzej and his are releasing several videos teenagers. The approval was somehow was not a Jew, but a Christian first moved to Israel and
mother were given Israel’s and launching a website “We believe about 200 of obvious,” Sitkowski said. Polish girl whose mother had later to the United States,
highest honor in 1995. They about people who saved them are still alive and most Sitting in his living room been taken to Germany as a her mother and sister ended
were named “Righteous Jews during the Holocaust of them are living in Europe,” overlooking the snowy foot- forced laborer. up in Britain, where Marion
Among the Nations” — a title in which 6 million Jews were said Dani Dayan, the chair- hills of the Alps, he smiles In reality, Hadassah’s married Ralph Miliband and
bestowed on non-Jews who murdered across Europe. man of Yad Vashem. “As when he thinks of Hadassah. mother was hiding as a maid where their two sons Ed and
took great risks to save Jews “One of the amazing thing antisemitism is growing again “She was a beautiful little with another family and her David, two well-known poli-
during the Holocaust by Yad about the rescuers is that on all five continents, we need girl, very smart, with sort of sister Marion was hiding at a ticians with the British Labor
Vashem, the country’s offi- not only did they rescue the to stress again the moral stat- darkish hair and black eyes — Catholic convent. But when Party, were born.
cial Holocaust remembrance specific person who was ure of these persons and their I grew very fond of her.” those hiding places were no The decision of Andrzej
organization. hidden, but all of their chil- actions.” Even today, there’s still a longer safe, the two joined and his mother to offer a
This year, as the world dren and grandchildren and In Poland, home to strong bond between them. Hadassah at the Sitkowskis. shelter “was a true act of
commemorates the 77th great-grandchildren — an Europe’s largest Jewish In the past, they would visit In September 1944, humanity,” Hadassah Kosak
anniversary of the libera- entire family tree,” said Greg community before the Holo- each other and nowadays however, the Nazis first said. “Thanks to their brav-
tion of the German Nazi Schneider, the executive caust, the Nazi occupiers they talk on the phone and burned down the Sitkowski ery, and at a great risk to
Auschwitz concentration and vice president of the Claims punished those who helped exchange letters. home and many other houses themselves, we survived the
extermination camp on Jan. Conference. Jews by executing not only In their conversations, on their street and then later Nazi horrors.”
NEWS BRIEFING
DOJ says Texas man
sold gun that was used
in synagogue standoff
From news services He initially told investi-
gators one day after Akram
DALLAS — A Texas man was killed that he recalled
has been charged with a meeting a man with a British
federal gun crime after accent but didn’t remember
authorities say he sold a his name. During a sepa-
gun to a man who held four rate interview the follow-
hostages inside a Texas ing week, authorities said,
synagogue this month Williams was shown a
before being fatally shot by photo of Akram and this
the FBI, the Justice Depart- time confirmed that he sold
ment said Wednesday. Akram the weapon in South
Henry “Michael” Dallas.
Williams, 32, was charged Williams told investiga-
with being a felon in posses- tors that Akram told him
sion of a firearm after he intended to use the gun
authorities say he sold the to intimidate someone who
weapon that Malik Faisal owed an outstanding debt,
Akram used when he according to authorities.
entered Congregation Beth Dallas police arrested
Israel in Colleyville, Texas, Williams on an outstanding
on Jan. 15 and held the warrant Monday, and he told
synagogue’s rabbi and three federal investigators that he
others hostage for hours. sold the gun to Akram after National pride: Artists perform during India’s Republic Day on Wednesday at the Wagah border post separating India and
The attorney listed for being read his rights, accord- Pakistan. Republic Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the country’s constitution in 1950, three years after winning
Williams in court records ing to charging documents. independence from British colonial rule. Celebrations in Delhi were curtailed amid the pandemic. NARINDER NANU/GETTY-AFP
did not immediately
respond Wednesday to a Gun liability: A California
phone message and email city voted Tuesday night won’t lose their guns or face & Medicaid Services said it victims, an advance hailed Later on Wednesday, a
seeking comment. to require gun owners to any criminal charges, the has researched the links in parliament as a break- ballistic missile hit a residen-
Akram, a 44-year-old Brit- carry liability insurance in mayor said. between staff turnover and through for people who tial neighborhood in Marib,
ish citizen, held hostages in what’s believed to be the Later Tuesday, a gun quality of care. Initial results hesitate or are unable to killing at least five civilians
the Dallas-area suburb while first measure of its kind in rights group and a gun suggest that as staff turnover alert police themselves. including a woman, said Ali
demanding the release of a the United States. owner filed a lawsuit over decreases, the overall quality al-Ghulisi, the provincial
federal prisoner. The stand- The San Jose City Council the ordinance. rating for a facility increases. Mideast battle flares up: governor’s press secretary.
off ended after more than overwhelmingly approved Nurse turnover is defined Forces of Yemen’s inter-
10 hours when the temple’s the measure despite oppo- Nursing home info: Medi- as the percentage of nursing nationally recognized Federal prosecutors: Pres-
rabbi threw a chair at Akram sition from gun owners who care said Wednesday it staff that stopped working government and their ident Joe Biden has nomi-
and fled with the other two said it would violate their is posting details on staff at a facility over a 12-month Emirati-backed allies swept nated six lawyers to run U.S.
remaining hostages just as Second Amendment rights. turnover and weekend period. through a strategic province, attorney’s offices across the
an FBI tactical team was Having liability insurance nurse coverage on its “Care forcing Houthi rebels out of country, his latest picks for
moving in. None of the would encourage people in Compare” website, where LGBTQ law: France has a its second largest district, the top law enforcement
hostages were injured. the 55,000 households in families can research a facil- new law that bans so-called officials said Wednesday. positions.
Prosecutors say Williams San Jose who legally own at ity. conversion therapies and Government forces and The nominees, who were
sold Akram a semi-auto- least one registered gun to The move comes as authorizes jail time and fines the Giants Brigades of the announced Wednesday,
matic pistol Jan. 13. The have gun safes, install trig- COVID-19 cases and deaths for practitioners who use UAE retook the district of would run the federal pros-
pistol was recovered from ger locks and take gun safety at nursing homes have risen the scientifically discred- Harib and its center south ecutors’ offices in Alaska,
the scene. classes, Mayor Sam Liccardo again, despite extensive ited practice to attempt to of Marib after nearly two Connecticut, Montana, New
Akram paid $150 for the said. efforts to vaccinate residents change the sexual orienta- weeks of fighting, push- Hampshire, New Mexico
gun, according to charging The liability insurance and staff. tion or gender identity of ing their way to the nearby and Utah.
documents. The docu- would cover losses or To find the new informa- LGBTQ people. district of Juba, said Brig. They would include the
ments state Williams was damages resulting from any tion, consumers must go to The National Assembly Abdou Megali, a military first woman to serve as U.S.
convicted in 2005 of aggra- accidental use of the firearm, the Care Compare website, approved the new law in a spokesman. attorney in Utah and the first
vated assault with a deadly including death, injury, or select a nursing home, and 142-0 vote Tuesday. The Houthis had taken Black woman to serve as U.S.
weapon and attempted property damage, according then click on “View Staffing The legislation includes the two districts last year attorney in Connecticut.
possession of a controlled to the ordinance. If a gun is Information.” On that page, criminal penalties for as part of their offensive on The Justice Department’s
substance in 2013. stolen or lost, the owner of they’ll scroll down the list people convicted of trying Marib. 93 U.S. attorneys are respon-
Williams allegedly the firearm would be consid- to find nurse staffing details to “convert” LGBTQ people Fighting also raged sible for federal criminal
acknowledged to FBI agents ered liable until the theft or on the weekends, and below to heterosexuality or tradi- between government forces prosecutions in their respec-
that he was aware he was loss is reported to authori- that, information on turn- tional gender expectations. and the Houthis elsewhere, tive districts.
not allowed to have a firearm ties. over for nurses and admin- The law also opens the including in the provinces Biden has now nominated
and knew selling the gun to However, gun owners istrators. possibility for campaigners of Jawf and Taiz, Megali 43 people to serve as U.S.
Akram was illegal. who don’t have insurance The Centers for Medicare to file civil suits on behalf of added. attorneys..
Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Thursday, January 27, 2022 7
WORLD & NATION
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special delivery tech-
that it’s the safest option some of the largest popu- complaints “will be thor- tor’s visit or prescrip- Restore is also load-
for residents, which is lations of senior citizens, oughly reviewed by our nology adapted for tion, and is 100% nat- ed with vitamin C,
our biggest concern,” said among them: California, office.” skincare that gets su-
ural. which British research-
Marjorie Moore, execu- Florida, New York and Some states already have periorresults.
ers have found reduc-
tive director of VOYCE, a Pennsylvania. their own vaccine require-
Powerful es both wrinkles and
St. Louis County, Missouri, “There absolutely have ments for health care work- Known as advanced
nonprofit that works on been employee resigna- ers. DeliverySystem dryness.“InRestorewe
liposome technology,
behalf of nursing home resi- tions because of vaccination In California, for exam- EnsuresNutrients use magnesium ascor-
this powerful distribu-
dents. “But not having staff requirements,” said Cather- ple, they have been required PenetrateDeep byl phosphate, a more
tion system ensures
is also a really big concern, ine Barbieri, a Philadelphia to be fully vaccinated since intoYourSkin stable form of vitamin
because the neglect that attorney who represents Sept. 30 and must get a that vital nutrients are
C that doesn’t break
happens as a result of that health care providers. But booster by Feb. 1. delivered exactly where The dermis is the un- down in liquid as does
is severe and very scary.” “I think it’s relatively small.” The Centers for Medicare your skin needs them
derlying layer of skin ordinary C,” explains
The mandate affects a In Florida, medical & Medicaid Services ulti- themost,providingyour
wide swath of the health centers find themselves mately could cut off funding that supplies nourish- Dr. Sears. “That means
skin with maximum an-
care industry, covering caught between dueling to places that fail to comply ment and oxygen, and the antioxidant mole-
ti-agingbenefits.
doctors, nurses, technicians, federal and state vaccina- with the mandate. But offi- removeswaste.Inother cules stay intact within
aides and even volunteers at tion policies. They could cials said the agency plans New Age-Defy- words, it’s responsible your skin cells where
hospitals, nursing homes, lose federal funding for to begin enforcement with ing ‘Dermal Filler’ for keeping your outer they can prevent dam-
hotohmere p-hroevaildther asg tehnatc pieasr taincid- nadomt aidnhisetrriantgio tno tmhea nBdidateen, ea nhceoauvrya hgaenmde. nt rather than Cream in High layer of skin healthy. age from dangerous
pate in the federal Medicare but could get hit with fines The states affected Demand Liposome technology freeradicals.”
is designed to support
or Medicaid programs. for running afoul of state Thursday are California,
andnourishthisdeeper Thispowerfulformula
Nationwide, about 81% law. Colorado, Connecticut, AlSears,MD,ofPalm
of nursing home staff Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Beach, Florida, recently layer of skin by deliver- also features guarana
members already were fully Republican who has waged Illinois, Maine, Maryland, ing nutrients directly to seedextract,coenzyme
released an anti-aging
vaccinated as of earlier this a legal campaign against Massachusetts, Michi- it. Q10, and avocado oil.
cream that adapts this
month, ranging from a high coronavirus mandates, gan, Minnesota, Nevada, Japanese researchers
breakthrough medi-
of 98% in Rhode Island to last year signed legislation New Jersey, New Mexico, “All of Restore’s have also found that
a low of 67% in Missouri, that forces businesses with New York, North Caro- cal technology into the powerful ingredients coenzyme Q10 sup-
according to the federal vaccine requirements to let lina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, realm of skincare, and
are encapsulated in a ports production of the
Centers for Medicare & workers opt out for medi- Rhode Island, Tennessee, he’s struggling to keep
Medicaid Services. cal reasons, religious beliefs, Vermont, Virginia, Wash- up with consumer de- liposome shell — an thin membrane that
The data is unclear about immunity from a previous ington and Wisconsin. organic container that separateslayersofyour
mand.
the vaccination levels in infection, regular testing The District of Columbia carries the beautifying skin, and French stud-
hospitals and other health or an agreement to wear and U.S. territories also are Dr. Sears is South agents deep into the ieshaveshownthatav-
care sites. protective gear. Businesses affected. Florida’s leading an- skin cells,” explained ocadooilimprovesskin
ti-aging pioneer. He Dr.Sears. cellmetabolismanden-
has authored over 500 hancesskinthickness.
“Restore’s liposome
reports, scientific pa-
shell is composed of Where To
pers, and books on
phosphatidylcholine or Get Restore
anti-aging. A frequent
PC for short. While cell Right now the only way
lecturer at global an-
membranes repel wa- to get this powerful
ti-aging conferences,
ter, they absorb PC be- age-defying delivery
Dr. Sears spoke at the
cause they’re actually technology is through
WPBF 25 Health &
made of it. As a result, Dr.Sears.
Wellness Festival fea-
Restore is delivered To get life-changing
turingDr.Oz,alongwith
deep into the cell for results like Amy and
special guest, Suzanne
maximum firming and Cathy, buyers should
Somers. Thousands
volume.” contact the Sears
of people were in at-
HealthHotlineat1-800-
tendance as Dr. Sears When you apply li-
745-1722 within the
discussedhislatestan- posome cream to your
next48hours.“Wesim-
ti-agingbreakthroughs. face, the liposomes in
ply don’t have enough
the skin cream work
This powerful cream, supply to get Restore
their way inside your
known as Restore, shipped directly to
skin, fuse with the
keeps selling out faster stores,” said Dr. Sears.
skin cell membranes
than it’s produced — “The hotline allows us
Syrian Democratic Force members on patrol Wednesday outside Gweiran prison in Hassakeh, and then release their
and people are raving to ship the product di-
Syria. The US-backed group regained control of the facility from IS militants. GETTY-AFP contents directly to
abouttheeffectit’shav- rectly to the custom-
the cells. Regular skin
US-backed forces recapture ingontheirskin. er – the one who really
creams don’t have this
wantsit.”
capability.
“Withinafewminutes
Syrian prison after IS attack of applying the cream, Dr. Sears feels so
A Formula
it visibly plumps out strongly about this
Designed to Take
the under-eye area and product, that he offers
my cheeks as well as 10 Years off Your a 100% money-back
By Sarah El Deeb and we killed them.” Kurdish-led forces and those annoying lines Face in Just 10 guarantee on every or-
Associated Press Shami said the force was seven civilians were killed
then able to enter the cells in the weeklong attack that that deepen as we age Minutes der. “Just send back
BEIRUT — U.S.-backed and the remaining mili- extended into residential between the nose and the bottle and any un-
Kurdish-led forces said they tants surrendered. A large areas. lips.Italsofeltlikeitwas Once it’s penetrat- used product within 90
wrestled control of the last number of children were Eleven Iraqi soldiers tightening and smooth- ed the deeper layer of days, and I’ll send you
section of a prison seized freed, he said, but had no were killed in their sleep ingmyskinatthesame skin,Restorereleasesa yourmoneyback,”said
by Islamic State militants specific number. after gunmen attacked an time. I definitely feel I unique blend of botan- Dr.Sears.
and freed a number of child Shami said about 3,000 army barracks in Diyala icals, vitamins and es-
detainees they had used as inmates have surrendered province last Friday. It look younger whenever
sential oils that reduc- The hotline will be
human shields. That ended since the operation clos- was the deadliest attack Iuseit,”saidAmyB.,of
es the appearance of taking orders for the
a deadly, weeklong assault ing in on the northern wing in months to target Iraq’s Montville,NewJersey.
fine lines and wrinkles, next 48 hours. After
by the extremists on one of began two days ago. He military and was blamed
the largest detention facili- said the preliminary death on IS, which appeared to “The lines around my gives skin a more even that, the phone number
ties in Syria. toll among his force is esti- be exploiting a security mouth and eyes are tone, and moisturizes will be shut down to al-
The attack was the mated at 35. vacuum in Iraq’s north. filled in and my skin is the interior layers of lowthemtorestock.
biggest by IS since the fall After breaking into the The Kurdish-led Syrian tightened. I love having your dermal cells, firm-
of the group’s “caliphate” prison late Jan. 20, IS mili- Democratic Forces said younger-looking skin, ing and plumping your Call 1-800-745-1722
itnan 2t0s 1s9ta agnedd dceaamdely a ast tmacilkis- traionttisn wg eirnes jiodien etdh eb yf aoctihlietrys. ehaardl iferre eWd e2d3n oefs idtsa yse trhvaict ei-t so I will continue using skin. to secure your limited
supply of Restore. If
in Syria and Iraq that stoked Around 200 armed mili- men held hostage by IS mili- Restore” raves Cathy
Restore’s first you were not able to
fears of a comeback. tants were believed to be tants. C.,ofFlorida.
In the week of clashes, holed up in the north- The SDF, backed by U.S.- skin-enhancing agent get through last week
dozens from both sides ern wing at one end of the led coalition Bradley Fight- is Madonna lily leaf due to extremely high
have been killed, the U.S.- prison complex, also hold- ing Vehicles and air support, “Advancedliposome stem cell extract. It call volume, please try
led coalition has carried ing hostages from among had been closing in on the technologyensures helps produce an again!Youdon’tneeda
out nearly a dozen airstrikes the prison staff. prison wing controlled by thatvitalnutrients even-toned complex- prescription, and those
and thousands of civilians The prison complex, the militants. aredeliveredexactly ion. In a clinical study who call in the first 24
living nearby have been known as Gweiran prison, “The makeshift pris-
whereyourskin reported in the Journal hours qualify for a sig-
displaced. houses more than 3,000 ons throughout Syria are
“The whole prison is now inmates, including around a breeding ground for needsthemthe of Cosmetic Dermatol- nificant discount. To
under control,” said Farhad 600 minors. Daesh’s failed ideology,” most.” ogy, participants treat- take advantage of this
Shami, a spokesman for the Children have reportedly said Maj. Gen. John Bren- ed with this extract great offer use Promo
U.S.-backed Syrian Demo- been killed and wounded nan, commander of the for 28 days showed Code NP0122RS119
cratic Forces. “The opera- in clashes, rights and aid anti-IS coalition, referring The best part is that improvements in skin whenyoucallin.
tion today was on the cells groups say. to IS by its Arabic acronym.
of the child detainees. We The Britain-based Syrian “We must thoroughly inves-
THESESTATEMENTSHAVENOTBEENEVALUATEDBYTHEFOODANDDRUGADMINISTRATION.THISPRODUCTISNOTINTENDED
were able to surround a Observatory for Human tigate the circumstances TODIAGNOSE,TREAT,CUREORPREVENTANYDISEASE.RESULTSMAYVARYFROMPERSONTOPERSON.NOINDIVIDUALRESULT
number of terrorists who Rights said 124 IS mili- that allowed this attack to SHOULDBESEENASTYPICAL.
had taken them as shields tants, 50 fighters with the happen,” he added.
8 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Thursday, January 27, 2022
Fed signals plan to hike New home
sales soar
rates as early as March
in Dec. as
Central bank’s action seen as way to cool inflation amid jittery stock market prices dip
By Christopher Rugaber Jerome Powell expressed his view, as he market as investors have been gripped by
Associated Press has before, that controlling inflation is vital fear and uncertainty over just how fast and
to a strong job market. far the Fed will go to reverse its low-rate By Matt Ott
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve “We believe that the best thing we can do policies, which have nurtured the economy Associated Press
signaled Wednesday that it plans to begin to support continued labor market gains,” and the markets for years.
raising its benchmark interest rate as Powell said, “is to promote a long expan- The broad S&P 500 index fell nearly 10% SILVER SPRING, Md. — Sales of new
soon as March, a key step in reversing its sion, and that will require price stability.” this month. single family homes in December rose to
pandemic-era low-rate policies that have The Fed on Wednesday also set out prin- Last week, President Joe Biden said it their highest level in 10 months as buyers
fueled hiring and growth but also escalated ciples it will follow once it decides to reduce was “appropriate” for Powell to adjust the snapped up cheaper homes in anticipation
inflation. its nearly $9 trillion in bond holdings, a Fed’s policies. And congressional Republi- of higher interest rates.
With high inflation squeezing consumers sum that has more than doubled since the cans have endorsed Powell’s plans to raise The increase put the seasonally adjusted
and businesses and unemployment falling pandemic struck nearly two years ago. rates, providing the Fed with rare bipartisan annual sales pace to 811,000 for the month,
steadily, the Fed also said it would phase out Some analysts expect the Fed to begin support for tightening credit. according to the Commerce Department,
its monthly bond purchases, which have doing so as soon as July, a move that would The Fed’s bond purchases have been an 11.9% increase over November’s figure,
been intended to lower longer-term rates, contribute to tighter credit. intended to reduce longer-term interest which was revised to 725,000 from 744,000.
in March. The central bank’s actions are sure to rates to spur borrowing and spending. The median price of a new home, the point
In a statement issued after its latest policy make a wide range of borrowing — from Earlier this month, minutes of the Fed’s where half the homes sold for more and half
meeting, the Fed it “expects it will soon be mortgages and credit cards to auto loans December meeting revealed that the for less, fell to $377,700, last month, its lowest
appropriate” to raise rates. and corporate credit — costlier over time. central bank was considering reducing level since June but about 4% higher than
Though the statement didn’t specifically Those higher borrowing costs, in turn, its bond holdings by not replacing bonds December 2020.
mention March, half the Fed’s policymak- could slow consumer spending and hiring. that mature — a more aggressive step than In the months following the pandemic
ers have expressed a willingness to raise The gravest risk is that the Fed’s aban- merely ending its purchases. outbreak in the spring of 2020, new home
rates by then, including some members donment of low rates could trigger another By not replacing some of its bond hold- sales exploded as people sought out more
who have long favored low rates to support recession. ings, the Fed in effect reduces demand for space. Including December’s big increase,
hiring. The central bank’s latest policy statement Treasuries. This raises their yields and sales for 2021 fell 14% from the red-hot 2020.
Speaking at a news conference, Chair follows dizzying gyrations in the stock makes borrowing more expensive. New home sales rose in three of the four
regions, with the Midwest leading the way
with a 56.4% increase. Sales rose 14.9% in the
South and nominally in the West, offsetting
a 15.6% decline in the Northeast.
Historically low mortgage rates have fed
the demand for housing, even though rates
are expected to rise as the Federal Reserve
dials back its bond purchases to tamp down
surging inflation.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the
average rate on long-term, 30-year mort-
gages in the U.S. has risen from just over 3%
a month ago to 3.5% last week, the highest
level since March 2020.
The National Association of Realtors
reported last week that sales of previously
occupied homes fell in December for the
first time in four months as many would-be
buyers bailed, frustrated by the lowest level
of available houses in more than 20 years.
BUSINESS BRIEFING
EU court tosses
$1.43B Intel fine
LONDON — Chipmaker Intel scored
a decisive legal victory Wednesday in a
long-running battle against European
Union competition watchdogs after a court
reversed itself and threw out an antitrust
fine issued more than a decade ago.
The EU’s General Court annulled the
Brunch is served Jan. 15 at a Dubai hotel. Until this year, brunches in Dubai were held on Fridays, the start of the weekend. KAMRAN JEBREILI/AP $1.43 billion fine that competition regula-
tors issued against Intel in 2009 for allegedly
using illegal sales tactics.
Farewell to ‘Friday brunch’
It was the General Court’s second decision
on the case, after the bloc’s top court ordered
it to take another look at its ruling. The Euro-
pean Commission, the bloc’s top antitrust
enforcers, had fined Intel for allegedly
Facilities scramble as Dubai’s “The traditional 12 p.m. Friday brunch brunch can keep its luster. Since the change abusing its dominant position in the global
is extinct,” said Adrian John, who along took effect Jan. 2, many of Dubai’s hottest market for x86 microprocessors to exclude
beloved weekly parties end
with his, wife Lucy Melts, started a popu- brunch spots have felt lukewarm. smaller rivals by using rebates.
following weekend upheaval lar Dubai brunch review website called Mr. “The numbers are not that great at the
and Mrs. Brunch. moment on Saturdays compared to last
By Isabel Debre Friday brunch in Dubai involves far more year,” said Arun Edakkeppurath, manager
Associated Press than the midday meals enjoyed in other of the glass-enclosed Observatory Bar Berkshire plans
major cities. For those not rendered immo- & Grill featuring views of Dubai’s Palm
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Friday bile after four hours of feasting, there’s the Jumeirah artificial island.
annual meeting
will never be the same again. post-brunch brunch, evening brunch with The restaurant now receives a flood of
For those with means in Dubai, the more booze and midnight party brunch. calls from bewildered government employ-
former first day of the weekend carried a Luxury hotels and restaurants each have ees, teachers and others who work a half
gluttonous party tradition — an hourslong their own brunch style. For example, one day on Friday, demanding to know what OMAHA, Neb. — Warren Buffett’s
affair with infinite supply of seafood, pizza, steakhouse offers a James Bond theme with happened to their famous brunch. company plans to hold its annual sharehold-
dessert and Veuve Clicquot Champagne set a background of spy movie music. “I think people will react slowly to the ers meeting that used to routinely attract
to pulsing music known simply in this city- The fixed prices may seem expensive changes,” he added. more than 40,000 people in person this
state as “Friday brunch.” — all-you-can-drink Champagne pack- Other brunch places have reported spring for the first time since the pandemic
But starting this year, the United Arab ages cost over $200 — but cheaper options empty tables since the weekend shift. began.
Emirates shifted its weekend from Friday exist. Devotees insist that unlimited booze “There have been a large amount of Berkshire Hathaway said Tuesday that at
and Saturday to Saturday and Sunday — remains a deal in a city where every drink cancellations,” said Sadhan Adhilkary, this point it is planning to hold the meeting
a move to align with global markets and poured in a bar is subject to a 30% munic- assistant restaurant manager of Jazz@ in person April 30. For the past two years, the
Western schedules. ipality tax. PizzaExpress, which scrambled this year meeting was held online only.
Now, Emirati government employees Locked in a culinary arms race to attract to push its brunch to Saturday and rebook In the past, throngs of people would fill
work a half day with time for worship Dubai’s big spenders, brunch destinations its music acts for Friday. “But it’s hard to an arena in downtown Omaha every year to
and family gatherings on Islam’s holy day. are now keen to keep the extravaganza alive say the reason.” listen to Buffett and other Berkshire officials
Most of the nation’s expatriate-dominated despite the weekend upheaval. Business usually slows as residents spend hours answering questions.
private sector, however, works the full day. The industry has sought to remake tighten their belts after New Year’s Eve Many of Berkshire’s more than 90 compa-
That has thrown Friday brunch — a key itself with a new tagline: “Saturday is the spending binges, he said. Trepidation also nies also set up booths to sell some of the
revenue source for COVID-19-battered new Friday.” But without Friday, restau- has returned as the omicron variant of products in a crowded exhibit hall adjoin-
restaurants — into disarray. rant executives wonder whether Dubai COVID-19 drives a surge in infections. ing the arena.
IMF to El Salvador: Drop Bitcoin as legal tender
Jobless claims
Initialunemploymentclaims,seasonally
adjusted,inmillionsperweek
Associated Press President Nayib Bukele led the push El Salvador’s law called for all businesses
to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender alongside with the technological ability to accept 1.0
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — The the U.S. dollar. El Salvador’s Legislative Bitcoin as payment. The rollout was glitchy, WeekendingJan.15:198,000
International Monetary Fund wants El Assembly made the country the first to do but seems to have smoothed out.
Salvador to drop the highly volatile cryp- so in June and the law went into effect in Bukele became a darling of the cryp- 0.8
tocurrency Bitcoin as legal tender and September. tocurrency’s promoters and has since
strictly regulate the electronic wallet the After nearly doubling in value, the price spoken of building a Bitcoin city and issuing
government has pushed adoption of across of Bitcoin has fallen more than 50% from its Bitcoin-backed bonds, something else some 0.6
the country. peak in November, and the cryptocurrency IMF directors expressed concern over.
The global lender’s board “urged the market as a whole has lost more than $1 tril- El Salvador’s Treasury Minister Alejan-
authorities to narrow the scope of the lion in value over that time. dro Zelaya noted the IMF’s agreement that 0.4
Bitcoin law by removing Bitcoin’s legal From the start there were concerns that boosting financial inclusion was important
tender status,” the IMF said Tuesday. a digital currency created to be beyond the and that an e-wallet could help, to which
0.2
“The adoption of a cryptocurrency as control of governments would attract crim- he added via Twitter: “It appears to work
legal tender, however, entails large risks inal activity. Bukele promoted the adoption for financial inclusion, but you mustn’t do
for financial and market integrity, finan- as way for thousand of Salvadorans to avoid it. The future waits for no one. #Bitcoin.”
cial stability and consumer protection,” the money transfer fees when relatives living O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
IMF said. outside the country sent home remittances. The New York Times contributed. SOURCE:U.S.DepartmentofLabor TNS
Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Thursday, January 27, 2022 9
BUSINESS
Concerns grow with delay in
creating cybersecurity board
By Alan Suderman
Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. — It’s
a key part of President Joe
Biden’s plans to fight major
ransomware attacks and
digital espionage campaigns:
creating a board of experts
that would investigate major
incidents to see what went
wrong and try to prevent the
problems from happening
again — much like a trans-
portation safety board does
with plane crashes.
Utility workers help a man search a vehicle near a downed utility pole after a wildfire in But eight months after
Paradise, Calif. PG&E has been blamed for over 30 wildfires since 2017. NOAH BERGER/AP 2018 Biden signed an executive President Biden signed an executive order last May creating
order creating the Cyber the Cyber Safety Review Board. ANDREW HARNIK/AP
PG&E’s probation ends amid Safety Review Board it still
hasn’t been set up. But there’s no timeline The SolarWinds hack
That means critical tasks for creating the board itself, exploited vulnerabilities in
ongoing wildfire safety fears haven’t been completed, a job designated to Depart- the software supply-chain
including an investigation ment of Homeland Security system and went unde-
of the massive SolarWinds Secretary Alejandro Mayor- tected for most of 2020
espionage campaign first kas. despite compromises at
By Michael Liedtke reviewing his oversight of victims that may fall short discovered more than a year In response to questions a broad swath of federal
Associated Press the utility. of doling out the amount ago. Russian hackers stole from The Associated Press, agencies and dozens of
While on probation, initially promised. data from several federal DHS said in a statement it companies, primarily
SAN FRANCISCO — PG&E pleaded guilty to PG&E’s conduct agencies and private compa- was far along in setting it up telecommunications and
Pacific Gas & Electric has 84 felony counts of invol- prompted its court-ap- nies. and anticipated a “near-term information technology
emerged from five years of untary manslaughter for pointed monitor, Mark Some supporters of the announcement,” but did not providers. The hacking
criminal probation, despite a 2018 wildfire that wiped Filip, to raise alarms about new board say the delay address why the process has campaign is named Solar-
worries that nation’s largest out the town of Paradise, the utility’s wildfire preven- could hurt national secu- taken so long. Winds after the U.S. soft-
utility remains too danger- about 170 miles northeast of tion efforts, though he rity and comes amid grow- Scott Shackelford, the ware company whose
ous to trust after years of San Francisco. Now PG&E applauded improvements ing concerns of a potential cybersecurity program product was exploited in
devastation from wild- faces more criminal charges in its natural gas operations. conflict with Russia over chair at Indiana University the first-stage infection of
fires ignited by its outdated in two separate cases, for a “We doubt anyone would Ukraine that could involve and an advocate for creat- that effort.
equipment and neglectful Sonoma County wildfire in seriously contend PG&E’s nation-state cyberattacks. ing a cyber review board, The hack highlighted the
management. 2019 and a Shasta County performance has been The FBI and other federal said having a rigorous study Russians’ skill at getting to
The probation, which fire in 2020. PG&E has adequate, or that substan- agencies recently released about what happened in a high-level targets. The AP
expired Tuesday, was denied any criminal wrong- tial improvement is not still an advisory — aimed partic- past hack like SolarWinds previously reported that
supposed to rehabilitate doing in those fires. imperative,” Filip’s team ularly at critical infrastruc- is a way of helping prevent SolarWinds hackers had
PG&E after its 2016 convic- Even more potential wrote in a report filed with ture like utilities — on similar attacks. gained access to emails
tion for six felony crimes criminal charges loom. Alsup late last year. Russian state hackers’ meth- “It sure is taking, my belonging to the then-act-
from a 2010 explosion trig- California regulators PG&E, a 117-year-old ods and techniques. goodness, quite a while to ing Homeland Security
gered by its natural gas lines have linked PG&E to the company, generates about “We will never get ahead get it going,” Shackelford Secretary Chad Wolf.
that blew up a San Bruno Dixie Fire last year, when $20 billion in revenue of these threats if it takes us said. “It’s certainly past The Biden administra-
neighborhood and killed a tree is believed to have annually while serving a nearly a year to simply orga- time where we could see tion has kept many of the
eight people. hit the utility’s distribution 70,000-square-mile service nize a group to investigate some positive benefits from details about the cyberes-
Instead, PG&E became lines in the Sierra Nevada area in the northern and major breaches like Solar- having it stood up.” pionage campaign hidden.
an even more destructive — part of a sprawling, often central part of California Winds,” said Sen. Mark The Biden administra- The Justice Depart-
force. Since 2017 the util- rugged service territory that includes farmland, Warner, a Virginia Democrat tion has made improving ment, for instance, said in
ity has been blamed for covering 16 million North- forests, big cities and the who leads the Senate Intel- cybersecurity a top priority July that 27 U.S. attorney
more than 30 wildfires that ern California customers. world’s technology hub in ligence Committee. “Such a and taken steps to bolster offices around the country
wiped out more than 23,000 During its proba- Silicon Valley. delay is detrimental to our defenses, but this is not the had at least one employ-
homes and businesses and tion, PG&E also plunged The utility says it spends national security and I urge first time lawmakers have ee’s email account compro-
killed more than 100 people. into bankruptcy for the $1.4 billion annually to trim the administration to expe- been unhappy with the pace mised during the hacking
“In these five years, second time in less than or remove trees, up from dite its process.” of progress. Last year several campaign. It did not provide
PG&E has gone on a crime 20 years. Before emerging $400 million annually in Biden’s order, signed in lawmakers complained it details about what kind of
spree and will emerge from from bankruptcy last year, 2017. But Alsup estimated May, gives the board 90 took the administration information was taken and
probation as a continu- PG&E reached settlements PG&E still has a seven- days to investigate the Solar- too long to name a national what impact such a hack
ing menace to California,” of more than $25.5 billion, year backlog of high-risk Winds hack once it’s estab- cyber director, a new posi- may have had on ongoing
U.S. District Judge William including $13.5 billion trees that need trimming or lished. tion created by Congress. cases.
Alsup wrote in a report earmarked for wildfire removal.
Ring In the
MARKET RUNDOWN
q Thpursday,January27,2022 q
DOW 10-YRT-BOND GOLD New Year
34,168.09-129.64 1.84%+.06 $1,829.90-22.80
36,520 DowJonesindustrials Commodities
with Nikon!
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METALS CLOSE PREV. YTD
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A S O N D J Britain 1.3467 .7425 Primerate 3.25 3.25
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DomesticIndexes China .1582 6.3209 6-mo.T-Bill 0.41 0.36 24-50mmLensKit After
CLOSE CHG. YTD EJauproan .010.18275340 1.1848.8565 51-0y-yrrT-TN-Nootete 11..6864 11..6822 $1,599.95± $100 ISnasvtianngts*
DOWIndus. 34,168.09 -129.64 -5.97% Mexico .048304 20.7022 30-yrT-Bond 2.17 2.14
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DOWUtil. 922.87 -3.67 -5.90% GlobalMarkets
NYSEComp. 16,236.51 -103.81 -5.40% FTZLensAdapter NewFTZIILensAdapter
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S&P500 4,349.93 -6.52 -8.73% Frankfurt 15,459.39 +335.52 +2.22% -2.68% withanyZseriesMirrorless withanyZseriesMirrorless
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StocksofLocalInterest
NIKKOR® LENS
YTD YTD
STOCK(TICKER) CLOSE CHG. %CHG STOCK(TICKER) CLOSE CHG. %CHG UNRIVALED EXCELLENCE. $399.95±
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AT&TInc(T) 24.25 -2.23 -1.4 MGMResortsIntl(MGM) 41.68 -.30 -7.1 INStaNt SavINgS wIth camERa puRchaSE After
AdvMicroDev(AMD) 110.71 -.42 -23.1 MetaPlatformsInc(FB) 294.63 -5.52 -12.4 PurchasetheaF-SDXNIKKOR18-140mm $100 ISnasvtianngts*
AmericanAirlinesGp(AAL) 16.24 -.22 -9.6 MetLifeInc(MET) 66.06 +.63 +5.7 f/3.5-5.6gEDvRlenstogetherwithanyNikonDSLRand
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10 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Thursday, January 27, 2022
OPINION
Helen Bennett
Executive Editor
[email protected]
COURANT.COM/OPINION
GOP should rethink wimpy platform
By Ramesh Ponnuru no second-term agenda when he ran for opportunity for dissension. It distracts and ignominiously failing to move health
Bloomberg Opinion reelection in 2020, and the Republicans from the main Republican message — care policy in their direction. Among the
did not even produce a platform at their Biden is a failure. reasons for their defeat: They hadn’t spent
Democrats ran in 2020 on a long list of national convention that year. McConnell A degree of silence also fits with a the previous years thinking about what
policies they planned to enact and imple- has reportedly told Republican donors he conservative disposition. There are more to do about health care or responding to
ment, and now they are going through will not get behind a legislative agenda for bad ideas than good ones, more pieces criticisms of their proposals. They decided
the agony of trying to make good on their this year’s elections, either. of legislation that deserve defeat than to wait for their presidential candidate to
promises. Republicans have found a fool- There are exceptions to the rule of support. come up with an agenda, but he preferred
proof way to avoid that pain: They’re not Republican inactivism. U.S. Sens. Mike There’s nothing wrong with running to tweet.
going to campaign on any ideas. Lee, Marco Rubio and Josh Hawley have for legislative office primarily to prevent Democrats proceed very differently.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch advanced ambitious proposals on a range mistakes. In the U.S. political system, They always have ideas about what
McConnell is perennially averse to having of issues, as has J.D. Vance, the best-sell- which has evolved to center on the White government should be doing, as you would
his party run on a legislative agenda. He ing author who is running for Senate from House, there’s a stronger case for running expect given their political philosophy, and
discouraged Republican Senate candi- Ohio. Their ideas are often heterodox that kind of campaign during the midterms they often offer many proposals during
dates from campaigning on one in 2014, in among Republicans: Vance wants to break than in a presidential-election year. The campaigns. The Democrats worked out
the middle of President Barack Obama’s up big tech companies, for example, where presidential race sets the country’s politi- many of their differences over health care
second term, and has often told colleagues most Republicans would prefer just to cal direction while the midterms function in the campaigns of 2006 and 2008 before
that the Republicans’ nine-seat pickup that complain about them. Such ideas may gain as a referendum on how the president is trying to make law in 2009, for exam-
year vindicated that strategic choice. ground, especially in the absence of alter- performing. ple, and the decision to make the issue a
Republicans have been following the natives. The main drawback to this strategy priority was effectively taken party-wide.
plan not to have plans ever since. In 2016, For now, though, most Republicans for Republican election victories is what This difference in approach probably
Donald Trump ran for president with the are sticking with the McConnell way. It happens after them, or rather what doesn’t. helps explain why, over the last genera-
wispiest of proposals: Building a wall and seems to have worked electorally. Repub- The strategy makes it more difficult for tion, Democrats have done more to shape
somehow making Mexico pay for it was as licans nearly won in 2020, even with an Republicans to govern when they have the federal policy.
detailed as he got. In 2018, Republicans had unpopular incumbent president. They opportunity. Or, to put it another way, why Demo-
control of both houses of Congress and the are in a strong position to take the Senate Consider the record of 2017-2018, the cratic rule has been more effective.
White House. They did not say what they and House of Representatives this fall. only two years within the last 15 when
would do if the voters kept them in power, Reticence on policy may help them do it. Republicans had unified control of the Distributed by Tribune Content Agency,
beyond confirming judges. Trump released An agenda creates a target. It also creates government. They spent months trying LLC.
What Biden
could learn
from Clinton
Jonah Goldberg
“You and my husband think so similarly
when it comes to politics,” Hillary Clinton
once told Joe Biden. “You guys were almost
separated at birth.”
It’s interesting to think about how
Biden’s first year as president would have
gone differently if this were in fact true.
The easiest way to illustrate this is to ask:
“Where are the Sister Souljah moments?”
Sister Souljah, a rapper and writer,
gained notoriety in 1992 when Bill Clinton,
running for president, made a planned
attack on her controversial statements
about the Los Angeles riots after a jury
acquitted police officers in the beating of
Rodney King. Wikipedia even has a lengthy
“Sister Souljah Moment” entry, defining it
as a “politician’s calculated public repu-
diation of an extremist person, statement,
group or position that is perceived to have Ex-President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Joe Biden’s inauguration. JONATHAN ERNST/POOL VIA GETTY-AFP 2021
some association with the politician’s own
party.” the world. whenever possible. Biden says schools structure bill, with 19 Republican senators
More on that in a moment. As a candidate, Clinton triangulated should stay open, but he’s never criticized on board. He could have declared victory,
Both Biden and Clinton are frequently against the Democratic base, billing teachers’ unions, even when they refused telling the Democratic base that trillions
dubbed “centrists” but they subscribe himself as a “third way” figure unbeholden to work in Chicago. And, countless Demo- more of poorly funded “human infrastruc-
to very different definitions of centrism, to the special interest and identity poli- cratic members of Congress say inflamma- ture” wasn’t in the cards. Instead, he caved
neither of them particularly ideological. tics groups that had captured the party. On tory things on a daily basis. Why not pick a to the base, vowing — at the time — only to
For Clinton, it’s the popular stuff the campaign trail, he inveighed against fight? sign the popular bill if the progressives got
from both parties. For Biden, the center welfare policies supported by the base, Biden could also have told the Demo- everything they wanted, too.
amounted to splitting the difference promising a “hand up, rather than a hand- cratic base that their voting reform wish In June 1993, when Bill Clinton’s
between the two poles of the Democratic out.” He even took time off from the trail to list, largely unchanged since 2019, wasn’t approval ratings were even lower than
Party. Biden spent decades in a Senate oversee the execution of a severely brain a pragmatic response to the current Biden’s today, Clinton sought a reset. He
in which there were a great many liberal damaged inmate, Ricky Ray Rector (Rector moment. Instead, he parroted the most declared, “I was sent to the White House,
and conservative Democrats. His strat- actually asked the guards to save his pie extreme language of the base, accusing I think, to take on brain-dead politics in
egy was to straddle between them. As the until after his execution). Republicans of being on the side of Jim Washington from either party — or from
party moved leftward, with conservative Ironically, Biden’s success in the 2020 Crow and Bull Connor. A telling moment both.”
Democrats fading away (even Joe Manchin primaries hinged on the belief that he was in his epic news conference last week came It was widely assumed Biden would
would be a big-spending liberal a decade more of a Clinton-style centrist. That’s why when Biden explained why he didn’t reach use his press conference for a similar
ago), Biden and the party’s center of gravity he beat the purely progressive ideologues. out to Republicans on voting reform: He do-over. But when asked if he overprom-
moved leftward, too. But as president, Biden has stead- was too busy “trying to make sure we got ised, he said, “Look, I didn’t overpromise,
Clinton’s ascent to the Oval Office was fastly refused to triangulate. There have everybody on the same page in my party on but I have probably outperformed what
the result of a decadelong war with the been countless potential Sister Soul- this score.” anybody thought would happen.”
Democratic establishment. Biden’s entire jah moments. Amid surging crime rates The mother of Sister Souljah moments Bill Clinton would never have done that.
career was as a member of that establish- in New York City, the new Manhattan came last June when Biden succeeded in
ment, as a senator, vice president and now district attorney vowed not to seek prison fulfilling one of the core promises of his Distributed by Tribune Content Agency,
president. That makes all the difference in sentences, even for some violent criminals, presidency: a bipartisan traditional infra- LLC.
Do Americans even know what free speech really means?
By Stephen L. Carter accused of fomenting violence in the cause no queries about who gets to decide what That only 36% of independents and 37% of
Bloomberg Opinion of battling oppression, and Republicans are is misinformation. But there’s a hint when Democrats think so is a surprise.)
discarding their traditional insistence that respondents are asked whether they agree I’m hoping this low figure reflects once
The Knight Foundation and Ipsos have a protesters must make their cases without with this statement: “Online news provid- more the inability to turn away from legit-
new survey on Americans’ views about free disturbing public order. ers should be allowed to publish any story imate outrage over the Capitol Riot. But
speech, and for those of us who consider I’m not suggesting that Republicans as a without the government having the ability sometimes turning away helps us see more.
spirited and even wrongheaded debate group support the U.S. Capitol rioters — in to block or censor them.” I’ll mention one last item. A recent trend
crucial to democracy, there’s both good the survey, only one-third describe what Again, the results are discouraging. A in First Amendment scholarship views
news and bad. happened as legitimate First Amendment mere 60% of Democrats think that letting free speech principally as a protection for
Let’s start with the good news. Asked activity. I’m suggesting only that a few the government “block or censor” the the voices of outsiders. In the Knight-Ip-
whether freedom of speech is an important years ago, the GOP numbers would have news is a bad idea. Independents stand sos report, every group sees itself as the
constitutional right, 99% of respondents in been higher. (Incidentally, 12% of Demo- at 70%, Republicans at 77%. All these outsider, struggling to be heard.
the Knight survey said yes. The only other crats, perhaps captivated by rosy memories numbers are worrisomely low — at least Republicans and independents are
right with such near-unanimous endorse- of armed Black Panthers marching into the for those raised on the idea that democ- certain liberals have superior access to
ment is the equal protection of the laws. California statehouse in 1967, also believe racy relies on roughing-and-tumbling our the public square; Democrats think the
The bad news is that on nearly every that the violence at the Capitol last January way through robust, open and unregulated advantage lies with conservatives. No
practical aspect of speech, divisions are was an exercise in free speech.) public debate. racial group, not even white Americans, is
sharp, partisan and afflicted by both the Which brings us to everybody’s favorite Speaking of rough and tumble, majori- confident of its own ability to speak freely.
availability heuristic and recency bias. bugaboo — misinformation. Even though ties of every political group believe that the (Black Americans, by a large margin, are
It’s striking, for instance, that Demo- Democrats (89%) are significantly more 2020 racial justice demonstrations were most likely to believe their own speech is
crats, at 86%, are by far the most likely to likely than independents (73%) or Repub- a legitimate exercise of First Amendment marginalized.)
agree on the importance of “preventing licans (63%) to label “preventing the rights. That’s good news. The fact that so many Americans think
people from inciting others to violence.” spread of false information” as either “very The bad news is the sharp partisan divi- they’re being crowded out of the public
Republicans are at 68% and indepen- important” or “extremely important,” the sion over the status of protests against the square is reason for sorrow. But if it’s true
dents at 71%. How did the party of the left larger headline is that strong majorities of results of the 2020 presidential election. that most of the country believes its free
become the champions of law and order, every group agree. Strong majorities of independents (60%) speech rights to be imperiled, perhaps
and a significant minority of the GOP That’s a problem. Free speech, like other and Republicans (73%) consider those there exists a majority — dare we call it a
defenders of incendiary rhetoric? constitutional rights, only makes sense if protests legitimate acts of free speech. silent one? — that will resist any effort to
That’s where the availability heuristic one is free to use it unwisely. Otherwise, Only 39% of Democrats agree. (At the tamper with the First Amendment.
comes in. Everybody seems to be focused there’s no freedom to speak; there’s only same time, hardly anybody believes that For democracy, that would be a big win.
on Jan. 6, 2021 — and perhaps overreacting a freedom to speak what some arbiter burning or defacing the American flag is an
to an isolated event. Thus Democrats are declares to be the truth. appropriate form of protest. That only 16% Distributed by Tribune Content Agency,
forgetting their history of supporting those Alas, the Knight-Ipsos survey includes of Republicans think so is unremarkable. LLC.