Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Columnist Chris Powell A couple of great columns last week
or two. I appreciate you coming back on Chris, how
you've been.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Oh, I'm good, viny and very glad to be with you.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
You know, earlier this morning when I when I went
to just you know, kind of mentioned promote that you'd
be up. At one point, I said, the oftentimes controversial
columnist Chris Powell, And then I wondered, do you think
that's some people would probably say you're controversial. No, I
don't necessarily think you are, but there are many in
(00:30):
Hartford I would assume who think you are.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well that that presumes that somebody's reading my stuff, Benny,
and I make no claims for that. You know, I
try to make an argument and a persuisive argument, and
sometimes I might succeed and other times I don't. But
(00:54):
you know, controversy is indication that somebody's reading. So if
it is controversial, I'm glad. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Yeah. Why have you been writing about Connecticut government politics
for many, many years? When was the last time you
had anything pop up by a hearst publication in Connecticut.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Well, remarkably, all the Hearst papers in the state have
published a column mine on the last two weekends. I'd
been on their blacklist for a long time, escecially the
Waterbury and Manchester papers, but somehow the last two weekends
I got into all their state papers, and I'm very
(01:35):
grateful for that. I hope it continues.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I bet you. The word opinion or op ed was
as bold faced as can be, wasn't it crazy?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well, look, they spelled my name right, So I'm glad.
I'm glad to get the readership.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Yeah, no, of course. And one of the ones that
really caught my eye, and I read every column of
yours that I get my hands on. The you know,
I'm on the e blast, I guess. But was about
Connecticut's Social Equity Council, particularly as it is it pertains
to the marijuana situation here in Connecticut, which I knew
(02:17):
was just going to be a minefield. I don't think
it was thought out. There's a whole lot of huh wow.
We didn't see that coming, did we. A lot of
people voted for the legalization of marijuana, but in a
lot of elected officials, but in their head was like,
oh yeah, absolutely, I'm going to vote yes to legalizing it.
But I don't want any of it being sold in
my town, and they didn't see that that was going
(02:40):
to be quite a hurdle.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yeah, there's local option on this stuff. But my objection
to what's going on here now is is we've got
a patronage racket that's being operated as social justice. You know,
we have state licensing marijuana sales and raising a lot
(03:03):
of money in marijuana taxes and giving the marijuana tax
money to the new agency called the Social Equity Council,
And the Social Equity Council is free to distribute this
tax money, which I guess is up to thirty eight
million dollars now, free to distribute it to various organizations
(03:27):
the Equity Council thinks will help make some recompense for
the war on drugs and certain impoverished communities. The chairman
of the Social executive director of the Social Equity Councils,
the former state representative of Heart for Brandon McGee, gave
(03:51):
an interview the other day that he wants to award
some of these grants for purposes of economic development, and
he wants to award some of them to help the
transition of former prison inmates back into society. But I
(04:11):
just had to wonder. Look, Connecticut is full of government
economic development agencies. The state has some, many, if not most,
municipal agencies have some. What does the Social Equity Council
know about economic development? It has no expertise in that.
This is just going to be patriotage money. McGee also
(04:34):
said that, you know, he wanted to spend some of
this money and groups that help the reintegration of prisoners
into society, and that's certainly an important thing. But he
doesn't seem to have noticed that. We have a very
venerable nonprofit agency in Connecticut, the Community Partners in Action,
(04:55):
which used to be the Connecticut Prison Association, that's been around,
I think for more more than a century. It's grant
from state government. It's one point five million state grant
from state government for next year. Was erased in the
new state budgement state budget. You know, what does the
(05:16):
Social Equity Council know about? You know, prisoner reintegration in
the Community Partners in Action knows plenty about it. It's
been doing that for more than a century. But state
governor government just cut off their money. Why do we
why do we need the Social Equity Council to try
to take over the job that Community Partners in Action
(05:36):
was doing. Why not just give the the Social Equity
Council money to the Community Partners and Action. The reason
we're not we're not doing this to the normal means
is that the Social Equity Council is it's just a
patron of racket. They can give the money, the tax
(05:58):
money away to whoever they want to influential people in
these communities, people with democratic connections, and the legislature will
never look at the results because this operations a patronage operation.
It's got its own dedicated tax so they can't get
the money away anyway. It's a racket. Not only is
(06:23):
a racket, it's taking money away from agencies that really
might accomplish something. So that's really my objection to the
Social Equity Council.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Yeah, you know, and that's one part that really caught
my eye too. I was kind of surprised, and I
know you're loath to get like overtly political on the show.
At least it seemed that way, and again ron with
columnist Chris Powell right now. But when I read and
it was your column where I read that the New
State budget erased the one point five million that Community
(06:55):
Partners in Action was to receive next year. That surprised
me that the governor would excize that that nice chunk
of change, because he's big on emptying our jails, so
he can say, like, like I said, you're probably not
going to want to go there. But I do believe
that he loves to say our prisons they're so empty,
(07:17):
let's close another one. Well, you're decriminalizing everything, You're you're empty.
You know, they're they're actively being emptied out. But like
I said, I know you don't want to necessarily go there.
But I was surprised to see one point five mili
for important work that Community Partners in Action are doing
being gone. That was curious to me. What do you
(07:39):
make of that?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well, the Speaker of the House said that the appropriation
was eliminated because you know, we have to stay within
the budget guardrails. But you know we've got there's plenty
of other things in the budget you could cut. They
chose to cut this. The Speaker, Matt rudders that the
(08:00):
legislators hope to address the issue again in the special
session and maybe recover the grant. But look, You've got
thirty eight million dollars for social justice sitting in the
account of the Social Equity Council. I don't know why
the money to Community Partners in Action couldn't be restored
(08:20):
from that money, especially since the head of the Social
Equity Council says he wants to get into the business
that Community partners and Action is in. Yeah. Yeah, I
mean it's you know, one hand doesn't know what the
other is doing, and they don't care because this is
all discretionary patronage. They're going to be you know, dozens
of you know, community organizations with political connections that are
(08:43):
going to be recipients of the marijuana tax money. And
this is all going to be distributed by the Social
Equity councilors the private fiefdom here, and the Social Equity
Council has no expertise in prison or reintegration. It has
no expertise in economic development. And that's what it's going
(09:05):
to do with the money it claims it's going to
do with the money.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
I hate to say, Chris, but I just Social Equity Council.
I can't even say that with a straight face.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I think it's you know, look, it's a political patron
dressed up, you know as social justice. I mean, this
is a racket.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So what are they the Justice League? I mean it's
misbegotten to begin with. I think though, that's if you're
part of the Social Equity Council. That's not a paid position,
is it.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Well, the executive director McGee has got a very nice job.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
I probably sweet job.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Next salary and the benefits are about two hundred and
thirty six thousand dollars a year. The members on the
council I don't think have any any that's bad enough
for that. But look, my point is it's it's this
is the Connecticut racket. You get a lot of patronage
(10:03):
and you have to put, you know, a nice disguise
on it and then people won't question it.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I agree, it's great work. As always. I'll post it
to the web page with your permission.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Oh please, If I had any money, i'd pay you
to do it.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
I think you're doing great work. I love having you on,
Chris Paul. Thanks again. We'll have you on again soon.
Columnist Chris Powell A couple of great columns last week
or two. I appreciate you coming back on Chris, how
you've been.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Oh, I'm good, viny and very glad to be with you.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
You know, earlier this morning when I when I went
to just you know, kind of mentioned promote that you'd
be up. At one point, I said, the oftentimes controversial
columnist Chris Powell, And then I wondered, do you think
that's some people would probably say you're controversial. No, I
don't necessarily think you are, but there are many in
(00:30):
Hartford I would assume who think you are.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well that that presumes that somebody's reading my stuff, Benny,
and I make no claims for that. You know, I
try to make an argument and a persuisive argument, and
sometimes I might succeed and other times I don't. But
(00:54):
you know, controversy is indication that somebody's reading. So if
it is controversial, I'm glad. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Yeah. Why have you been writing about Connecticut government politics
for many, many years? When was the last time you
had anything pop up by a hearst publication in Connecticut.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Well, remarkably, all the Hearst papers in the state have
published a column mine on the last two weekends. I'd
been on their blacklist for a long time, escecially the
Waterbury and Manchester papers, but somehow the last two weekends
I got into all their state papers, and I'm very
(01:35):
grateful for that. I hope it continues.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I bet you. The word opinion or op ed was
as bold faced as can be, wasn't it crazy?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well, look, they spelled my name right, So I'm glad.
I'm glad to get the readership.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Yeah, no, of course. And one of the ones that
really caught my eye, and I read every column of
yours that I get my hands on. The you know,
I'm on the e blast, I guess. But was about
Connecticut's Social Equity Council, particularly as it is it pertains
to the marijuana situation here in Connecticut, which I knew
(02:17):
was just going to be a minefield. I don't think
it was thought out. There's a whole lot of huh wow.
We didn't see that coming, did we. A lot of
people voted for the legalization of marijuana, but in a
lot of elected officials, but in their head was like,
oh yeah, absolutely, I'm going to vote yes to legalizing it.
But I don't want any of it being sold in
my town, and they didn't see that that was going
(02:40):
to be quite a hurdle.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yeah, there's local option on this stuff. But my objection
to what's going on here now is is we've got
a patronage racket that's being operated as social justice. You know,
we have state licensing marijuana sales and raising a lot
(03:03):
of money in marijuana taxes and giving the marijuana tax
money to the new agency called the Social Equity Council,
And the Social Equity Council is free to distribute this
tax money, which I guess is up to thirty eight
million dollars now, free to distribute it to various organizations
(03:27):
the Equity Council thinks will help make some recompense for
the war on drugs and certain impoverished communities. The chairman
of the Social executive director of the Social Equity Councils,
the former state representative of Heart for Brandon McGee, gave
(03:51):
an interview the other day that he wants to award
some of these grants for purposes of economic development, and
he wants to award some of them to help the
transition of former prison inmates back into society. But I
(04:11):
just had to wonder. Look, Connecticut is full of government
economic development agencies. The state has some, many, if not most,
municipal agencies have some. What does the Social Equity Council
know about economic development? It has no expertise in that.
This is just going to be patriotage money. McGee also
(04:34):
said that, you know, he wanted to spend some of
this money and groups that help the reintegration of prisoners
into society, and that's certainly an important thing. But he
doesn't seem to have noticed that. We have a very
venerable nonprofit agency in Connecticut, the Community Partners in Action,
(04:55):
which used to be the Connecticut Prison Association, that's been around,
I think for more more than a century. It's grant
from state government. It's one point five million state grant
from state government for next year. Was erased in the
new state budgement state budget. You know, what does the
(05:16):
Social Equity Council know about? You know, prisoner reintegration in
the Community Partners in Action knows plenty about it. It's
been doing that for more than a century. But state
governor government just cut off their money. Why do we
why do we need the Social Equity Council to try
to take over the job that Community Partners in Action
(05:36):
was doing. Why not just give the the Social Equity
Council money to the Community Partners and Action. The reason
we're not we're not doing this to the normal means
is that the Social Equity Council is it's just a
patron of racket. They can give the money, the tax
(05:58):
money away to whoever they want to influential people in
these communities, people with democratic connections, and the legislature will
never look at the results because this operations a patronage operation.
It's got its own dedicated tax so they can't get
the money away anyway. It's a racket. Not only is
(06:23):
a racket, it's taking money away from agencies that really
might accomplish something. So that's really my objection to the
Social Equity Council.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Yeah, you know, and that's one part that really caught
my eye too. I was kind of surprised, and I
know you're loath to get like overtly political on the show.
At least it seemed that way, and again ron with
columnist Chris Powell right now. But when I read and
it was your column where I read that the New
State budget erased the one point five million that Community
(06:55):
Partners in Action was to receive next year. That surprised
me that the governor would excize that that nice chunk
of change, because he's big on emptying our jails, so
he can say, like, like I said, you're probably not
going to want to go there. But I do believe
that he loves to say our prisons they're so empty,
(07:17):
let's close another one. Well, you're decriminalizing everything, You're you're empty.
You know, they're they're actively being emptied out. But like
I said, I know you don't want to necessarily go there.
But I was surprised to see one point five mili
for important work that Community Partners in Action are doing
being gone. That was curious to me. What do you
(07:39):
make of that?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well, the Speaker of the House said that the appropriation
was eliminated because you know, we have to stay within
the budget guardrails. But you know we've got there's plenty
of other things in the budget you could cut. They
chose to cut this. The Speaker, Matt rudders that the
(08:00):
legislators hope to address the issue again in the special
session and maybe recover the grant. But look, You've got
thirty eight million dollars for social justice sitting in the
account of the Social Equity Council. I don't know why
the money to Community Partners in Action couldn't be restored
(08:20):
from that money, especially since the head of the Social
Equity Council says he wants to get into the business
that Community partners and Action is in. Yeah. Yeah, I
mean it's you know, one hand doesn't know what the
other is doing, and they don't care because this is
all discretionary patronage. They're going to be you know, dozens
of you know, community organizations with political connections that are
(08:43):
going to be recipients of the marijuana tax money. And
this is all going to be distributed by the Social
Equity councilors the private fiefdom here, and the Social Equity
Council has no expertise in prison or reintegration. It has
no expertise in economic development. And that's what it's going
(09:05):
to do with the money it claims it's going to
do with the money.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
I hate to say, Chris, but I just Social Equity Council.
I can't even say that with a straight face.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I think it's you know, look, it's a political patron
dressed up, you know as social justice. I mean, this
is a racket.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So what are they the Justice League? I mean it's
misbegotten to begin with. I think though, that's if you're
part of the Social Equity Council. That's not a paid position,
is it.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Well, the executive director McGee has got a very nice job.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
I probably sweet job.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Next salary and the benefits are about two hundred and
thirty six thousand dollars a year. The members on the
council I don't think have any any that's bad enough
for that. But look, my point is it's it's this
is the Connecticut racket. You get a lot of patronage
(10:03):
and you have to put, you know, a nice disguise
on it and then people won't question it.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I agree, it's great work. As always. I'll post it
to the web page with your permission.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Oh please, If I had any money, i'd pay you
to do it.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
I think you're doing great work. I love having you on,
Chris Paul. Thanks again. We'll have you on again soon.
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