Three Republicans clashed sharply on campaign finance reform and the state budget Wednesday night in a key debate less than two weeks before the August 10 primary.
As the debate began, Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele was asked about his differences with Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
Fedele responded that he would never have allowed the massive, $19 billion state budget to go into effect without his signature, which is what Rell did.
"I would have vetoed that, and I expressed that,'' Fedele said.
But his opponents took a sharply different position from Fedele regarding his role over the past 3 1/2 years as the number 2 official in the state government.
"I certainly hope that Lt. Gov. Fedele accepts more responsibility than that'' from the Rell administration, Foley responded. "During this administration, of course, government spending has gone up dramatically. ... For you to say you had nothing to do with this, I find, disingenuous.''
Fedele countered that Foley's comments were "probably as accurate'' as Foley's failure to mention an arrest, in the Hamptons on Long Island in 1981, on a national security form that he was required to fill out.
Concerning state finances, Fedele said, "The lieutenant governor does not propose a budget. The governor does. ... Not one state employee in this state has lost their job in this recession. I'm not demonizing them.''
Longtime business executive R. Nelson "Oz'' Griebel said to Fedele: "I don't see how you separate yourself from the Rell administration.''
The three candidates stood on the stage at the Garde Arts Center in New London - a traditional spot for election debates. They were questioned by two journalists from News Channel 8 and The Day of New London in a debate that was moderated on the stage by Ann Nyberg of News Channel 8.
Regarding campaign finance reform, the candidates clashed over using public money for political campaigns. Both Foley and Griebel are raising money privately for their campaigns, while Fedele has accepted $2.5 million in public money through the campaign finance system.
"The law works in terms of corruption,'' Griebel said. "The idea of using taxpayer money for elections is totally inappropriate.''
But Fedele responded that both the federal and state courts have ruled in his favor repeatedly so that he could receive public money for his campaign. Since receiving the money, Fedele has launched an extensive advertising campaign that is currently playing on Connecticut TV stations.
"Tom was wrong four times, and Oz tagged along on those,'' Fedele said.
"Mike, I would think a candidate for governor would know the difference between the Supreme Court of the United States and the State Supreme Court,'' Foley responded. "The lieutenant governor is a multi-millionaire who, we've learned in the last couple of days, drives a Maserati and a Ferrari.''
But Fedele defended himself regarding a video that has been circulating recently on www.YouTube.com that shows him arriving at the state Capitol in Hartford in a Ferrari for the annual fundraiser that involves a collection of Ferraris that show up on the Capitol grounds. Fedele steps out of his car to the tune of rap music that was played as part of the video.
"It was a charitable thing that we were doing that day,'' Fedele said.
When asked by a TV reporter about Rell's support of campaign finance reform and her high poll ratings, Foley said, "Just because you have a high approval rating doesn't mean you're right. ... We can't afford it, and it doesn't work.''
Foley criticized Griebel for his final report after five years as the chairman of the state's Transportation Strategy Board. Foley said flatly that the state does not a transportation plan.
"To me, a plan over 200 pages long is not a plan. It's a dissertation,'' Foley said. "We need a plan.''
But Griebel responded that the plan, finished in 2003, is about 30 pages long. Griebel reiterated his position that the state will continue to have financial problems because officials have not replaced the money that previously went into various projects before the state's gasoline tax was cut sharply.
Chester First Selectman Thomas E. Marsh is also in the race as an independent candidate, but he has not been involved in any of the recent major-party debates on television.