Former state Rep. Michael J. Cardin is already facing charges that include risk of injury to a minor and disorderly conduct following allegations by a female student.
But now he is facing new allegations from teachers that had not previously been made public.
Cardin was arrested after a warrant was signed by a Superior Court judge. Police, however, have declined to reveal details about the arrest, and there is an ongoing court battle over whether the court records should be sealed. A hearing was held Tuesday, but no immediate decisions were made on the release of the records.
During that hearing Tuesday, new information was revealed regarding Cardin. The Hartford Courant is reporting that "Cardin is accused of conduct that Assistant State's Attorney Elizabeth Leaming described as 'incredibly inappropriate by a teacher in a classroom setting.' That included 'sexually provocative talk,' 'sexual innuendo,' 'sexual statements' and touching a female student in the area of her genitals, in the pocket area of her pants, Leaming said.''
The court hearing was handled by Judge Laura Flynn Baldini, one of the newest judges on the Superior Court bench. She was approved by the state House of Representatives and Senate this year after a controversy over whether she had enough experience as a 39-year-old attorney. Six of Gov. M. Jodi Rell's nine nominees at the time were at least 54 years old, and they all had more legal experience than Baldini's 12 years at the bar.
Cardin, a Democrat, is a longtime teacher who once brought his class on a trip to New Hampshire in 2000 to watch the political activities on primary night during the race between then-Vice President Al Gore and former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley, as well as then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush and U.S. Sen. John McCain.