Rell's Judicial nominations fall apart

Hartford, Conn. (WTNH) - A last minute deal to solve the controversy over Governor Rell's judicial nominations fell apart on Friday.

The approval of the new judges is still being held up even though the money issue has been solved.

As the public hearing on the Governor's judicial nominees began, it was thought that the controversy had been settled. The Governor's budget director, Bob Genuario, who is one of the judicial nominees, told News Channel 8 that he had not participated in negotiations over money, because it wouldn't be proper.

The Governor's Chief of Staff, Lisa Moody, negotiated for the past several days directly with Judge Barbara Quinn, the Chief Court Administrator, and Judge Quinn sent a letter to the committee Friday morning saying the funding matter had been settled. "They've been closing court houses and law libraries, it's our understanding that the Governor's agreed to, sort of reverse those cuts," said Rep. Mike Lawlor of the Judiciary Committee.

The deal was that the House and Senate would approve the deal, the Governor would sign it and the judges would be approved. But then the leader in the State Senate dropped this bomb. 'We need to resolve the entire 2011 budget and resolve the deficit issue there before I want to move anything separately," said Senate President Donald Williams.

"All the work that's done in that agreement has now been, in some ways, held hostage to an overall budget deal," commented John McKinney Republican Minority Leader.

The Governor made it clear she was not happy at this latest snag. "I don't think anything should be held up because we don't have a budget," said Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

In addition, members of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus of legislators are upset because of the lack of racial diversity among the nominees.

Genuario isn't the only member of the Rell Administration among those waiting for approval to become a judge. Her Commissioner of Public Safety, John Danaher, is part of this group that's being held up by another controversy. The Governor and the Republicans note that the legislature always moves on other matters before the budget even though the matters may be related to the budget and say this move by Williams is unfair and wrong.