Newtown leader, police to be on hand for speech

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Newtown First Selectman Patricia Llodra and two local police detectives who were among the first on the scene for the deadly Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting will be guests of Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy for President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech.

Blumenthal said Monday he hopes the presence of the Newtown officials in the House of Representatives on Tuesday night will inspire the president to push ahead with a "very aggressive" gun control package in light of the Dec. 14 shooting, which left 20 first graders and six educators dead.

Murphy said Newtown Detective Dan McAnaspie will join him in the House. He has also invited Detective Jason Frank to Washington, D.C. He hopes both will attend a traditional Senate dinner before the address.