Nominee tied to "gifting tables" case confirmed

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Branford attorney who was a figure in a criminal case involving a shoreline pyramid scheme will be one of Connecticut's newest judges.

Both chambers of the General Assembly voted Wednesday to confirm Shelley Marcus as a superior court judge, despite reservations raised by some lawmakers about her representation of some participants in the so-called "gifting tables club."

Marcus was confirmed 31-4 in the Senate and 79-54 in the House of Representatives.

Marcus has denied telling club members their scheme was legal, contradicting statements made by witnesses at a recent trial of two members. But Sen. Edward Meyer on Wednesday called Marcus "highly incompetent" for not making it clear the practice was criminally illegal.

Sen. Leonard Fasano said Marcus only represented members in a civil matter involving the Attorney General.