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	State Ethics Office Drops Bridgeport Diocese Probe By Ken Dixon Connecticut Post July 1, 2009 http://www.connpost.com/ci_12733416 Decision brings end to state investigation of Bridgeport Diocese HARTFORD -- The Office of State Ethics on Wednesday abruptly dropped its inquiry into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport's possible violation of lobbyist-registration laws. In reaction, a co-chairwoman of an ethics-minded committee in the General Assembly said that lawmakers next year will have to draw a distinction between lobbying that requires registration, with a small fee, and First Amendment rights to assemble and voice grievances. The action came at the end of a 90-minute, closed-door conference call among seven of the nine-member Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board, when Ethics Enforcement Officer Thomas K. Jones told the panel that he was abandoning the investigation. It was the day after Attorney General Richard Blumenthal recommended withdrawing the investigation because his staff believes the Office of State Ethics (OSE) would lose a pending civil-rights case the diocese filed in U.S. District Court. "I wanted to let the board know that I've had the opportunity to review the letter of the attorney general that was issued yesterday," Jones said. "After review of this letter, it appears clear to me that the most appropriate action for the enforcement division to take right now is to withdraw the previous request for information that was delivered to the Bridgeport Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation and to close the present evaluation that was opened previously," Jones said. Reporters were allowed into a meeting room at OSE offices for Jones' comment, which preceded the adjournment of the special meeting. Carol Carson, executive director of the OSE, said Jones has the authority to end the evaluation of the diocese tactics on March 11, when buses were rented to bring parishioners to the Capitol to protest a bill that would have included more lay members on local parish corporations. She declined to make further comments, pending the federal litigation. In a statement issued late Wednesday afternoon, the diocese indicated that it may drop its lawsuit once it gets an official statement. "We are pleased to hear that the Office of State Ethics will abide by the Attorney General's opinion and drop its action against the Diocese of Bridgeport," the unsigned statement said. "This is welcome news, not only for the Diocese but for all citizens who cherish the fundamental rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. We look forward to receiving written confirmation from the Office of State Ethics. At that time we will make a decision on our lawsuit." Blumenthal, whose office is representing the OSE in the pending federal lawsuit, reacted favorably to Jones's action. "We are gratified that the Office of State Ethics made the right decision, respecting the constitutional concerns that we set forth in our opinion," Blumenthal said in a statement. "We look forward to working with the legislature and the Office of State Ethics in clarifying and revising the law." Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford, co-chairwoman of the Government Administration & Elections Committee, said after the OSE meeting that the Legislature will have to look closely at the issue when it meets in regular session next February. "People have to have the right to petition their government and lawfully gather to protest government action, but we also want to make sure there's transparency on who's influencing lawmakers, and that's why we have registration requirements," Slossberg said. At Issue: State ethics officials were probing whether the diocese's efforts to rally public support against proposed state legislation had constituted lobbying.
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