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	Lobbying Probe of Bridgeport Diocese Loses Momentum By Josh Kovner The Hartford Courant July 1, 2009 http://www.courant.com/community/bridgeport/hc-ethics-diocese-0701.artjul01,0,3095413.story State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has advised ethics officials to drop an investigation of whether a protest rally and other actions by the Diocese of Bridgeport constitutes lobbying, saying that the lobbying law is too broad and could violate freedom of religion in this instance. Blumenthal said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon that it's possible the church's activities fall under the lobby registration law — the diocese, for example, might have spent over the threshold of $2,000 booking buses to take parishioners to a rally at the Capitol in March to protest a bill that would have dramatically changed the way internal church affairs are governed. The bill was withdrawn. He also noted that in the past, church officials have registered as lobbyists in other circumstances. "The point is not whether the law applies," said Blumenthal, whose office was asked to defend the Office of State Ethics against a federal lawsuit by the diocese that seeks to block the investigation. "It's whether the enforcement and investigative activities would be stopped by the court, rightly, because they violated church-state separation and First Amendment rights." Blumenthal said he supports lobbyist registration laws but said the legislature needs to narrow and clarify the statute. Carol Carson, executive director of the Office of State Ethics, said the ethics advisory board will meet in closed session this afternoon to discuss the diocese's case. She said she would have no comment on Blumenthal's opinion until after that meeting. The Diocese of Bridgeport issued a statement applauding Blumenthal's position. It is "a truly significant announcement that stands not just with our state's Catholics but with all citizens of the state whose fundamental civil liberties were placed in jeopardy by the application ... of the lobbying registration requirements," said the Most Rev. William E. Lori, bishop of the Bridgeport diocese. "It is essential that citizens have the right to organize and communicate their views to their government without being required to register." Blumenthal said the ethics agency could proceed with its inquiry if it desired, but with his office declining representation, individual ethics agency personnel might not be protected against being sued in their personal capacity. The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut has taken a similar position, filing a brief in support of the Diocese of Bridgeport. Andrew Schneider, executive director of the local ACLU chapter, said that applying the lobbying law to public gatherings such as the church's rally "have the effect of chilling free speech." The diocese filed its lawsuit in May, seeking an injunction against the Office of State Ethics. At the March rally, more than 4,000 Catholics descended on the Capitol to protest Bill 1098, which proposed having lay councils of seven to 13 people oversee the finances of local parishes, relegating Catholic pastors and bishops to an advisory role. Church officials were strongly opposed to the bill. They organized the rally and, on their website, asked parishioners to contact their local legislators to protest the plan. About a month later, church officials received a letter from the ethics office saying they were the "subject of an ... evaluation" to determine whether the diocese had violated state statutes by failing to register as a lobbyist before the rally.
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