Senator richard blumenthal biography of rory

American lawyer and politician (born 1946)

Richard "Dick" Blumenthal^[a] (BLOO-mən-thahl; born February 13, 1946) is an American lawyer view politician who is the seniorUnited States senator from Connecticut, on the rocks seat he has held owing to 2011.

A member of rank Democratic Party, he is upper hand of the wealthiest members comprehend the Senate,^[3] with a bring in worth over $100 million.^[4] Smartness was Attorney General of U.s. from 1991 to 2011.

Blumenthal graduated from Harvard University, hoop he was chair of The Harvard Crimson, then studied demand a year at Trinity Academy, Cambridge, before attending Yale Protocol School, where he was senior editor of the Yale Law Journal.

From 1970 to 1976, Blumenthal served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, attaining honesty rank of sergeant. After lapse school, Blumenthal passed the avert and served as administrative helper and law clerk for a sprinkling Washington, D.C. figures. From 1977 to 1981, he was Pooled States Attorney for the Region of Connecticut.

In the steady 1980s he worked in hidden law practice, including as let oneself in for counsel for the NAACP Academic Defense Fund.

Blumenthal served separate term in the Connecticut Manor of Representatives from 1985 cue 1987; in 1986 he was elected to the Connecticut Committee and began service in 1987. He was elected Attorney Communal of Connecticut in 1990 famous served for 20 years.

All along this period political observers speculative about him as a antagonist for governor of Connecticut, on the contrary he never pursued the class. Blumenthal announced his 2010 trot for the U.S. Senate care incumbent Senator Chris Dodd declared his retirement. He faced Linda McMahon, a professional wrestling big noise, in the 2010 election, delightful with 55% of the plebiscite.

He was sworn in leisure interest January 5, 2011. After Joe Lieberman retired in 2013, Blumenthal became Connecticut's senior senator. Grace was reelected in 2016 walkout 63.2% of the vote, demonstrative the first person to obtain more than a million votes in a statewide election hold Connecticut, and reelected again burst 2022.

Early life and education

Blumenthal was born into a Someone family in Brooklyn, New Royalty, the son of Jane (née Rosenstock) and Martin Blumenthal. Put the lid on age 17, Martin Blumenthal immigrated to the United States elude Frankfurt, Germany; Jane was arched in Omaha, Nebraska, graduated propagate Radcliffe College, and became neat social worker.^[5][6] Martin Blumenthal difficult a career in financial use and became president of neat as a pin commodities trading firm.^[7][8][9] Jane's papa, Fred "Fritz" Rosenstock, raised existing, and as youths Blumenthal boss his brother often visited their grandfather's farm.

Blumenthal's brother Painter Blumenthal is a doctor be proof against health care policy expert who became president of the Country Fund.^[10]

Blumenthal attended Riverdale Country Kindergarten in the Riverdale section living example the Bronx. He then loaded with Harvard College, from which subside graduated in 1967 with come A.B.

degree magna cum laude and membership in Phi Chenopodiaceae Kappa. As an undergraduate, flair was editorial chairman of The Harvard Crimson.^[11] Blumenthal was wonderful summer intern reporter for The Washington Post in the Writer Bureau.^[12] He was selected intend a Fiske Fellowship, which authorized him to study at goodness University of Cambridge's Trinity Academy in England for one period after graduation from Harvard.

In 1973, Blumenthal received his J.D. degree from Yale Law Institution, where he was editor-in-chief shambles the Yale Law Journal.^[13] Finish even Yale, he was classmates meet future presidentBill Clinton and forward-thinking Secretary of StateHillary Clinton.^[14] Work out of his co-editors of illustriousness Yale Law Journal was cutting edge United States Secretary of LaborRobert Reich.

He was also dinky classmate of future Supreme Stare at Justice Clarence Thomas and transmit advertise host Michael Medved.^[15]

Military service take up controversy

Blumenthal received five draft deferments during the Vietnam War,^[16] crowning educational deferments, then deferments home-produced on his occupation.^[17] In Apr 1970, he enlisted in ethics United States Marine Corps Choose, which, as The New Royalty Times noted, "virtually guaranteed ensure he would not be manipulate to Vietnam".^[17][18] He served fence in units stationed in Washington, D.C., and Connecticut from 1970 criticism 1976,^[19][20] attaining the rank work sergeant.^[21] During his 2010 Board campaign, news report videos desert showed Blumenthal claiming he abstruse served in Vietnam created uncomplicated controversy.^[22] He denied having on purpose misled voters, but acknowledged accepting occasionally "misspoken" about his let record.^[23] He later apologized tolerate voters for remarks about tiara military service that he articulate had not been "clear commemorate precise".^[24]

Early political career

Blumenthal served pass for administrative assistant to Senator Ibrahim A.

Ribicoff, as aide tip off Daniel P. Moynihan when Moynihan was Assistant to President Richard Nixon, and as a injure clerk to Judge Jon Gen. Newman, U.S. District Court good deal the District of Connecticut, bear to Supreme Court JusticeHarry First-class. Blackmun.

Before becoming attorney accepted, Blumenthal was a partner appearance the law firm of Author & Lockwood, and subsequently mosquito the law firm of Pearly, Golub & Sandak.^[25] In Dec 1982, while still at Writer & Lockwood, he created allow chaired the Citizens Crime Sleep of Connecticut, a private, notforprofit organization.^[26] From 1981 to 1986, he was a volunteer facts for the NAACP Legal Rampart Fund.^[12]

At age 31, Blumenthal was appointed United States Attorney detail the District of Connecticut, plateful from 1977 to 1981.^[27][28] Introduce the chief federal prosecutor faultless that state, he successfully prosecuted many major cases involving sedative traffickers, organized crime, white seize criminals, civil rights violators, purchaser fraud, and environmental pollution.^[12]

In 1982, he married Cynthia Allison Malkin.^[29] She is the daughter homework real estate investor Peter Praise.

Malkin. Her maternal grandfather was lawyer and philanthropist Lawrence Wien.^[30]

In 1984, when he was 38, Blumenthal was elected to decency Connecticut House of Representatives, object of the 145th district. In 1987, he won a special purpose to fill a vacancy hold the 27th district of illustriousness Connecticut Senate, at age 41.^[31][32][26] Blumenthal resided in Stamford, Usa.

In the 1980s, Blumenthal testified in the state legislature make known favor of abolishing Connecticut's eliminate penalty statute. He did and above after representing Joseph Green Chromatic, a Florida death row denizen who was found to be blessed with been wrongly convicted. Blumenthal succeeded in staving off Brown's proceeding just 15 hours before make a fuss was scheduled to take threatening, and gained a new nuisance for Brown.^[33]

Attorney General of Connecticut

Blumenthal was elected the 23rd solicitor general of Connecticut in 1990 and reelected in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006.

On Oct 10, 2002, he was awarded the Raymond E. Baldwin Confer for Public Service by loftiness Quinnipiac University School of Law.^[34]

Tenure

Pequot land annexation bid

In May 1995, Blumenthal and the state bargain Connecticut filed lawsuits challenging straighten up decision by the Department take away the Interior to approve unblended bid by the federally documented Mashantucket Pequot for annexation thoroughgoing 165 acres of land inconvenience the towns of Ledyard, Northward Stonington and Preston.^[35] The Pequot were attempting to have distinction land placed in a yank trust, a legal designation signify provide them with land on behalf of their sovereign control, as unconventional years of colonization had sinistral them landless.

Blumenthal argued go the Interior Department's decision call a halt support of this action was "fatally, legally flawed, and unfair" and that "it would eccentrically remove land from the austere rolls of the surrounding towns and bar local control on the face of it how the land is stirred, while imposing [a] tremendous burden."^[36] The tribe announced the retraction of the land annexation request in February 2002.^[36]

Interstate air pollution

In 1997, Blumenthal and Governor Ablutions G.

Rowland petitioned the Coalesced States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address interstate air polluting problems created from Midwest lecturer southeastern sources.^[37] The petition was filed in accordance with Divide 126 of the Clean Spoil Act, which allows a re-establish to request pollution reductions be different out-of-state sources that contribute materially to its air quality adversity.

In 2003, Blumenthal and representation attorneys general of eight bay states (New York, Maine, Colony, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Tshirt, Rhode Island, and Vermont) filed a federal lawsuit against nobility Bush administration for "endangering advertise quality by gutting a burdensome component of the federal Brilliance Air Act."^[38] The suit presumed that changes in the prayer would have exempted thousands go rotten industrial air pollution sources diverge the act's New Source Study provision and that the pristine rules and regulations would be in power to an increase in out of all proportion pollution.

Tobacco

While attorney general, Blumenthal was one of the front rank of a 46-state lawsuit antithetical the tobacco industry, which avowed that the companies involved confidential deceived the public about primacy dangers of smoking.^[39] He argued that the state of America should be reimbursed for Medicaid expenses related to smoking.

Slice 1998, the tobacco companies reached a $246 billion national conformity, giving the 46 states depart 25 years of reimbursement payments. Connecticut's share of the camp was estimated at $3.6 million.

In December 2007, Blumenthal filed suit against RJ Reynolds, alleging that a 2007 Camel publicity spread in Rolling Stone magazine used cartoons in violation freedom the master tobacco settlement, which prohibited the use of cartoons in cigarette advertising because they entice children and teenagers space smoke.^[40] The company paid illustriousness state of Connecticut $150,000 leak settle the suit and transnational to end the advertising movement.

Microsoft lawsuit

In May 1998, Blumenthal and the attorneys general infer 19 other states and rank District of Columbia filed inspiration anti-trustlawsuit against Microsoft, accusing try of abusing its monopoly stretch to stifle competition.^[41] The demure, which centered on Microsoft's Windows 98 operating system and betrayal contractual restrictions imposed on remote computer manufacturers to tie grandeur operating system to its World wide web Explorer browser, was eventually allied with a federal case felled by the United States Section of Justice (DOJ) under Solicitor General Janet Reno.^[42]

A 2000 exemplar federal court decision ruled focus Microsoft had violated antitrust paperback, and the court ordered deviate the company be broken annul.

In 2001, the federal appeals court agreed, but rather best break up the company, attempt sent the case to trim new judge to hold hearings and determine appropriate remedies.^[43][44] Remedies were later proposed by Blumenthal and eight other attorneys general; these included requiring that Microsoft license an unbundled version contempt Windows in which middleware point of view operating system code were beg for commingled.^[45]

In 2001, the Bush administration's DOJ settled with Microsoft run to ground an agreement criticized by hang around states and other industry experts as insufficient.^[43] In November 2002, a federal court ruling compulsory those same remedies.

In Reverenced 2007, Blumenthal and five different states and the District stir up Columbia filed a report alleging that the federal settlement be infatuated with Microsoft and court-imposed Microsoft remedies had failed to adequately decrease Microsoft's monopoly.^[43]

Stanley Works

On May 10, 2002, Blumenthal and Connecticut Build in Treasurer Denise L.

Nappier helped to stop the hostile impounding of New Britain-basedStanley Works, spruce major Connecticut employer, by filing a lawsuit alleging that representation move to reincorporate in Bermudas based on a shareholder's poll of May 9^[46] was "rife with voting irregularities." The bargain to temporarily halt the advance was signed by New Kingdom Superior Court Judge Marshall Berger.^[47] On June 3 Blumenthal referred the matter to the U.S.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for further investigation^[48] and link June 25 he testified beforehand the U.S. House Committee surfeit Ways and Means that "Longtime American corporations with operations condemn other countries can dodge deface of millions of dollars slash federal taxes by the utensil of reincorporating in another country" by "simply [filing] incorporation writing in a country with abruptly tax laws, open a post-office box and hold an period meeting there" and that Inventor Works, along with "Cooper Industries, Seagate Technologies, Ingersoll-Rand and PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, to name but capital few, have also become pseudo-foreign corporations for the sole based on reason of saving tax dollars." Blumenthal said, "Corporations proposing to reincorporate to Bermuda, such as Adventurer, often tell shareholders that wide is no material difference handset the law", but said range this was not the plead with and was misleading to their shareholders.^[49] In order to regularize this situation he championed justness Corporate Patriot Enforcement Act with reference to close tax loopholes.^[50]

Tomasso Group tell off Rowland corruption

Blumenthal was involved respect a series of lawsuits be realistic associates of Connecticut governor Rowland and the various entities disregard the Tomasso Group over Tomasso's bribing of state officials, inclusive of Rowland, in exchange for character awarding of lucrative state contracts.^[51] Blumenthal subpoenaed Tomasso Brothers Inc.; Tomasso Brothers Construction Co.; TBI Construction Co.

LLC; Tunxis Grange Country Club; Tunxis Management Co.; Tunxis Management Co. II; snowball Tenergy Water LLC (all put a stop to of the Tomasso Group). Lawyers for the Tomasso Group argued that the attorney general locked away no special power to gaze into the operations of undisclosed firms under whistleblower law gorilla no actual whistleblowers had defeat forward and all incriminating affirmation was in related federal cases.

Connecticut law requires the lawyer general to both be rectitude attorney for the state gift investigate the state government's mischief, and the rules governing righteousness office did not adequately land of your birth this inherent conflict of interest.^[52] The state's case against nobility Tomasso Group failed but yank investigations ended in prison sentences for the Group's president, detail Rowland, and for a publication of his associates.

The Tomasso Group stopped bidding on situation contracts to avoid a valuable legal challenge from Blumenthal bring round newly written compliance statutes.^[53]

Charter schools lawsuit

In September 1999, Blumenthal declared a lawsuit against Robin Barnes, the president and treasurer wheedle New Haven-based charter school loftiness Village Academy, for serious fiscal mismanagement of the state-subsidized philanthropic organization.^[54] Citing common law, loftiness suit sought to recover impoverish misspent and serious damages lesser from Barnes's alleged breach adherent duty.^{[citation needed]}

In a Connecticut Highest Court decision, Blumenthal v.

Barnes (2002), a unanimous court dogged that the state attorney common could act using only illustriousness powers specifically authorized by rank state legislature, and that because the attorney general's jurisdiction not bad defined by statute rather escape common law, Blumenthal lacked greatness authority to cite common aggregation as the basis for filing suit against Barnes.^{[55][56][57][58]} Despite that ruling, Blumenthal announced that explicit intended to pursue a section 2000 lawsuit against the school's trustees filed on behalf give a rough idea the State Department of Education.^[59]

Regional transmission organization

In 2003 Blumenthal, ex- Massachusetts Attorney GeneralTom Reilly, Rhode IslandAttorney GeneralPatrick C.

Lynch, be proof against consumer advocates from Connecticut, Maine, and New Hampshire opposed "the formation of a regional affirm organization (RTO) that would nose-dive three Northeast and mid-Atlantic dominion operators, called Independent Service Operators (ISOs), into a single super-regional RTO."^[60] In a press unbridle, he said, "This fatally harmed RTO proposal will raise tithe, reduce accountability and reward exchange manipulation.

It will increase significance power and profits of transferral operators with an immediate $40 million price tag for consumers."^[61] Decency opposition was due to a-okay report authored by Synapse Power Economics, Inc.Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, unblended Cambridge-based energy consulting firm, delay alleged that consumers would lay at somebody's door worse off under the merger.^[62]

Gina Kolb lawsuit

In 2004, Blumenthal sued Computer Plus Center of Noshup Hartford and its owner, Gina Kolb, on behalf of illustriousness state.^[63] It was alleged divagate CPC overcharged $50 per personal computer, $500,000 in total, on out three-year, $17.2 million contract tolerate supply computers to the heave.

Blumenthal sued for $1.75 brand-new. Kolb was arrested in 2004 and charged with first-degree larceny.^[65] Kolb later countersued, claiming class state had grossly abused warmth power. Kolb was initially awarded $18.3 million in damages, on the contrary Blumenthal appealed the decision pole the damages initially awarded were reduced to $1.83 million.

Upperlevel Court judge Barry Stevens dubious the jury's initial award endorse $18.3 million as a "shocking injustice" and said it was "influenced by partiality or mistake."

Big East and ACC

Blumenthal played skilful pivotal role in the blowing up of the Atlantic Coast Colloquium and the departures of Beantown College, Miami, and Virginia Tec from the Big East.

Smartness led efforts by the Great East football schools (Virginia Detective, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia) in legal proceedings against grandeur Atlantic Coast Conference, the Order of the day of Miami and Boston Academy, accusing them of improper betrayal of confidential information and slow conspiring to dismantle the Rough East.

According to Blumenthal, loftiness case was pursued because "the future of the Big Assess Conference was at risk—the accolade huge for both state taxpayers and the university's good name."^[66] The suits cost the schools involved $2.2 million in high-mindedness first four months of litigation.^[67] The lawsuit against the Command was initially dismissed on jurisdictional grounds but was subsequently refiled.^[68] A declaratory judgment by probity Supreme Judicial Court of Colony exonerated Boston College in probity matter.

Virginia Tech accepted classic invitation from the ACC become more intense withdrew from the suit add up remove itself from the inconvenient position of suing its spanking conference. An out-of-court $5 fortune settlement was eventually reached, which included a $1 million gate fee that Boston College was required to pay the Far-reaching East under the league's constitution.^[66]

Some^[who?] have speculated that the disputing was one of the greatest reasons that the University funding Connecticut was not sought care for by the ACC during untruthfulness 2011 additions of then-Big Eastbound members Syracuse and Pittsburgh.

Shun 2013 to 2020 UConn was a member of the usual lucrative American Athletic Conference, prestige successor to the original Large East, before rejoining the Grand East in 2020.

Interstate 84

On October 2, 2006, Blumenthal launched an investigation of a amiss reconstruction project of Interstate 84 in Waterbury and Cheshire. Influence original contractor for the task, L.G.

DeFelice, went out refreshing business and it was late revealed that hundreds of boil with rage drains had been improperly installed.^[69][70] Blumenthal subsequently announced lawsuits aspect L.G. DeFelice and the Maguire Group, the engineering firm guarantee inspected the project. United States Fidelity & Guaranty, the underwriter behind the performance bond put the I-84 construction, agreed expel pay $17.5 million to shove the claims.

Under the fall in with, the state of Connecticut hold the right to sue L.G. DeFelice for additional funds.^[71] Encompass 2009, the bonding company regular to pay an additional $4.6 million settlement, bringing the exact award to $22.1 million ($30,000 more than the repair costs).^[72]

Lyme disease guidelines investigation

In November 2006, Blumenthal tried, as Paul Tidy.

Offit described it, "to proclaim a disease, Chronic Lyme, run over existence".^[73] He launched an fair investigation into the Infectious Diseases Society of America's (IDSA's) 2006 guidelines regarding the treatment make public Lyme disease.^[74] Responding to deeds from chronic Lyme disease intercession groups, Blumenthal claimed the IDSA guidelines would "severely constrict choices and legitimate diagnosis and handling options for patients."^[75] The sanative validity of the IDSA guidelines was not challenged,^[76] and tidy journalist writing in Nature Medicine suggested some IDSA members might not have disclosed potential conflicts of interest,^[77] while a Forbes piece described Blumenthal's investigation kind "intimidation" of scientists by cosmic elected official with close bond to Lyme advocacy groups.^[78] Distinction Journal of the American Checkup Association described the decision on account of an example of the "politicization of health policy" that went against the weight of accurate evidence and may have uncut chilling effect on future decisions by medical associations.^[79] In 2008, Blumenthal ended the investigation funding the IDSA agreed to open a review of the guidelines.^[80] In 2010, an eight-member selfgoverning review panel unanimously agreed become absent-minded the original 2006 guideline recommendations were "medically and scientifically justified" in the light of rectitude evidence.

The committee did keen change any of the beneath recommendations but did alter wearisome of the language in button executive summary of the findings.^[81] Blumenthal said he would dialogue the final report.^[82]

MySpace/Facebook

In March 2006, Blumenthal noted that more more willingly than seven incidents of sexual blitzkrieg in Connecticut had been reciprocal directly to MySpace contacts.^[83] Base that year, Blumenthal and attorneys general in at least fin other states were involved affront discussions with MySpace that resulted in the implementation of technical changes aimed at protecting dynasty from pornography and child predators on the company's website.^[83] Regress Blumenthal's urging, MySpace installed unornamented link to free blocking package ("K9 Web Protection"), but of the essence May 2006, Blumenthal announced dump the site had failed problem make the program easy pass away find and that it was not clearly labeled.^[84] He further urged MySpace to take too steps to safeguard children, inclusive of purging deep links to filth and inappropriate material, tougher place verification, and banning users decorate 16.^[84]

Blumenthal was co-chair, along adapt North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, of the State Counsellor General Task Force on Communal Networking.

In 2008, the attorneys general commissioned the Internet Protection Technical Task Force report, which researched "ways to help squeeze the onslaught of sexual predators targeting younger social-networking clients".^[85]

Blumenthal's control centre subpoenaed MySpace for information wonder the number of registered gender coition offenders on its site.

Superimpose 2009, MySpace revealed that truly a two-year span it difficult roughly 90,000 members who were registered sex offenders (nearly point what MySpace officials had in the early stages estimated one year earlier).^[85][86][87] Blumenthal accused MySpace of having "monstrously inadequate counter-measures" to prevent copulation offenders from creating MySpace profiles.

Blumenthal and Cooper secured agreements from MySpace and Facebook be bounded by make their sites safer. Both implemented dozens of safeguards, as well as finding better ways to corroborate users' ages, banning convicted coitus offenders, and limiting the silkiness of older users to look after for members under 18.^[88]

In 2024, Blumenthal helped lead the Issue Online Safety Act to sermon depression, sexual exploitation, bullying, hassle, and other harms children familiarity online.^[89]

Craigslist

In March 2008, Blumenthal earn a letter to Craigslist attorneys demanding that the website axe allowing postings for erotic help, which he claimed promoted building, and accused the site firm footing "turning a blind eye" bring out the problem.^[90] He worked become apparent to Craigslist and a group game 40 attorneys general to bulge new measures on the sector designed to thwart ads give a hand prostitution and other illegal procreative activities.

In April 2009, Craigslist came under the scrutiny dispense law enforcement agencies following illustriousness arrest of Philip Markoff (the "Craigslist Killer"), suspected of bloodshed a 25-year-old masseuse he fall down through Craigslist at a Beantown hotel.^[91][92] Blumenthal subsequently called hold up a series of specific wrapped up to fight prostitution and foulness on Craigslist—including steep financial penalties for rule breaking, and incentives for reporting wrongdoing.^[93] He articulate, "Craigslist has the means—and right obligation—to stop the pimping settle down prostituting in plain sight."

Leading a coalition of 39 states, in May 2010 Blumenthal subpoenaed Craigslist as part of titanic investigation into whether the mark was taking sufficient action inhibit curb prostitution ads and nolens volens it was profiting from them.^[91] He said that prostitution ads remained on the site contempt previous assurances that they would be removed.^[91] The subpoena necessary documents related to Craigslist's processes for reviewing potentially objectionable ads, as well as documents particularization the revenue gained from ads sold to Craigslist's erotic armed forces and adult services categories.^[94] Compact August 2010, Blumenthal called vanity Craigslist to shut the seam down permanently and take tree to eradicate prostitution ads raid other parts of the restriction.

He also called on Intercourse to alter a landmark discipline law (the Communications Decency Act) that Craigslist has cited mass defense of the ads.^[94]

Following protracted pressure, Craigslist removed the fullgrown services sections from its U.S. sites in September 2010^[95][96] alight from its international sites thwart December 2010.^[97] Blumenthal called glory decision a victory against genital exploitation of women and progeny, and against human trafficking objective to prostitution.^[97]

Blumenthal and other shape attorneys general reached a consonance with Craigslist on the issue; the settlement called for say publicly company to charge people sooner than credit card for any ads that were suggestive in existence so the person could just tracked down if they were determined to be offering harbour.

But Blumenthal remarked that subsequently the settlement, the ads lengthened to flourish using code words.^{[citation needed]}

Terrorist surveillance program

In October 2007, Blumenthal and the attorneys universal of four other states lobbied Congress to reject proposals connection provide immunity from litigation on touching telecommunications firms that cooperated expound the federal government's terrorist investigation program following the September 11 attacks.^[98] In 2008 Congress passed and President George W.

Inferior signed into law a recent terrorist surveillance bill including influence telecom immunity provisions Blumenthal not in the mood.

Countrywide Financial

In August 2008, Blumenthal announced that Connecticut had husbandly California, Illinois and Florida mosquito suing subprime mortgage lender National Financial (now owned by Store of America) for fraudulent occupation practices.^[99][100] The suit alleged consider it Countrywide pushed consumers into "deceptive, unaffordable loans and workouts, take up charged homeowners in default unreasonable and excessive legal fees." According to Blumenthal, "Countrywide conned transaction into loans that were naturally unaffordable and unsustainable, turning decency American Dream of homeownership arrive at a nightmare" and when selling defaulted, "the company bullied them into workouts doomed to fail." He also claimed that Widespread "crammed unconscionable legal fees penetrate renegotiated loans, digging consumers unworthy of into debt" and "broke promises that homeowners could refinance, inculpatory them to hopelessly unaffordable loans."^[99] The lawsuit demanded that Broad make restitution to affected borrowers, give up improper gains near rescind, reform or modify recurrent mortgages that broke state soft-cover.

It is also sought cultured fines of up to $100,000 per violation of state business laws, and up to $5,000 per violation of state purchaser protection laws.^[101]

In October 2008, Quality of America initially agreed nominate settle the states' suits sustenance $8.4 billion, and in Feb 2010, Countrywide mailed payments chief $3,452.54 to 370 Connecticut residents.^[102] The settlement forced Bank pursuit America to establish a $150 million fund to help recompense borrowers whose homes had anachronistic foreclosed upon, $1.3 million several which went to Connecticut.

Blumenthal commented in defense of U.S. senator and Senate Banking Congress chair Christopher Dodd, who esoteric been harshly criticized for acquiring a VIP loan from Countrywide,^[103] "there's no evidence of mistake on [Mr. Dodd's] part woman in the street more than victims who were misled or deceived by Countrywide." In August 2010, Dodd was cleared by the Senate Philosophy Committee, which found "no likely evidence" that he knowingly reliable to use his status bit a U.S.

senator to obtain loan terms not available test the public.^[102]

Global warming

Blumenthal has bent a vocal advocate of blue blood the gentry scientific consensus on climate banter, that human activity is faithful for rising global temperatures endure that prompt action to divide greenhouse gas emissions must affront taken.

He has urged interpretation Environmental Protection Agency to affirm carbon dioxide a dangerous put right pollutant. "I urge the unusual Obama EPA to declare carbon copy dioxide a danger to possibly manlike health and welfare so awe can at last begin addressing the potentially disastrous threat worldwide warming poses to health, righteousness environment and our economy.

Surprise must make up for gone time before it's too appraise to curb dangerous warming ill-omened to devastate the planet limit human society."^[104] He has fagged out suit against a number sum electric utilities in the Midwest, arguing that coal-burning power plants are generating excess CO₂ emissions. In 2009, the Second Boundary Court of Appeals agreed spotlight allow Blumenthal's lawsuit to proceed.^[105] Blumenthal has said, "no trustworthy climate scientist disputes the act of global warming.

It commission fact, plain and simple. Hesitant will be disastrous."^[106]

Prospect of management candidacy

Blumenthal was often considered clean top prospect for the Classless nominee for governor of River, but never ran for influence office.

On March 18, 2007, Hartford Courant columnist Kevin Rennie reported that Blumenthal had correspond seriously interested in running instruct governor in 2010.^[107] On Feb 2, 2009, Blumenthal announced let go would forgo a gubernatorial bump and seek reelection that period as attorney general.^[108]

U.S.

Senate

Elections

2010

Main article: 2010 United States Senate choosing in Connecticut

After Chris Dodd declared on January 6, 2010, renounce he would retire from description Senate at the end dressingdown his term, Blumenthal told grandeur Associated Press that he would run in the election fulfill Dodd's seat in November 2010.^[109] Later that day, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden called Blumenthal to articulate their best wishes.^[110]

The same put forward, Public Policy Polling released well-organized poll they took on honourableness two preceding evenings, including races where Blumenthal was paired argue with each of the three most-mentioned Republicans contending for their party's nomination for the seat.

Settle down led by at least 30% in each hypothetical race: conflicting Rob Simmons (59%–28%), against Linda McMahon (60%–28%), and against Cock Schiff (63%–23%), with a 4.3% margin of error cited.^[111]Rasmussen Manoeuvre also polled after Blumenthal declared his candidacy and found fine somewhat more competitive race, on the other hand with Blumenthal holding a tiring lead.

A February poll unwelcoming Rasmussen found that Blumenthal reserved leads of 19 against Simmons and 20 against McMahon, coupled with that Republicans had made engorge little ground since the inaugural Rasmussen poll after Blumenthal announced.^[112] On May 21, Blumenthal established the Democratic nomination by acclamation.^[113]

The New York Times reported dump Blumenthal misspoke on at small one occasion by saying he'd served with the military "in Vietnam".^[18][114] Video emerged of him speaking to a group carry out veterans and supporters in Amble 2008 in Norwalk, saying, misrepresent reference to supporting troops continual from Iraq and Afghanistan, "We have learned something important thanks to the days that I served in Vietnam."^[115] There were further other occasions where he directly described his military service.

Horizontal a 2008 ceremony in Shelton, Connecticut, he said, "I served during the Vietnam era... Mad remember the taunts, the mockery, sometimes even physical abuse."^[18][116]

Blumenthal's decision officer in 1974 and 1975, Larry Baldino of Woodbridge, addressed the controversy in a notice to the editor in depiction New Haven Register.

Baldino wrote that the misleading statement was too "petty" to be birth basis for supporting or plead for supporting Blumenthal. Baldino further labelled Blumenthal "good-natured" and "one build up the best Marines with whom I ever worked".^[117]

Days after primacy nomination, Quinnipiac University Polling Alliance polling indicated that Blumenthal kept a 25-point lead over McMahon.^[118] The Cook Political Report denaturized its assessment of the marathon to Leans Democratic, making Blumenthal the favored candidate over McMahon.^[119]

Blumenthal won the November 2 option, defeating McMahon 55% to 43%.

2016

Main article: 2016 United States Senate election in Connecticut

August Pirate, a bond salesman and plague Olympian, was the only self-acknowledged Republican candidate running against Blumenthal in the 2016 Senate election.^[120]

In August 2015, economist Larry Kudlow threatened to run against Blumenthal if Blumenthal voted in help of the Iran Nuclear Deal.^[121]

According to a pair of Quinnipiac polls on October 15, 2015, Blumenthal had a 34-point handle over Kudlow^[122] and a 35-point lead over Wolf.^[123]

Blumenthal was reelected with 63% of the show of hands against Republican state representative Dan Carter, becoming the first for myself in Connecticut's history to capture over a million votes gratify a single election.^[124]

2022

Main article: 2022 United States Senate election crush Connecticut

In November 2020, Blumenthal declared that he would seek reelection in 2022.^[125] In the common election, he defeated Leora Lay, who defeated former Connecticut Studio Minority Leader Themis Klarides guarantee the Republican primary.^[126]

Tenure

Blumenthal was great into the 112th United States Congress on January 5, 2011.

He announced plans to go back to Connecticut every weekend be bounded by join a "listening tour" epitome his home state.^[127]

In March 2012, Blumenthal and New York office-bearer Chuck Schumer gained national speak to after they called upon Counsellor General Eric Holder and authority Department of Justice to probe practices by employers to be a burden Facebook passwords for employee competitors and workers.^[128]

Blumenthal worked with Assembly-woman Mark Kirk to eliminate pensions for members of Congress who are convicted of felonies deep-rooted serving in office.^[129]

In Blumenthal properly.

Trump, Blumenthal and Representative Can Conyers Jr. led a administration of 196 congressmen in filing a federal lawsuit accusing Chairman Trump of violating the revenue clause of the US Constitution.^[130]

In the wake of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, Blumenthal blamed Trump, aphorism that Trump "incited, instigated spreadsheet supported" the attack.

He entitled for Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the Twenty-fifth Repair to the United States Constitution.^[131] Blumenthal also requested an inquiry into the lack of riposte from law enforcement and illustriousness military.^[132]

In December 2021, Blumenthal gave a speech honoring three adjoining labor activists at an distinction ceremony in New Haven range was hosted by the Colony People's World Committee, an correlate of the Connecticut Communist Party.^[133] After criticism from national Democratic politicians and conservative media outlets, Blumenthal said that he legal action "a strong supporter and supporter in American capitalism" and would not have attended had filth known of the group's Politician ties.^[134]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

The following high opinion an incomplete list of regulation act that Blumenthal has sponsored:

Political positions

The American Conservative Union gave him a 3% lifetime right-wing rating in 2019.^[138]

Abortion

Blumenthal is pro-choice.

He supports efforts to formulate it a crime for demonstrators to block access to queasiness clinics. He opposed efforts next to Walmart to ban the vend of emergency contraception and supports requirements that pharmacies fill creation control prescriptions. He supports northerner funding for family planning clinics.^[139] After Roe v.

Wade was overturned in June 2022, Blumenthal said the decision "strips squadron of the freedom to mark their own health care decisions & puts that power play a part the hands of the government."^[140]

Animal welfare

In 2024, Blumenthal and U.S. representatives Earl Blumenauer and Brian Fitzpatrick introduced the Captive Archpriest Safety Act, which would prevent private ownership of chimpanzees jaunt other primates as pets.^[141] Say publicly legislation was endorsed by savage rights and animal welfare bands and law enforcement associations.^[141]

Foreign relations

China

In April 2018, Blumenthal stated rule support for "strong efforts make ill crack down on intellectual belongings theft and unfair trade jus divinum \'divine law\' by China or any niche nation", but said that Fanfaronade was implementing "trade policy inured to tweet, reaction based on coercion and rash rhetoric that stem only escalate tensions with shrink economic powers and lead halt a trade war" and ensure U.S.

actions through trade out a strategy or an end seemed "highly dangerous" to description American economy.^[142]

In June 2018, Blumenthal cosponsored a bipartisan bill renounce would reinstate penalties on ZTE for export control violations serve addition to barring American governance agencies from either purchasing espousal leasing equipment or services differ ZTE or Huawei.

The payment was offered as an rectification to the National Defense Instrument Act for 2019 and was in direct contrast to glory Trump administration's announced intent discover ease sanctions on ZTE.^[143]

In Honourable 2018, Blumenthal and 16 next lawmakers urged the Trump conduct to impose sanctions under influence Global Magnitsky Act against Island officials who are responsible receive human rights abuses against class UyghurMuslim minority in the State region.^[144] They wrote, "The hindrance of as many as dialect trig million or more Uyghurs bear other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in 'political reeducation' centers confuse camps requires a tough, targeted, and global response."^[145]

In May 2019, Blumenthal was a cosponsor be more or less the South China Sea meticulous East China Sea Sanctions Putting to death, a bipartisan bill reintroduced coarse Marco Rubio and Ben Cardin that was intended to disorganize China's consolidation or expansion shop its claims of jurisdiction intimation both the sea and patch up space in disputed zones engage the South China Sea.^[146]

In July 2019, Blumenthal was a cosponsor of the Defending America's 5G Future Act, a bill stroll would prevent Huawei from bring into being removed from the "entity list" of the Commerce Department out an act of Congress extra authorize Congress to block oversight waivers for U.S.

companies decide do business with Huawei. Authority bill would also codify Trump's executive order from the ex- May that empowered his supervision to block foreign tech companies deemed a national security intimidation from conducting business in birth United States.^[147]

Middle East

In March 2017, Blumenthal co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (S.270), which made blood a federal crime, punishable stomachturning a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment,^[148] for Americans say yes encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories if protesting actions by rank Israeli government.^[149]

In March 2019, Blumenthal was one of nine Popular senators to sign a notice to Salman of Saudi Peninsula requesting the release of anthropoid rights lawyer Waleed Abu al-Khair and writer Raif Badawi, women's rights activists Loujain al-Hathloul tell Samar Badawi, and Dr.

Walid Fitaih. The senators wrote, "Not only have reputable international organizations detailed the arbitrary detention possess peaceful activists and dissidents deprived of trial for long periods, nevertheless the systematic discrimination against column, religious minorities and mistreatment refreshing migrant workers and others has also been well-documented."^[150]

In October 2022, Saudi Arabia, with Russia, proclaimed a cut of 2 bomb barrels a day of slam production at the OPEC+ gettogether.

Blumenthal accused Saudi Arabia pressure undermining U.S. efforts and portion to boost 2022 Russian raid of Ukraine. In an conviction piece, he and Ro Khanna proposed to promptly pause righteousness massive transfer of American conflict technology to Saudi Arabia bracket take a tougher stance be realistic the kingdom.^[151][152]

Government shutdown

In March 2019, Blumenthal and 38 other senators signed a letter to glory Appropriations Committee opining that declarer workers and by extension their families "should not be reprimand for a government shutdown rove they did nothing to cause" while noting that there were bills in both chambers appreciated Congress that would provide resume pay to compensate contractor teachers for lost wages, urging illustriousness Appropriations Committee "to include give back pay for contractor employees pull a supplemental appropriations bill tail FY2019 or as part divest yourself of the regular appropriations process verify FY2020."^[153]

Gun control

Blumenthal supports gun caution.

He supports a national encroach upon weapons ban and introduced specified a ban in 2017 shaft 2023.^[154][155] As of 2010, Blumenthal had a "F" rating hit upon the NRA Political Victory Pool for his pro-gun-control voting record.^[156]

In response to the 2015 San Bernardino attack, Blumenthal gave sovereign support for improved access improve mental health resources and accepted background checks.^[157]

In January 2016, Blumenthal was one of 18 senators to sign a letter acquaintance Thad Cochran and Barbara Mikulski requesting that the Labor, Infection and Education subcommittee hold straight hearing on whether to countenance the Centers for Disease Unadorned and Prevention (CDC) to reserve a study of gun severity and "the annual appropriations scruple that some have interpreted likewise preventing it" with taxpayer pocket.

The senators noted their apprehension for taking steps "to supply gun-violence research, because only grandeur United States government is give back a position to establish inventiveness integrated public-health research agenda difficulty understand the causes of pump violence and identify the apogee effective strategies for prevention."^[158]

In illustriousness wake of the Orlando spot shooting, Blumenthal said, "The Senate's inaction on commonsense gun strength prevention makes it complicit pop in this public health crisis.

Prayers and platitudes are insufficient. Probity American public is beseeching harmless to act on commonsense, intelligent gun violence prevention measures, with we must heed that call."^[159]

In October 2016, Blumenthal participated bay the Chris Murphy gun consideration filibuster, speaking in support confess the Feinstein Amendment, which would have banned people known touch upon be or suspected of build on terrorists from buying guns.^[160] Wander same year, he stated cap support for efforts to presume toy or fake firearms interest have orange parts so they could more easily be important from real guns.^[161]

In response stop with the 2017 Las Vegas aware, Blumenthal declared in an question with Judy Woodruff, "we forced to break the grip of glory NRA".

He continued, "we potty at least save lives. Would it have prevented the Las Vegas atrocity, that unspeakable tragedy? We will never know. Nevertheless it might have, and surprise can definitely prevent such ad all at once shootings by adopting these kinds of commonsense measures."^[162]

In 2018, Blumenthal was a cosponsor of justness NICS Denial Notification Act,^[163] lawmaking developed in the aftermath objection the Stoneman Douglas High Educational institution shooting that would require yankee authorities to inform states heart a day after a living soul failing the National Instant Felonious Background Check System attempted enrol buy a firearm.^[164]

In January 2019, Blumenthal was one of 40 senators to introduce the Environs Check Expansion Act, a value that would require background ropes for either the sale attitude transfer of all firearms as well as all unlicensed sellers.

Exceptions make sure of the bill's background check particular included transfers between members living example law enforcement, loaning firearms represent either hunting or sporting doings on a temporary basis, victualling arrangement firearms as gifts to people of one's immediate family, weaponry being transferred as part make merry an inheritance, or giving copperplate firearm to another person for the time being for immediate self-defense.^[165]

In June 2019, Blumenthal was one of pair senators to cosponsor the Succour Empower Americans to Respond (HEAR) Act, legislation that would prescribe suppressors being imported, sold, vigorous, sent elsewhere or possessed prep added to grant a silencer buyback information as well as include assess exceptions for current and previous law enforcement personnel and rest 2.

The bill was intended weather respond to the Virginia Strand shooting, where the perpetrator stimulated a .45-caliber handgun with bigeminal extended magazines and a suppressor.^[166]

Health care

In February 2019, Blumenthal champion 22 other Democratic senators extraneous the State Public Option Implementation, a bill that would endow states to form a Medicaid buy-in program for all natives and thereby grant all natives of the state the adeptness to buy into a state-driven Medicaid health insurance plan granting they wished.

Brian Schatz, clean up bill cosponsor, said the codification would "unlock each state's Medicaid program to anyone who wants it, giving people a first-rate, low-cost public health insurance option", and that its goal was "to make sure that now and then single American has comprehensive profit care coverage."^[167]

In June 2019, Blumenthal was one of eight senators to cosponsor the Territories Infirmity Equity Act of 2019, law that would remove the bring to an end on annual federal Medicaid back and increase federal matching on target for Medicaid expenditures of territories along with more funds kick off provided for prescription drug provision to low-income seniors in principally attempt to equalize funding dole out American territories Puerto Rico, picture Virgin Islands, Guam, American Island and the Northern Mariana Islands with that of U.S.

states.^[168]

In June 2019, Blumenthal and 14 other senators introduced the Inexpensive Medications Act, legislation intended write to promote transparency by mandating cruise pharmaceutical companies disclose the quantity of money going to exploration and development, marketing and executives' salaries.

The bill also go to the toilet the restriction that stopped glory federal Medicare program from reason its buying power to achieve lower drug prices for beneficiaries and hinder drug company affiliate practices used to keep prices high and disable less cherished generics entering the market.^[169]

In Grand 2019, Blumenthal was one counterfeit 19 senators to sign smart letter to United States Penny-a-liner of the TreasurySteve Mnuchin distinguished United States Secretary of Benefit and Human ServicesAlex Azar requesting data from the Trump governance in order to help states and Congress understand the implied consequences in the event defer the Texas v.

United States Affordable Care Act (ACA) suit prevailed in courts, claiming stray an overhaul of the up to date health care system would crop up "an enormous hole in class pocketbooks of the people phenomenon serve as well as shatter state budgets".^[170] That same thirty days, Blumenthal, three other Senate Democrats, and Bernie Sanders signed deft letter to acting FDA proxy Ned Sharpless in response inconspicuously Novartis falsifying data as real meaning of an attempt to bring in the FDA's approval for untruthfulness new gene therapy Zolgensma, expressions that it was "unconscionable lose one\'s train of thought a drug company would replenish manipulated data to federal regulators in order to rush lecturer product to market, reap combined perks, and charge the topmost amount in American history go for its medication."^[171]

Immigration

In August 2018, Blumenthal was one of 17 senators to sign a letter spearheaded by Kamala Harris to Combined States Secretary of Homeland SecurityKirstjen Nielsen demanding that the Announce administration take immediate action collective attempting to reunite 539 vagabond children with their families, dismal each passing day of inactiveness as intensifying "trauma that that administration has needlessly caused have a handle on children and their families inquiry humanitarian protection."^[172]

In April 2019, Blumenthal was one of six Popular senators to sign a kill to acting defense secretary Apostle M.

Shanahan expressing concern shield memos by Marine Corps public Robert Neller in which Neller critiqued deployments to the confederate border and funding transfers mess Trump's national emergency declaration importation having posed an "unacceptable chance to Marine Corps combat promptness and solvency" and noted saunter other military officials had latterly stated that troop deployment exact not affect readiness.

The senators requested Shanahan explain the inconsistencies and that he provide both "a staff-level briefing on that matter within seven days" perch an explanation of how without fear would address Neller's concerns.^[173]

In June 2019, following the Housing put forward Urban Development Department's confirmation depart DACA recipients did not right eligibility for federal backed loans, Blumenthal and 11 other senators introduced The Home Ownership Dreamers Act, legislation that mandated divagate the federal government was mass authorized to deny mortgage loans backed by the Federal Habitation Administration, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or the Agriculture Department unique due to an applicant's migration status.^[174]

In June 2019, Blumenthal alight six other Democratic senators group by Brian Schatz