Connecticut
CT lawmakers warn about threats to democracy at shadow hearing
Now just six months before the midterm elections in November, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro said affordability and cost-of-living issues are still at the front of voters’ minds.
But the New Haven Democrat argued that the challenges to democracy that could threaten those elections should also be top of mind, whether it’s undermining the legitimacy of elections or intimidating local election workers.
“The cost of living crisis is the biggest problem on Americans’ minds today, and Congress should rightly be focused on how we’re trying to bring down those soaring costs of healthcare, of food, of housing, gas prices,” DeLauro said at a Monday forum. “But the survival of our democracy, our great American experiment in government of, by, and for the people, is also at stake.”
“Congress can and must focus on both — tackling the affordability crisis and securing the future of our democracy,” she added.
While Congress is on a week-long recess, the top Democrats who sit on three congressional committees held a meeting in New Haven on Monday known as a “shadow hearing,” which are convened by the minority party. They are largely symbolic but give Democrats a chance to steer the conversation and choose all of the witnesses that testified about voting in America and the way states conduct elections.
Instead of sitting in one of the many wood-paneled hearing room in the U.S. Capitol complex, they gathered at Gateway Community College in New Haven to hear from a panel of experts on elections that consisted of a current and former secretary of the state, a Yale Law School professor, a member of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Connecticut and two voting advocacy groups.
DeLauro helped convene the meeting alongside U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District, and U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., who serves as the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal election oversight.
They argued that Republicans’ legislative push to change voting and the recent Supreme Court ruling that dilutes part of the Voting Rights Act could lead to the disenfranchisement of voters, particularly voters of color, in the 2026 midterm elections and create barriers for local elections administrators.
One of the main concerns that came up throughout the hearing was cuts to funding that help states and localities with election security.
Lawmakers and the panelists pointed to President Donald Trump’s latest budget proposal that would make steep cuts to an election security program that’s part of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Himes, who serves as the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, noted the importance of securing elections from foreign interference and importance of such federal funding.
“This is not a new problem, and every American should be alert to signs of malign interference by our adversaries,” Himes said. “But rather than using the awesome capacity of our intelligence community to bolster election security infrastructure, the administration over the course of these last 16 months has consistently pivoted resources away from this cause, dismantling institutions that were specifically designed to combat efforts by our adversaries, foreign and domestic, to interfere in U.S. elections.”
During her testimony, Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said her office relied on CISA’s funding and other federal resources during the 2024 elections. She said the cybersecurity agency gave them regular security briefings on foreign interference, and CISA and the FBI provided de-escalation training for their workforce.
“This is not unique to Connecticut. This is the nation,” Thomas said. “Those services are now no longer in existence, or the funding has been cut so much that the election community is concerned about what 2026 looks like.”
As the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, DeLauro said she’d work on bringing those requests or changes to her fellow congressional appropriators when they negotiate federal funding for fiscal year 2027 in the coming months.
“We need funding to make sure that states can get messaging out to assure American voters that polls are safe and they can show up,” Thomas said. “Essentially we need funding. We don’t need more hoops.”
Monday’s hearing comes on the backdrop of Congress weighing Republican-led legislation that would have implement major changes to voting if enacted. But the bill is unlikely to become law and faces significant hurdles.
The SAVE America Act has been a top priority for Trump and congressional Republicans. But it has effectively stalled in the U.S. Senate since it doesn’t have the votes to clear the 60-vote threshold to bypass a filibuster — something Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has repeatedly cited amid Republican fury over it.
The bill would require documentation to prove people are U.S.-born citizens or naturalized citizens in order to register to vote. Proper ID would also be needed for those who are moving to a new address or switching party affiliation. Documentation to prove citizenship would include a birth certificate, a U.S. passport or a naturalization certificate. A driver’s license wouldn’t qualify.
Trump has also signed an executive order that would limit mail-in voting, which has become a popular form of voting that the president has also used in past elections. Connecticut was one of nearly two dozen states to sue over this order.
If enacted, the SAVE America Act would make major changes to how people vote in Connecticut. The state doesn’t require documentation to prove citizenship when registering to vote. Instead, they must attest that they are a citizen and sign a form. If they lie, they would face criminal prosecution.
Thomas previously warned against the SAVE America Act in late March alongside Gov. Ned Lamont and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz.
At the time, Connecticut Republicans pushed back, citing allegations of voter fraud in the state. Bridgeport has been the most noticeable case where people have been criminally charged with violating absentee ballot rules.
“The reason why this is happening is because of blue states like Connecticut that have refused to address real, live examples of election fraud,” state Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, said back in March. “The whole point of the SAVE America Act is to make elections honest.”
Trump reiterated his calls to get rid of the filibuster so the Senate can pass it. That would allow the upper chamber to pass it with a simple majority, and Republicans control 53 seats. Thune has also pushed back against this, saying he doesn’t have the votes among Republicans to ax the filibuster.
In a Truth Social post last week, Trump argued that failing to pass the SAVE America Act would lead to “the worst results for a political party in the HISTORY of the United States Senate,” in addition to a plea to “terminate” the filibuster.
As states like Connecticut continue to weigh their own changes, Ann Reed of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut said she hopes no-excuse absentee voting will get taken up in the final days of the General Assembly’s session, which ends on Wednesday.
And she said she’s worried about the misinformation around voting and the lack of trust among people just months out from a major election.
“This conversation is a national one, but the election battles are being fought in every state,” Reed said. “People are rightfully concerned about election security.”
CT Mirror reporter Andrew Brown contributed to this story.
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) — Hundreds of employees will be laid off from Stanley Black & Decker’s New Britain manufacturing plant on Monday.
The world’s largest tool company confirmed the closure of the New Britain plant in February with a wave of layoffs.
About 300 employees are expected to be laid off in five different waves. According to a company notice, the brunt of the layoffs is expected to occur between Monday and May 18. Approximately 287 employees are expected to have their positions terminated.
The plant on Stanley Drive produced “single-sided tape measures,” and Stanley Black & Decker said those aren’t in demand like they used to be.
Company officials said they’re supporting impacted employees by offering employment at other facilities, severance, and job placement support services.
The closure of the facility has sparked disappointment among state lawmakers, including State Rep. Dave DeFronzo (D-Conn.), New Britain Mayor Bobby Sanchez (D-Conn.) and former mayor Erin Stewart (R-Conn.).
Connecticut
Scammers use AI images of injured pets to target owners, Blumenthal warns Connecticut residents
In a new and rapidly expanding scam, swindlers are using images generated by artificial intelligence to tap the wallets of desperate and heartbroken owners of lost pets.
In a press conference on Friday, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, warned state residents about a fraud that is becoming “more and more rampant.”
Scammers manipulate photos of lost pets posted by owners on social media to make it appear the animal has been hurt, according to media reports from around the nation.
In Florida and Texas, for example, scammers have told owners of missing dogs that their pets were hit by cars, with an accompanying image of a dog that looks like theirs on a veterinarian’s operating table, WESH 2, a Hearst TV station affiliate in Florida, reported recently. The scammer then demands payment for the surgery.
An urgent demand for money is a red flag, Blumenthal said, along with the claim that a lost pet has been hurt and images of an injured pet. The Federal Trade Commission, as the nation’s consumer protection agency, should issue a formal warning about the scam, the senator said.
Numerous reports of lost pet scams have surfaced recently, Popular Science reported in March, describing a few common scenarios, including the one in which the owner is sent an image of what appears to be their injured pet at a veterinary hospital and another, in which the owner is sent images of what appears to be their pet at a shelter, about to be euthanized. But, the article states, these images are false.
Other types of lost pet scams involve an offer of fake pet-finding services, according to the Better Business Bureau.
“You may receive a message from someone on social media about drone technology and search parties that can help you find your pet,” the nonprofit consumer advocacy organization reported. “The person will ask you for payment up front and will likely ask you to send it through a peer-to-peer payment app. Before paying for services, always search for the business on BBB.org or check BBB Scam Tracker.”
All types of cyber-scams have been proliferating in the nation, according to the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report. Since the agency’s Internet Crime Complaint Center was launched about 25 years ago, complaints have surged, the FBI reported, with a current average of about 3,000 complaints each day.
In 2025, losses reported to the center continued to climb, surpassing $20 billion, the FBI reported. Investment-related fraud once again made up the largest part of the losses, followed by business email compromises and tech support scams, the agency reported.
Connecticut is taking a major step to prepare its workforce for the growing influence of artificial intelligence, as Charter Oak State College announces a significant expansion of its AI Academy.
Through this initiative, developed in partnership with the Business-Higher Education Forum and Axim Collaborative, Charter Oak learners, job seekers, educators, and employees of small and mid-sized businesses will gain new pathways to in-demand careers using the Open edX platform.
Charter Oak, which is part of the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) system, is the state’s only public online college.
At a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries ranging from healthcare to finance, the expansion reflects both urgency and opportunity. Employers are increasingly seeking workers who understand how to apply AI tools effectively, yet many job seekers and organizations lack access to affordable, relevant training. The AI Academy is intended to close that gap by aligning education directly with workforce needs.
This effort addresses a pressing economic challenge: ensuring that small and mid-sized businesses — which employ nearly half of Connecticut’s workforce — are not left behind as AI reshapes industries.
“Connecticut’s economic strength lies in its small and medium-sized businesses. The expansion of the AI Academy is a direct investment in those businesses, providing them with the high-level AI fluency typically reserved for large corporations. Furthermore, by bringing a tool-agnostic, mindset-first approach to our K-12 districts, we are helping educators move past the ‘hype’ and focus on the strategic deployment of AI. We aren’t just teaching people how to use AI; we are empowering Connecticut’s schools and businesses to lead with it,” said Dr. Dave Ferreira, Provost, Charter Oak State College.
The expanded AI Academy will offer stackable credentials over a three-year period, combining technical training with durable skills like communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and digital literacy. Learners will be able to progress at their own pace, building credentials that align with specific career pathways while remaining flexible enough to adapt to changing job market demands.
The program is designed with direct input from more than 100 leaders across business and higher education, including major employers in insurance, consulting, and technology. That collaboration ensures the curriculum reflects real-world needs, helping participants gain skills that are immediately applicable in the workplace.
A key component of the initiative is a new pathway for K-12 school districts. Rather than focusing on specific tools or platforms, the program emphasizes building an “AI mindset” — equipping educators and administrators with the knowledge to make informed, strategic decisions about how AI is used in classrooms and operations. This approach is intended to help school systems develop sustainable policies that can evolve alongside rapidly changing technology.
“The future of work demands a new kind of collaboration,” said Kristen Fox, CEO of the Business-Higher Education Forum. “When employers and institutions join forces to equip learners with AI skills and durable competencies, we create real pathways for people to unlock new opportunities, advance their careers, and thrive in an economy that is changing faster than any one sector can address alone. This is the model we need — and Connecticut is showing how it’s done.”
In addition to supporting businesses and schools, the initiative aims to expand access for individuals who have traditionally faced barriers to career advancement. By offering flexible online learning, the program is designed to reach underemployed workers, adult learners, and those seeking to transition into new fields.
The academy will begin with foundational AI coursework and expand into high-demand fields such as business, health technology, and cybersecurity — sectors where the need for skilled workers continues to grow. Over time, the program is expected to scale statewide before expanding nationally, with a goal of reaching 10,000 learners over the next five years.
“By partnering with employers to co-design AI-focused curricula, Charter Oak and BHEF are equipping learners with the skills and experiences they need to thrive in a changing economy while fueling regional economic development,” said Stephanie Khurana, CEO of Axim Collaborative.
The effort builds on Charter Oak’s existing CT AI Academy, launched in 2025, which has already served more than 3,500 residents with free AI training. That early success demonstrated strong demand for accessible AI education and helped lay the foundation for this expanded, more comprehensive model.
State higher education leaders say the initiative strengthens Connecticut’s long-term workforce pipeline while positioning the state as a model for others seeking to align education with economic development.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the workplace, Connecticut’s approach highlights how coordinated investment in education, business partnerships, and workforce development can help ensure that growth is both inclusive and sustainable — and that workers and employers alike are prepared for what comes next.
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