Sarah Roach
Connecticut Post
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Past articles by Sarah:
Blumenthal critical of Kavanaugh on executive power
WASHINGTON - Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump's Supreme Court pick, shouldn't become a justice unless he vows to recuse himself from U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Since Kavanaugh was nominated on July 9, Blumenthal - a Connecticut Democrat and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee - has been particularly critical of the nominee's… → Read More
Murphy highlights ‘sabotage’ plan to repeal Affordable Care Act
WASHINGTON - As far as Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., is concerned, Republicans are responsible for the country's deteriorating health care - not Obama's Affordable Care Act. Murphy joined the health care advocacy group Protect Our Care Wednesday morning to release the "Summer of Sabotage" one year after the Senate struck down an effort to repeal the Obama-era healthcare bill. While the health care… → Read More
GOP lawmakers accuse FBI agent of bias in Trump probe
Embattled FBI agent Peter Strzok said at a contentious House hearing that he kept his private opinions separate from his duties as chief agent in the Trump-Russia investigation, but GOP lawmakers insisted they "don't believe a word" of it. Strzok's anti-Trump text messages sparked Republican charges of bias in the ongoing investigation into Trump's 2016 campaign links to Russia. The explicit… → Read More
Confirmation opponents wary of Kavanaugh on health care
WASHINGTON - Connecticut's Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal are joining fellow Senate Democrats in focusing on Trump administration threats to the Affordable Care Act as a lead argument against confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. At a news conference Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol, Murphy said he "has no doubt" Kavanaugh will do his utmost to dismantle the Affordable Care… → Read More
Gun rights, control camps further polarized by Kavanaugh nomination
WASHINGTON - For gun-control activists, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said, President Trump's Supreme Court pick is their "worst nightmare." The Connecticut Democrat's remark wasn't isolated. After Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Monday to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy in the Supreme Court, gun-control groups quickly condemned the choice, while pro-gun organizations applauded the pick for… → Read More
Immigrant family reunification lags as deadline nears
WASHINGTON - With the clock ticking on a court-ordered deadline to reunite immigrant families, Connecticut lawmakers are accusing the federal government of deliberately slow-walking the process to cover up outright bungling. "Virtually no separated children have been reunified; no system, no plan, no path to assure reunification; no answers to key questions," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.,… → Read More
NSSF stand by foreign gun sale proposal
WASHINGTON - Overwhelming opposition toward a Trump-administration plan to relax foreign gun sales hasn't shaken any supporters of the proposal, including the Newtown-based National Shooting Sports Foundation. President Donald Trump proposed a rule in May that would shift oversight of foreign handgun and semi-automatic rifle sales from the State Department to the Commerce Department, sparking… → Read More
Colleges in state say Trump’s guideline shift won’t change them
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's new race-neutral stance on school admission carries little weight with Connecticut universities, many of whom say they remain intent on diversifying. The president rescinded Obama-era guidelines earlier this week that permitted university officials to consider race in their admissions decisions. Some officials and experts in Connecticut said the reversal is… → Read More
Public voices opposition to foreign gun sale proposal
WASHINGTON - A Trump-administration measure that would lift foreign gun sales - backed by the Newtown-based National Shooting Sports Foundation - has sparked a wave of opposition among gun-rights activists. The president's proposed rule, introduced in May, would shift oversight of foreign handgun and semi-automatic rifle sales from the State Department to the Commerce Department. But the rule… → Read More
DACA solution unaddressed nearly one year after program ended
WASHINGTON - The fate of young undocumented immigrants - or Dreamers -- has hung on a thread for nearly a year, but those fighting for their legal status still don't want immigration legislation to pass if Republicans are writing the bills. Since President Donald Trump ended the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program last year, Congress has tried and failed to pass several… → Read More
Detention centers “dehumanizing” along southern border
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is releasing a plan to gradually reconnect immigrant families, but Connecticut lawmakers want immediate reunification - a demand prompted by their trip to the southern border Saturday to visit children and parents separated from each other. Democratic Reps. Rosa DeLauro, Elizabeth Esty, Jim Himes and Joe Courtney initially headed to Texas to better… → Read More
Five Connecticut lawmakers head to southern border
WASHINGTON - Images and soundbites of screaming immigrant children housed in detention centers captured news headlines and spurred an outcry from churches and public officials, and now five Connecticut lawmakers will see the facilities themselves. Democratic Reps. Elizabeth Esty, Jim Himes, Rosa DeLauro and Joe Courtney will head to the southern border of Texas on Saturday to scope out the child… → Read More
Sandy Hook Promise celebrates ‘incredible progress’
WASHINGTON - In a ballroom filled with glitz and sparkling decor, members of Sandy Hook Promise came together Wednesday evening for one of their more poignant nights of the year. The organization hosted its fourth annual benefit gala at the Mellon Auditorium in Washington, alongside more than 200 sponsors and families affected by gun violence. Mark Barden, a co-founder of the organization who… → Read More
DeLauro: Immigration issue ‘not going away’
WASHINGTON - House Democrats and moderate Republicans may not be able to vote on immigration reform bills this month, but that doesn't mean they'll soften their stance on President Trump's get-tough border policies. Rep. Rosa DeLauro on Wednesday stood with 11 of her colleagues on Capitol Hill condemning Trump's "zero-tolerance policy," which subjects anyone illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexican… → Read More
Blumenthal takes ‘Emoluments’ case against Trump to court
WASHINGTON - After oral arguments before a federal judge here Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he "couldn't be more confident" that he would win a legal challenge to President Donald Trump's deals with foreign leaders. Blumenthal and other Democratic lawmakers are suing Trump for accepting gifts from foreign leaders before getting approval from Congress, which the senator argued… → Read More
Leadership Academy engages Latinos
WASHINGTON - Asked Wednesday for his top priority, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said it would be urging his fellow senators to mitigate gun violence - a sentiment his Connecticut constituents have echoed amid a wave of mass shootings, including the one at Sandy Hook Elementary School. But he told 16 graduates of the Connecticut Latino Leadership Academy on Wednesday that legislation won't move on… → Read More
Bridgeport girl’s perfect-spelling run ends at national bee
WASHINGTON - Two days into a national spelling bee competition, an 11-year-old Bridgeport native fell to the word "celtuce." Janelle Newell, a sixth-grader from the Multicultural Magnet School in Bridgeport, instead spelled the word c-e-l-t-i-s. She was one of three Connecticut contestants eliminated Wednesday from the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which brings more than 500 advanced young… → Read More
State spellers advance in National Spelling Bee
WASHINGTON - Five of the state's best young spellers have earned slots in the next round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, an annual competition that began Tuesday morning with more than 500 spelling whizzes from every state. Hailing from Bridgeport, Bethel, West Haven, Guilford and Rocky Hill, the five Connecticut contestants who moved on spelled their words correctly in an oral spelling… → Read More
Ex-Esty staffer says lauds anti-abuse bill
WASHINGTON - After a series allegations on Capitol Hill - including one complaint in Rep. Elizabeth Esty's office - the Senate has voted unanimously to change the rules about congressional staffer claims of sexual harassment, abuse and discrimination. For Anna Kain, the former Esty staffer abused by the representative's ex-chief of staff, the Senate bill that passed Thursday is "long past… → Read More
Bill to ensure water-supply safety advances
WASHINGTON - A key House committee on Thursday approved a water-resources bill that included amendments authored by Rep. Elizabeth Esty which are aimed at ameliorating pollution to Connecticut ground water caused by corroded pipes. The amendments to the Water Resources and Development Act are directed at the Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees numerous engineering projects that address flood… → Read More