Year in Review: 2006 (part one)

This was a hectic, wild and unpredictable year in many ways. Much of the excitement this year centered around Ned Lamont's insurgent campaign against Sen. Joe Lieberman, but there were a lot of other stories that made living in Connecticut interesting. This is a very basic chronology of some of the major stories in Connecticut during 2006.

If you're looking for a more complete timeline of the Lieberman-Lamont primary, check here.

I'll provide links to CTLP stories about these topics, as newspaper stories disappear from the web quickly. As you have no doubt noticed, most CTLP posts cite sources, making it easy for the researcher to find the news articles we originally linked to.

January

1/6 - News of Ned Lamont's possible candidacy leaks out. The media starts getting very excited.

1/11 - Lieberman first suggests he will run as an independent should he lose a primary.

1/23 - Dan Malloy capitalizes on discontent with John DeStefano in New Haven.


February

2/2 - Ernest Newton gets five years for accepting a bribe and other charges. An immediate comparison between Newton's five years and John Rowland's one is drawn.

2/6 - It was learned that Lisa Moody wouldn't be charged with any crimes for her role in a campaign finance scandal. Moodygate itself dragged on for months after--and still continues.

2/8 - Gov. Rell delivers the State of the State speech, and proposes eliminating the property tax on cars.

2/10 - Rowland goes free.

2/17 - Several polls show Joe Lieberman with a huge lead over Ned Lamont among Democrats. That would change.

2/21 - Paul Vance of Waterbury withdraws from the 5th District congressional race, clearing the field for Chris Murphy.

2/28 - Chris Shays lets slip that the GOP is considering endorsing Lieberman. Republicans deny it, but a massive storm is kicked up.

March

3/2 - Minority Leader Robert Ward announces his retirement after long service in the legislature. He will later be reincarnated as head of the DMV.

3/8 - The elections enforcement commission fines sixteen commissioners for their role in the Marco Polo fundraising scandal. Lisa Moody is not fined.

3/13 - Ned Lamont announces his candidacy. I suggest it's going to get ugly, which is does.

3/16 - Alan Schlesinger expresses interest in the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. I'm less than impressed, but I end up voting for the guy. How did that happen? Strange year.

3/17 - It's revealed that Rell's campaign manager was kept in the know about what elections enforcement commissioner Jeffrey Garfield was going to do about Moodygate. Both Moody and Garfield still have the jobs. Amazing.

3/20 - Immigration foe and local nut Paul Streitz announces his intention to challenge Lieberman. His campaign raises little money and ends in utter defeat.

3/30 - Joe Lieberman gets booed at the Jefferson-Jackson-Bailey dinner.

April

4/3 - Striking teamsters at Sikorsky go back to work, although they don't really get what they want.

4/3 - John DeStefano names a new campaign manager as panic about the upcoming convention sets in.

4/4 - Sen. Dodd says he has an "itch" to run for president in 2008, leading to all sorts of "itch" jokes.

4/15 - Challengers outraise incumbents.

4/25 - Peter Zarella withdraws his nomination after it's learned that former Chief Justice William Sullivan delayed the release of a controversial case to help him.

4/26 - Compromise is reached on a major transportation bill.

4/29 - Rell gets slammed as her tax repeals are scrapped by Democrats.

May

5/1 - Kristine Regaglia gets put out to pasture.

5/4 - A quick fix for campaign finance reform is passed. At the last minute.

5/7 - It's learned that Kos of Daily Kos will briefly appear in a Lamont commercial. A very stupid firestorm ensues, which no one who isn't an online political junkie notices.

5/15 - Jodi Rell picks Michael Fedele, who is unknown outside of Fairfield County, as her running mate.

5/18 - Pony up, czarina. John DeStefano never got to use that one.

5/19 - Mary Glassman is selected as Dan Malloy's running mate. Be on the lookout for weirdness involving her later on!

5/19 - Lamont wins an impressive 34% of the vote at the Democratic convention. I see Wolf Blitzer in the convention hall. Excitement!

5/20 - Dan Malloy is endorsed after a long, nasty process. DeStefano names Scott Slifka as his running mate after the vote is done.

5/23 - There's a fistfight at a nominating convention in Bristol. Politics is fun!

5/26 - The judicial openness task force gets underway.

June

6/1 - Someone siccs the FBI on us. I poop my pants, but all turns out well. What the heck happened to Bruce, anyway? I miss the guy.

Most of June - Primary rancor is the order of the day. I'm shocked by how negative and, well, petty the Lieberman campaign is. I felt dirty whenever I read one of their press releases. Hey, I still have 'em all saved--just ask and I'll send you one!

6/16 - Lieberman drags out the bear ad again. Everyone groans and covers their eyes. The pain!

6/18 - Lieberman has a bad week. Or a bad month. Or a bad couple of months. The disintegration of the Lieberman campaign is a marvel.

6/19 - Trouble for Fabrizi in Bridgeport as it's learned he used cocaine while in office.

6/21 - It turns out Moodygate wasn't done. Jeffrey Garfield apparently "forgot" to include some material in his report to the General Assembly. Why does he still have a job? Someone tell me.

6/22 - The Judiciary Committee subpoenas former Chief Justice Sullivan.

6/30 - The last two holdouts in Fort Trumbull pack it in. Still no eminent domain reform.

Look for more in the coming days