Friday roundup

by: ctblogger

Fri Dec 14, 2012 at 11:23:47 AM EST

• Holder-Winfield explores.
  

  ary Holder-Winfield won't have to say no anymore if his supporters want to give him money to run for mayor.

  That's because as of Thursday, he has an official committee set up that can receive the money.

  It's an "exploratory" committee for the 2013 mayoral campaign. Holder-Winfield filed the papers to create the committee with the City Clerk's Office Thursday. His campaign treasurer is listed as Christine Josie-Bartlett.

  Holder-Winfield, a New Haven state representative, had already signaled that he's thinking seriously about challenging 10-term incumbent Mayor John DeStefano, a fellow Democrat. DeStefano has begun running for reelection. East Rock Alderman Justin Elicker has also said he's seriously considering a run. Click here and here to read interviews with Holder-Winfield and Elicker about their reasons.

  With the creation of an "exploratory committee," Holder-Winfield can accept campaign contributions.

  "Christmas is here, but I'm going to try" to raise some of that money anyway, Holder-Winfield said in a conversation Thursday.



• Shakeup at ConnCAN
  

  Patrick Riccards has left as CEO of the education reform group ConnCAN and has been replaced by Jennifer Alexander, a vice president with the group. She will serve as acting CEO.

  ConnCAN is a business-backed advocacy group that emerged as a key supporter of many of Gov. Dannel Malloy's education reform initiatives. Riccards led the group for just over a year. A ConnCAN press release said that Riccards is returning to his Virginia-based education consulting firm.

  [...]

  Alexander declined to comment on the reason for Riccards departure.

  Riccards could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.



• Senator-Elect Chris Murphy gets his assignments.
  

  Sen.-elect Chris Murphy, D-Conn., won a seat on the liberal-dominated Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, according to an announcement Wednesday by the Senate Democratic leadership, along with slots on the Foreign Relations Committee and the Joint Economic Committee.

  Murphy's assignment on the Foreign Relations Committee could give him a relatively high profile for a freshman senator, while the health panel will involve him in key social issues. The late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., was a veteran member of the HELP panel that proved to be a fertile birthing ground for much of the liberal social legislation that he successfully pushed in Congress. He was chairman of the committee at the time of his death in 2009.