In a prepared statement, Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen has asked Google "to address concerns related to the company’s new head-mounted computing and recording device, Glass, and the potential impact the device may have on the privacy of Connecticut residents."

This is the statement, unedited here:

In a letter sent this past Monday to Google’s chief executive officer, Attorney General Jepsen noted that Google has acknowledged that “new technology always raises new issues” and said, while Glass is not yet available to the general public, it is an appropriate time to commence a dialogue about the product and its implications for the privacy of both users and non-users.

“Despite mounting concern among privacy advocates,” the Attorney General wrote, “there is very little available information regarding the types of data that will be collected through this technology from either users or non-users. Nor, to my knowledge, has Google yet publicly revealed whether or how it intends to disclose privacy risks, obtain consent for the collection of data or otherwise minimize or address issues.”

Attorney General Jepsen requested a meeting with Google to discuss concerns surrounding Glass including:

·         When Glass will be made available to Connecticut consumers for purchase.

·         What the terms of the company’s announced restriction on facial recognition capabilities are and what “strong privacy protections” will be required before permitting facial recognition applications or capabilities.

·         Whether Glass will have eye-tracking capabilities.

·         Whether Google will allow consumers to store data on the device itself and how any stored information will be safeguarded should it be lost or stolen.

·         What information Glass will collect from users and non-users and if Google will obtain consent to collect such information.

While Attorney General Jepsen is the first state attorney general to address privacy concerns raised by Glass, his letter follows a request for information by members of the Privacy Caucus of the United States House of Representatives.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew Fitzsimmons, head of the Attorney General’s Privacy Task Force, is assisting the Attorney General with this matter.

Please click here to view the Attorney General’s letter to Google.

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In a statement, New Haven mayoral candidate Kermit Carolina responded to criticism of his idea for civil injunctions for repeat violent offenders.

This is Carolina's statement, unedited here:

Carolina on Civil Injuctions2(Final)

According to a release from the campaign of New Haven mayoral candidate
Henry Fernandez, the campaign is "very excited to launch Henry's first campaign video and share it with you."

Here is that video: 

In a prepared release, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn., chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs,  today issued this statement on recent protests in Turkey, "calling on the government to allow peaceful demonstrations and freedom of speech by the Turkish people:"

 The statement is as follows, unedited here:

What began as peaceful demonstrations in Turkey have been met with excessive force by police and escalated to frightening scenes of violence and destruction.

The rights to assemble peacefully and speak freely are pillars of an open, modern democracy. As President Gul recently said, “Democracy does not mean elections alone…There can be nothing more natural for the expression on various views, various situations and objections through a variety of ways, besides elections.” Turkey has been a critical and valued ally of the United States, but our alliance suffers when Turkey does not fully respect the right of its people to protest and speak freely. 

As Turkey makes strides to form a truly inclusive democracy, it must allow peaceful protests and refrain from the use of excessive force against its people. It must also accept freedom of speech as a fundamental right, whether in the streets or on social media. Equally important is that the protestors refrain from violence as well, and petition the government through non-violent resistance alone. 

History shows that is the most effective means to achieve long term change. 

In a prepared statement, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.,  urged President Barack Obama "to sign the international Arms Trade Treaty," which became available for his signature this morning.

Murphy released the following statement (unedited here):

There are currently more international regulations for the cross-border sale of armchairs than firearms. In fact, furniture, fruit, and iPods are just a few of the things that cross international borders every day with more stringent regulations than the illegal weapons that fuel wars and genocide around the globe today.  

That simply has to change.

It is time to come together to stop the illicit arms trade that has brought devastation and horror to places like Mali, the Balkans, Israel, and Mexico. In Africa, about 95 percent of the weapons most commonly used in conflict—derivatives of the Kalashnikov rifle – come from outside the continent, often illegally. Conflicts fueled by the unrestricted sale of the deadliest arms have destroyed families, inflamed ethnic hatred, and caused the tragic death and maiming of millions of men, women, and children.

And yet the National Rifle Association is working hard to stop this treaty, putting out distorted or misleading information about it in an effort to ensure that there is no barrier to the international trade in weapons such as tanks, machine guns and shoulder-fired missiles. The NRA is in extremely bad company here: when the treaty came for a vote before the United Nations, the only countries to oppose it were Iran, Syria, and North Korea. 

The goal of the Arms Trade Treaty is to prevent weapons from reaching the hands of warlords and human rights abusers, and does not interfere with domestic arms sales or legitimate international trade. It will do nothing to infringe on Americans’ Second Amendment rights. This treaty will help save countless lives—President Obama should sign it and the Senate should ratify it without delay.

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NEW HAVEN —  Alderman Michael B. Smart, D-8, will formally announce his candidacy for the New Haven office of city/town clerk today , according to a release.
Smart has served as alderman for five terms representing the Wooster Square, East Rock, Fair Haven and Annex areas, the release said. He also is chairman of the Charter Revision Commission and the Tax Abatement Committee.
The Democratic Convention July 23; the primary Sept. 10  and Election Day is Nov. 5.

In a press release, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro , D-3, announced that "Connecticut is receiving about $4 million less than last year for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program," also known as LIHEAP.
"This loss in funding is yet another effect of the indiscriminate, deeply harmful budget cuts known as sequestration. The final fiscal year 2013 allocation is just over $76 million, compared to the nearly $80 million Connecticut received for fiscal year 2012," the release said.

“Time and again Democrats have warned that the sequester budget cuts are going to hurt Connecticut families. Heating costs may be the last thing on people’s minds right now, but winter will come quickly and these cuts will put people at risk of going cold. These cuts are draconian and harm the health and well-being of thousands across the state. Continuing to put people at risk is unacceptable; we have a moral obligation to care for our most vulnerable citizens. That means fully funding LIHEAP.”

Also noted in the release: DeLauro is "senior Democrat on the subcommittee responsible for funding the Department of Health and Human Services, which administers LIHEAP. Before the sequester cuts even took effect, LIHEAP had been reduced by $1.6 billion—almost one third—between 2010 and 2012. Nationally, LIHEAP’s budget will decrease from $3.47 billion to $3.252 billion."

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  In a press release, Society of Professional Journalists National President Sonny Albarado and SPJ Connecticut President Jodie Mozdzer Gil announced that they wrote to Gov. Dannel Malloy  to question "the state’s secrecy in creating a bill that would exempt any Sandy Hook massacre records from the state's open records law."

"SPJ stands against the decision to withhold public information" about the Newtown shootings, the release said/

"The letter was in response to a May 22 article by The Hartford Courant, which revealed that the governor’s office has been working secretly with legislative leaders and the state's top prosecutor to deny access to documents related to the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where 20 children and six women died on Dec. 14." the release said. "Under the legislation, government officials could withhold death certificates of anyone who died at the school, unless the request is made by a member of the victim's spouse, adult child, parent, adult sibling or legal guardian."

The release noted that Albarado and Gil wrote, “The Society condemns the creation of this legislation outside the normal, transparent process of public hearings and debate. And we deplore the attempt to use the tragic events of Dec. 14 as an excuse to close off access to records that are otherwise available to the public.”

Read the full letter below:

. 

For more information about SPJ, visit www.spj.org.

SPJ Secrecy Statement1

NEW HAVEN — Actor and director Danny Glover will join democratic mayoral candidate Henry Fernandez for several campaign stops in the Elm City Thursday.
Glover will join Fernandez for a jam day of issue-based discussions and community outreach initiatives, according to a release.
Fernandez, a Fair Haven resident, and former city economic development administrator and director of the Livable City Initiative said of Glovers visit,
“Not only is Danny Glover an amazing actor, but he has been a champion of human rights around the world,” Fernandez said. “I am proud of the work we have done together and prouder that he is coming to New Haven to knock on doors and meet voters with me.
“We will be talking about the issues that matter to New Haven: creating good jobs, fighting for great public schools, and cutting crime across the city,” he said.
A press conference is scheduled in front of Beulah Heights First Pentecostal Church, 782 Orchard St., with Glover, Fernandez and community leaders Robin Golden and Tracy Meares at 9:45 am.
Later during the  day Glover and Fernandez will canvass the community and meet with residents to discuss their concerns.
In addition, residents will be able to attend a public community conversation forum with Glover and Fernandez at 7 p.m. at Dixwell Congregational Church, 217 Dixwell Ave.
The Rev. Frederick Streets, pastor of the Dixwell Congregational Church, a supporter of Fernandez, said, “Glover has been a social activist and an advocate of social concerns majority of his public life.”
“Henry’s vision of the city reflects the value of urban American and its fitting that Glover would support his candidacy,” he said.
Yale professor Elizabeth Alexander will be the evening’s emcee.  For more information regarding the events call Jim Dumas at 703-589-7107.
- Shahid Abdul-Karim

Mayoral candidate Kermit Carolina and the Kermit Carolina for Mayor campaign is eligible for $5,530 in matching funds from the New Haven Democracy Fund, according to a letter to the campaign that was released to the New Haven Register.
The letter says the Kermit Carolina for Mayor campaign “submitted 222 contributions, of which 207 were approved...of Carolina’s 207 qualifying donations, the Democracy Fund will match 152 contributions which were the minimum of $10.”
As Carolina’s “campaign has qualified for the matching funds, and since this primary election has been declared contested, Mr. Carolina’s campaign is now eligible for the $19,000 Democracy Fund one-time grant. Thus, the check to Kermit Carolina for Mayor should be for $24,530.00,” the letter says,

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NEW HAVEN — A public

mayoral candidate forum on economic development for New Haven will begin at 4 p.m. Sunday at Davis Street School, 35 Davis St.
Doors open at 3:30 p.m. but the debate starts promptly at 4 p.m., organizers said,
Candidates who are attending: Justin Elicker, Gary Holder-Winfield, Henry Fernandez, Toni Harp, Matthew Nemerson, Sundiata Ketazulu and Kermit Carolina.
Paul Bass will serve as moderator. The event is sponsored by Wards 25, 26 and 27.


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NEW HAVEN - According to a release, a “Women for Fernandez” group will kick off at 5:30 tonight  with Democratic mayoral candidate Henry Fernandez at 50 Elm St.

Fernandez will unveil his platform on women’s issues, the release said.

There will be a networking event to follow platform presentation, the release said.

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