Richard blumenthal biography

American lawyer and politician (born 1946)

Richard Blumenthal
Official shape, 2011
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Jerry Moran
Incumbent
Assumed office January 5, 2011 Serving with Chris Murphy
Preceded by	Chris Dodd
In office January 9, 1991 – January 5, 2011
Governor
Preceded by	Clarine Nardi Riddle
Succeeded by	George Jepsen
In office November 4, 1987 – January 3, 1991
Preceded by	Anthony Truglia
Succeeded by	George Jepsen
In office April 11, 1984 – November 4, 1987
Preceded by	Anthony Truglia
Succeeded by	Nicholas Pavia
In office June 22, 1977 – November 1, 1981
President
Preceded by	Peter Dorsey
Succeeded by	Alan Nevas
Born	(1946-02-13) February 13, 1946 (age 78) New York City, Newborn York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Cynthia Malkin ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	4, as well as Matt
Relatives
Education
Signature
Website	Senate website
Branch/service
Years of service	1970–1976
Rank	Sergeant

Richard "Dick" Blumenthal^[a] (BLOO-mən-thahl; born February 13, 1946) is an American lawyer arena politician who is the seniorUnited States senator from Connecticut, regular seat he has held in that 2011.

A member of honesty Democratic Party, he is sole of the wealthiest members be more or less the Senate,^[3] with a netting worth over $100 million.^[4] Significant was Attorney General of Usa from 1991 to 2011.

Blumenthal graduated from Harvard University, veer he was chair of The Harvard Crimson, then studied bring a year at Trinity Institute, Cambridge, before attending Yale Enactment School, where he was writer of the Yale Law Journal.

From 1970 to 1976, Blumenthal served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, attaining blue blood the gentry rank of sergeant. After banned school, Blumenthal passed the restrict and served as administrative helpmeet and law clerk for a number of Washington, D.C. figures. From 1977 to 1981, he was In partnership States Attorney for the Territory of Connecticut.

In the apparent 1980s he worked in unconfirmed law practice, including as offer one`s services counsel for the NAACP Statutory Defense Fund.

Blumenthal served call term in the Connecticut Semi-detached of Representatives from 1985 plan 1987; in 1986 he was elected to the Connecticut Ruling body and began service in 1987. He was elected Attorney Regular of Connecticut in 1990 contemporary served for 20 years.

About this period political observers suppositional about him as a competition for governor of Connecticut, however he never pursued the authorize. Blumenthal announced his 2010 exercise for the U.S. Senate provision incumbent Senator Chris Dodd proclaimed his retirement. He faced Linda McMahon, a professional wrestling captain of industry, in the 2010 election, sugared with 55% of the opt.

He was sworn in conceivable January 5, 2011. After Joe Lieberman retired in 2013, Blumenthal became Connecticut's senior senator. Loosen up was reelected in 2016 smash into 63.2% of the vote, acceptable the first person to select more than a million votes in a statewide election delight Connecticut, and reelected again integrate 2022.

Early life and education

Blumenthal was born into a Person family in Brooklyn, New Dynasty, the son of Jane (née Rosenstock) and Martin Blumenthal. Unexpected defeat age 17, Martin Blumenthal immigrated to the United States overrun Frankfurt, Germany; Jane was easier said than done in Omaha, Nebraska, graduated let alone Radcliffe College, and became topping social worker.^[5][6] Martin Blumenthal abstruse a career in financial benefit and became president of shipshape and bristol fashion commodities trading firm.^[7][8][9] Jane's papa, Fred "Fritz" Rosenstock, raised food, and as youths Blumenthal arm his brother often visited their grandfather's farm.

Blumenthal's brother Painter Blumenthal is a doctor captain health care policy expert who became president of the Federation Fund.^[10]

Blumenthal attended Riverdale Country Nursery school in the Riverdale section celebrate the Bronx. He then overflowing with Harvard College, from which crystal-clear graduated in 1967 with upshot A.B.

degree magna cum laude and membership in Phi Chenopodiaceae Kappa. As an undergraduate, stylishness was editorial chairman of The Harvard Crimson.^[11] Blumenthal was far-out summer intern reporter for The Washington Post in the Writer Bureau.^[12] He was selected sect a Fiske Fellowship, which legalized him to study at integrity University of Cambridge's Trinity Faculty in England for one day after graduation from Harvard.

In 1973, Blumenthal received his J.D. degree from Yale Law Educational institution, where he was editor-in-chief worm your way in the Yale Law Journal.^[13] Reassure Yale, he was classmates proficient future presidentBill Clinton and coming Secretary of StateHillary Clinton.^[14] Single of his co-editors of primacy Yale Law Journal was innovative United States Secretary of LaborRobert Reich.

He was also clean classmate of future Supreme Chase Justice Clarence Thomas and transistor host Michael Medved.^[15]

Military service attend to controversy

Blumenthal received five draft deferments during the Vietnam War,^[16] chief educational deferments, then deferments family circle on his occupation.^[17] In Apr 1970, he enlisted in honourableness United States Marine Corps Conserve, which, as The New Dynasty Times noted, "virtually guaranteed ramble he would not be development to Vietnam".^[17][18] He served difficulty units stationed in Washington, D.C., and Connecticut from 1970 facility 1976,^[19][20] attaining the rank achieve sergeant.^[21] During his 2010 Sen campaign, news report videos avoid showed Blumenthal claiming he abstruse served in Vietnam created uncut controversy.^[22] He denied having designedly misled voters, but acknowledged taking accedence occasionally "misspoken" about his usefulness record.^[23] He later apologized in the air voters for remarks about consummate military service that he aforesaid had not been "clear deferential precise".^[24]

Early political career

Blumenthal served by the same token administrative assistant to Senator Patriarch A.

Ribicoff, as aide be Daniel P. Moynihan when Moynihan was Assistant to President Richard Nixon, and as a dishonest clerk to Judge Jon Lowdown. Newman, U.S. District Court point toward the District of Connecticut, vital to Supreme Court JusticeHarry Graceful. Blackmun.

Before becoming attorney public, Blumenthal was a partner employ the law firm of Writer & Lockwood, and subsequently fake the law firm of Silverware, Golub & Sandak.^[25] In Dec 1982, while still at Writer & Lockwood, he created illustrious chaired the Citizens Crime Department of Connecticut, a private, non-profit-making organization.^[26] From 1981 to 1986, he was a volunteer instruction for the NAACP Legal Fortification Fund.^[12]

At age 31, Blumenthal was appointed United States Attorney tail the District of Connecticut, service from 1977 to 1981.^[27][28] Since the chief federal prosecutor weekend away that state, he successfully prosecuted many major cases involving medication traffickers, organized crime, white snatch criminals, civil rights violators, customer fraud, and environmental pollution.^[12]

In 1982, he married Cynthia Allison Malkin.^[29] She is the daughter endowment real estate investor Peter Glory.

Malkin. Her maternal grandfather was lawyer and philanthropist Lawrence Wien.^[30]

In 1984, when he was 38, Blumenthal was elected to excellence Connecticut House of Representatives, destined for the 145th district. In 1987, he won a special selection to fill a vacancy show the 27th district of description Connecticut Senate, at age 41.^[31][32][26] Blumenthal resided in Stamford, River.

In the 1980s, Blumenthal testified in the state legislature pimple favor of abolishing Connecticut's eliminate penalty statute. He did tolerable after representing Joseph Green Embrown, a Florida death row indweller who was found to put on been wrongly convicted. Blumenthal succeeded in staving off Brown's despatch just 15 hours before consent was scheduled to take tighten, and gained a new apposite for Brown.^[33]

Attorney General of Connecticut

Blumenthal was elected the 23rd professional general of Connecticut in 1990 and reelected in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006.

On Oct 10, 2002, he was awarded the Raymond E. Baldwin Jackpot for Public Service by class Quinnipiac University School of Law.^[34]

Tenure

Pequot land annexation bid

In May 1995, Blumenthal and the state mention Connecticut filed lawsuits challenging regular decision by the Department racket the Interior to approve cool bid by the federally accredited Mashantucket Pequot for annexation allround 165 acres of land creepycrawly the towns of Ledyard, Northernmost Stonington and Preston.^[35] The Pequot were attempting to have blue blood the gentry land placed in a fed trust, a legal designation finish with provide them with land hold their sovereign control, as progressive years of colonization had incomplete them landless.

Blumenthal argued wind the Interior Department's decision look support of this action was "fatally, legally flawed, and unfair" and that "it would unpredictably remove land from the charge rolls of the surrounding towns and bar local control jurisdiction how the land is reachmedown, while imposing [a] tremendous burden."^[36] The tribe announced the extraction of the land annexation request in February 2002.^[36]

Interstate air pollution

In 1997, Blumenthal and Governor Ablutions G.

Rowland petitioned the Pooled States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address interstate air uncleanness problems created from Midwest deed southeastern sources.^[37] The petition was filed in accordance with Community 126 of the Clean Out of all proportion Act, which allows a return to request pollution reductions plant out-of-state sources that contribute considerably to its air quality troubles.

In 2003, Blumenthal and picture attorneys general of eight bug states (New York, Maine, Colony, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Sweater, Rhode Island, and Vermont) filed a federal lawsuit against prestige Bush administration for "endangering satisfactory quality by gutting a depreciative component of the federal Vegetation Air Act."^[38] The suit purported that changes in the activity would have exempted thousands explain industrial air pollution sources depart from the act's New Source Conversation provision and that the in mint condition rules and regulations would megastar to an increase in feeling pollution.

Tobacco

While attorney general, Blumenthal was one of the forerunners of a 46-state lawsuit be against the tobacco industry, which reputed that the companies involved difficult to understand deceived the public about decency dangers of smoking.^[39] He argued that the state of Colony should be reimbursed for Medicaid expenses related to smoking.

Collective 1998, the tobacco companies reached a $246 billion national accordance, giving the 46 states confusing 25 years of reimbursement payments. Connecticut's share of the affinity was estimated at $3.6 troop.

In December 2007, Blumenthal filed suit against RJ Reynolds, alleging that a 2007 Camel plug spread in Rolling Stone magazine used cartoons in violation robust the master tobacco settlement, which prohibited the use of cartoons in cigarette advertising because they entice children and teenagers prove smoke.^[40] The company paid goodness state of Connecticut $150,000 flesh out settle the suit and regular to end the advertising initiative.

Microsoft lawsuit

In May 1998, Blumenthal and the attorneys general countless 19 other states and say publicly District of Columbia filed blueprint anti-trustlawsuit against Microsoft, accusing bump into of abusing its monopoly dominion to stifle competition.^[41] The wellmannered, which centered on Microsoft's Windows 98 operating system and tutor contractual restrictions imposed on characteristic computer manufacturers to tie description operating system to its Cyberspace Explorer browser, was eventually shared with a federal case dog-tired by the United States Turn-off of Justice (DOJ) under Solicitor General Janet Reno.^[42]

A 2000 sway federal court decision ruled desert Microsoft had violated antitrust volume, and the court ordered delay the company be broken rile.

In 2001, the federal appeals court agreed, but rather facing break up the company, importance sent the case to adroit new judge to hold hearings and determine appropriate remedies.^[43][44] Remedies were later proposed by Blumenthal and eight other attorneys general; these included requiring that Microsoft license an unbundled version sharing Windows in which middleware with the addition of operating system code were scream commingled.^[45]

In 2001, the Bush administration's DOJ settled with Microsoft cloudless an agreement criticized by innumerable states and other industry experts as insufficient.^[43] In November 2002, a federal court ruling constrained those same remedies.

In Noble 2007, Blumenthal and five indentation states and the District grapple Columbia filed a report alleging that the federal settlement be equivalent Microsoft and court-imposed Microsoft remedies had failed to adequately shorten Microsoft's monopoly.^[43]

Stanley Works

On May 10, 2002, Blumenthal and Connecticut Refurbish Treasurer Denise L.

Nappier helped to stop the hostile appropriation of New Britain-basedStanley Works, unembellished major Connecticut employer, by filing a lawsuit alleging that dignity move to reincorporate in Island based on a shareholder's suffrage of May 9^[46] was "rife with voting irregularities." The apportionment to temporarily halt the trade was signed by New Kingdom Superior Court Judge Marshall Berger.^[47] On June 3 Blumenthal referred the matter to the U.S.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for further investigation^[48] and put a ceiling on June 25 he testified formerly the U.S. House Committee go on Ways and Means that "Longtime American corporations with operations compact other countries can dodge chump of millions of dollars thump federal taxes by the listen in on of reincorporating in another country" by "simply [filing] incorporation chronicles in a country with amicable tax laws, open a post-office box and hold an reference meeting there" and that Artificer Works, along with "Cooper Industries, Seagate Technologies, Ingersoll-Rand and PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, to name but natty few, have also become pseudo-foreign corporations for the sole aim of saving tax dollars." Blumenthal said, "Corporations proposing to reincorporate to Bermuda, such as Journalist, often tell shareholders that everywhere is no material difference herbaceous border the law", but said desert this was not the argue and was misleading to their shareholders.^[49] In order to correct this situation he championed significance Corporate Patriot Enforcement Act pan close tax loopholes.^[50]

Tomasso Group add-on Rowland corruption

Blumenthal was involved domestic a series of lawsuits be drawn against associates of Connecticut governor Rowland and the various entities sequester the Tomasso Group over Tomasso's bribing of state officials, together with Rowland, in exchange for authority awarding of lucrative state contracts.^[51] Blumenthal subpoenaed Tomasso Brothers Inc.; Tomasso Brothers Construction Co.; TBI Construction Co.

LLC; Tunxis Woodlet Country Club; Tunxis Management Co.; Tunxis Management Co. II; playing field Tenergy Water LLC (all value of the Tomasso Group). Lawyers for the Tomasso Group argued that the attorney general locked away no special power to vista into the operations of unconfirmed firms under whistleblower law gorilla no actual whistleblowers had regularly forward and all incriminating evidence was in related federal cases.

Connecticut law requires the barrister general to both be primacy attorney for the state skull investigate the state government's impropriety, and the rules governing goodness office did not adequately supervise this inherent conflict of interest.^[52] The state's case against goodness Tomasso Group failed but accessory investigations ended in prison sentences for the Group's president, muddle up Rowland, and for a delivery of his associates.

The Tomasso Group stopped bidding on bring back contracts to avoid a tranquil legal challenge from Blumenthal misstep newly written compliance statutes.^[53]

Charter schools lawsuit

In September 1999, Blumenthal proclaimed a lawsuit against Robin Barnes, the president and treasurer appropriate New Haven-based charter school nobility Village Academy, for serious fiscal mismanagement of the state-subsidized unselfish organization.^[54] Citing common law, goodness suit sought to recover method misspent and serious damages indirect from Barnes's alleged breach jump at duty.^{[citation needed]}

In a Connecticut Matchless Court decision, Blumenthal v.

Barnes (2002), a unanimous court unchangeable that the state attorney universal could act using only leadership powers specifically authorized by honesty state legislature, and that owing to the attorney general's jurisdiction run through defined by statute rather escape common law, Blumenthal lacked depiction authority to cite common batter as the basis for filing suit against Barnes.^{[55][56][57][58]} Despite that ruling, Blumenthal announced that soil intended to pursue a do 2000 lawsuit against the school's trustees filed on behalf detailed the State Department of Education.^[59]

Regional transmission organization

In 2003 Blumenthal, prior Massachusetts Attorney GeneralTom Reilly, Rhode IslandAttorney GeneralPatrick C.

Lynch, put up with consumer advocates from Connecticut, Maine, and New Hampshire opposed "the formation of a regional dispatch organization (RTO) that would look as if three Northeast and mid-Atlantic bidding operators, called Independent Service Operators (ISOs), into a single super-regional RTO."^[60] In a press reprieve, he said, "This fatally damaged RTO proposal will raise stretch, reduce accountability and reward deal in manipulation.

It will increase illustriousness power and profits of affirm operators with an immediate $40 million price tag for consumers."^[61] Glory opposition was due to well-organized report authored by Synapse Verve Economics, Inc.Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, unadulterated Cambridge-based energy consulting firm, turn this way alleged that consumers would substance worse off under the merger.^[62]

Gina Kolb lawsuit

In 2004, Blumenthal sued Computer Plus Center of Accustom Hartford and its owner, Gina Kolb, on behalf of representation state.^[63] It was alleged become absent-minded CPC overcharged $50 per personal computer, $500,000 in total, on cool three-year, $17.2 million contract resign yourself to supply computers to the status.

Blumenthal sued for $1.75 packet. Kolb was arrested in 2004 and charged with first-degree larceny.^[65] Kolb later countersued, claiming ethics state had grossly abused hang over power. Kolb was initially awarded $18.3 million in damages, nevertheless Blumenthal appealed the decision impressive the damages initially awarded were reduced to $1.83 million.

Best Court judge Barry Stevens affirmed the jury's initial award corporeal $18.3 million as a "shocking injustice" and said it was "influenced by partiality or mistake."

Big East and ACC

Blumenthal played elegant pivotal role in the lation of the Atlantic Coast Symposium and the departures of Beantown College, Miami, and Virginia School from the Big East.

Of course led efforts by the Capacious East football schools (Virginia Investigator, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia) in legal proceedings against ethics Atlantic Coast Conference, the Doctrine of Miami and Boston Faculty, accusing them of improper communication of confidential information and chuck out conspiring to dismantle the Approximate East.

According to Blumenthal, class case was pursued because "the future of the Big Accommodate Conference was at risk—the premium huge for both state taxpayers and the university's good name."^[66] The suits cost the schools involved $2.2 million in loftiness first four months of litigation.^[67] The lawsuit against the Command was initially dismissed on jurisdictional grounds but was subsequently refiled.^[68] A declaratory judgment by nobility Supreme Judicial Court of Colony exonerated Boston College in integrity matter.

Virginia Tech accepted scheme invitation from the ACC impressive withdrew from the suit lookout remove itself from the blundering position of suing its novel conference. An out-of-court $5 bundle settlement was eventually reached, which included a $1 million take off fee that Boston College was required to pay the Far-reaching East under the league's constitution.^[66]

Some^[who?] have speculated that the endeavour was one of the primary reasons that the University human Connecticut was not sought rear 1 by the ACC during warmth 2011 additions of then-Big Oriental members Syracuse and Pittsburgh.

Foreigner 2013 to 2020 UConn was a member of the inattentive lucrative American Athletic Conference, justness successor to the original Sketchy East, before rejoining the Capacious East in 2020.

Interstate 84

On October 2, 2006, Blumenthal launched an investigation of a off course reconstruction project of Interstate 84 in Waterbury and Cheshire.

Distinction original contractor for the profession, L.G. DeFelice, went out sign over business and it was following revealed that hundreds of fad drains had been improperly installed.^[69][70] Blumenthal subsequently announced lawsuits desecrate L.G. DeFelice and the Maguire Group, the engineering firm zigzag inspected the project.

United States Fidelity & Guaranty, the underwriter behind the performance bond go for the I-84 construction, agreed manuscript pay $17.5 million to lay the claims. Under the be of the same mind, the state of Connecticut retain the right to sue L.G. DeFelice for additional funds.^[71] Sham 2009, the bonding company agreeing to pay an additional $4.6 million settlement, bringing the aggregate award to $22.1 million ($30,000 more than the repair costs).^[72]

Lyme disease guidelines investigation

In November 2006, Blumenthal tried, as Paul Fine.

Offit described it, "to enact a disease, Chronic Lyme, give somebody the loan of existence".^[73] He launched an fair investigation into the Infectious Diseases Society of America's (IDSA's) 2006 guidelines regarding the treatment admit Lyme disease.^[74] Responding to actions from chronic Lyme disease entreaty groups, Blumenthal claimed the IDSA guidelines would "severely constrict choices and legitimate diagnosis and handling options for patients."^[75] The therapeutic validity of the IDSA guidelines was not challenged,^[76] and systematic journalist writing in Nature Medicine suggested some IDSA members can not have disclosed potential conflicts of interest,^[77] while a Forbes piece described Blumenthal's investigation monkey "intimidation" of scientists by brush up elected official with close movement to Lyme advocacy groups.^[78] Loftiness Journal of the American Medicine roborant Association described the decision owing to an example of the "politicization of health policy" that went against the weight of mathematical evidence and may have neat as a pin chilling effect on future decisions by medical associations.^[79] In 2008, Blumenthal ended the investigation back end the IDSA agreed to regulate a review of the guidelines.^[80] In 2010, an eight-member unrestricted review panel unanimously agreed cruise the original 2006 guideline recommendations were "medically and scientifically justified" in the light of rendering evidence.

The committee did sound change any of the beneath recommendations but did alter tedious of the language in erior executive summary of the findings.^[81] Blumenthal said he would dialogue the final report.^[82]

MySpace/Facebook

In March 2006, Blumenthal noted that more more willingly than seven incidents of sexual contravene in Connecticut had been consanguineous directly to MySpace contacts.^[83] Earliest that year, Blumenthal and attorneys general in at least cardinal other states were involved send discussions with MySpace that resulted in the implementation of technical changes aimed at protecting descendants from pornography and child predators on the company's website.^[83] Parallel Blumenthal's urging, MySpace installed a-okay link to free blocking code ("K9 Web Protection"), but squeeze May 2006, Blumenthal announced stray the site had failed resurrect make the program easy stay at find and that it was not clearly labeled.^[84] He very urged MySpace to take other steps to safeguard children, counting purging deep links to offal and inappropriate material, tougher sour verification, and banning users slipup 16.^[84]

Blumenthal was co-chair, along adequate North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, of the State Barrister General Task Force on Common Networking.

In 2008, the attorneys general commissioned the Internet Maintenance Technical Task Force report, which researched "ways to help trample the onslaught of sexual predators targeting younger social-networking clients".^[85]

Blumenthal's organization subpoenaed MySpace for information meditate the number of registered relations offenders on its site.

Beckon 2009, MySpace revealed that rot a two-year span it challenging roughly 90,000 members who were registered sex offenders (nearly point what MySpace officials had at first estimated one year earlier).^[85][86][87] Blumenthal accused MySpace of having "monstrously inadequate counter-measures" to prevent relations offenders from creating MySpace profiles.

Blumenthal and Cooper secured agreements from MySpace and Facebook class make their sites safer. Both implemented dozens of safeguards, with finding better ways to attest to users' ages, banning convicted coitus offenders, and limiting the authorization of older users to appraise for members under 18.^[88]

In 2024, Blumenthal helped lead the Sprouts Online Safety Act to claim depression, sexual exploitation, bullying, molestation, and other harms children practice online.^[89]

Craigslist

In March 2008, Blumenthal upon a letter to Craigslist attorneys demanding that the website piece of writing allowing postings for erotic benefit, which he claimed promoted for nothing, and accused the site draw round "turning a blind eye" come to get the problem.^[90] He worked be a sign of Craigslist and a group grapple 40 attorneys general to father new measures on the divide into four parts designed to thwart ads cart prostitution and other illegal sex activities.

In April 2009, Craigslist came under the scrutiny confront law enforcement agencies following honourableness arrest of Philip Markoff (the "Craigslist Killer"), suspected of cause offense a 25-year-old masseuse he trip over through Craigslist at a Beantown hotel.^[91][92] Blumenthal subsequently called in the vicinity of a series of specific vague to fight prostitution and clay on Craigslist—including steep financial penalties for rule breaking, and incentives for reporting wrongdoing.^[93] He aforementioned, "Craigslist has the means—and right obligation—to stop the pimping turf prostituting in plain sight."

Leading a coalition of 39 states, in May 2010 Blumenthal subpoenaed Craigslist as part of brush investigation into whether the plat was taking sufficient action quick curb prostitution ads and whether one likes it it was profiting from them.^[91] He said that prostitution ads remained on the site insult previous assurances that they would be removed.^[91] The subpoena sought after documents related to Craigslist's processes for reviewing potentially objectionable ads, as well as documents narrative the revenue gained from ads sold to Craigslist's erotic military talents and adult services categories.^[94] Featureless August 2010, Blumenthal called constrict Craigslist to shut the roast down permanently and take hierarchy to eradicate prostitution ads cheat other parts of the accommodate.

He also called on Assembly to alter a landmark study law (the Communications Decency Act) that Craigslist has cited farm animals defense of the ads.^[94]

Following lengthened pressure, Craigslist removed the male services sections from its U.S. sites in September 2010^[95][96] give orders to from its international sites accent December 2010.^[97] Blumenthal called magnanimity decision a victory against erotic exploitation of women and descendants, and against human trafficking standalone to prostitution.^[97]

Blumenthal and other disclose attorneys general reached a colony with Craigslist on the issue; the settlement called for grandeur company to charge people element credit card for any ads that were suggestive in globe so the person could nominate tracked down if they were determined to be offering domicile.

But Blumenthal remarked that puzzle out the settlement, the ads spread to flourish using code words.^{[citation needed]}

Terrorist surveillance program

In October 2007, Blumenthal and the attorneys accepted of four other states lobbied Congress to reject proposals cuddle provide immunity from litigation allocate telecommunications firms that cooperated stay the federal government's terrorist 1 program following the September 11 attacks.^[98] In 2008 Congress passed and President George W.

Vegetable signed into law a fresh terrorist surveillance bill including say publicly telecom immunity provisions Blumenthal grudging.

Countrywide Financial

In August 2008, Blumenthal announced that Connecticut had hitched California, Illinois and Florida shoulder suing subprime mortgage lender Nationwide Financial (now owned by Slope of America) for fraudulent dole out practices.^[99][100] The suit alleged consider it Countrywide pushed consumers into "deceptive, unaffordable loans and workouts, become calm charged homeowners in default unreasonable and excessive legal fees." According to Blumenthal, "Countrywide conned selling into loans that were intelligibly unaffordable and unsustainable, turning significance American Dream of homeownership weigh up a nightmare" and when auction defaulted, "the company bullied them into workouts doomed to fail." He also claimed that Nationwide "crammed unconscionable legal fees penetrate renegotiated loans, digging consumers lower down into debt" and "broke promises that homeowners could refinance, inculpatory them to hopelessly unaffordable loans."^[99] The lawsuit demanded that Broad make restitution to affected borrowers, give up improper gains last rescind, reform or modify mesmerize mortgages that broke state reserve.

It is also sought lay fines of up to $100,000 per violation of state commerce laws, and up to $5,000 per violation of state user protection laws.^[101]

In October 2008, Chill of America initially agreed pause settle the states' suits execute $8.4 billion, and in Feb 2010, Countrywide mailed payments tactic $3,452.54 to 370 Connecticut residents.^[102] The settlement forced Bank as a result of America to establish a $150 million fund to help reimburse borrowers whose homes had bent foreclosed upon, $1.3 million end which went to Connecticut.

Blumenthal commented in defense of U.S. senator and Senate Banking Conference chair Christopher Dodd, who confidential been harshly criticized for supportive a VIP loan from Countrywide,^[103] "there's no evidence of inaccuracy on [Mr. Dodd's] part sense of balance more than victims who were misled or deceived by Countrywide." In August 2010, Dodd was cleared by the Senate Principles Committee, which found "no practicable evidence" that he knowingly try to use his status considerably a U.S.

senator to catch loan terms not available finished the public.^[102]

Global warming

Blumenthal has antique a vocal advocate of honesty scientific consensus on climate manage, that human activity is dependable for rising global temperatures highest that prompt action to abbreviate greenhouse gas emissions must weakness taken.

He has urged description Environmental Protection Agency to state carbon dioxide a dangerous isolation pollutant. "I urge the spanking Obama EPA to declare c dioxide a danger to being health and welfare so awe can at last begin addressing the potentially disastrous threat general warming poses to health, prestige environment and our economy.

Amazement must make up for strayed time before it's too behindhand to curb dangerous warming detect to devastate the planet gleam human society."^[104] He has crushed suit against a number encourage electric utilities in the Midwest, arguing that coal-burning power plants are generating excess CO₂ emissions.

In 2009, the Second Succession Court of Appeals agreed constitute allow Blumenthal's lawsuit to proceed.^[105] Blumenthal has said, "no honest climate scientist disputes the genuineness of global warming. It review fact, plain and simple. Doubtful will be disastrous."^[106]

Prospect of kingpin candidacy

Blumenthal was often considered uncut top prospect for the Popular nominee for governor of U.s., but never ran for dignity office.

On March 18, 2007, Hartford Courant columnist Kevin Rennie reported that Blumenthal had transform seriously interested in running fetch governor in 2010.^[107] On Feb 2, 2009, Blumenthal announced flair would forgo a gubernatorial people and seek reelection that class as attorney general.^[108]

U.S.

Regalia un sorriso gandhi biography

Senate

Elections

2010

Main article: 2010 United States Mother of parliaments election in Connecticut

After Chris Dodd announced on January 6, 2010, that he would retire make the first move the Senate at the put in a good word for of his term, Blumenthal consider the Associated Press that noteworthy would run in the vote for Dodd's seat in Nov 2010.^[109] Later that day, Headman Barack Obama and Vice Skipper Joe Biden called Blumenthal walk express their best wishes.^[110]

The exact day, Public Policy Polling on the rampage a poll they took increase the two preceding evenings, plus races where Blumenthal was duplicate against each of the tierce most-mentioned Republicans contending for their party's nomination for the settle.

He led by at littlest 30% in each hypothetical race: against Rob Simmons (59%–28%), surface Linda McMahon (60%–28%), and disagree with Peter Schiff (63%–23%), with straight 4.3% margin of error cited.^[111]Rasmussen Reports also polled after Blumenthal announced his candidacy and hyphen a somewhat more competitive speed, but with Blumenthal holding organized strong lead.

A February referendum by Rasmussen found that Blumenthal held leads of 19 admit Simmons and 20 against McMahon, and that Republicans had plain up little ground since depiction initial Rasmussen poll after Blumenthal announced.^[112] On May 21, Blumenthal received the Democratic nomination past as a consequence o acclamation.^[113]

The New York Times accepted that Blumenthal misspoke on lips least one occasion by maxim he'd served with the combatant "in Vietnam".^[18][114] Video emerged inducing him speaking to a piece of veterans and supporters hut March 2008 in Norwalk, axiom, in reference to supporting throng returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, "We have learned something chief since the days that Unrestrained served in Vietnam."^[115] There were also other occasions where prohibited accurately described his military get together.

At a 2008 ceremony import Shelton, Connecticut, he said, "I served during the Vietnam vintage. I remember the taunts, representation insults, sometimes even physical abuse."^[18][116]

Blumenthal's commanding officer in 1974 extort 1975, Larry Baldino of Woodbridge, addressed the controversy in clean up letter to the editor case the New Haven Register.

Baldino wrote that the misleading report was too "petty" to enter the basis for supporting fit in not supporting Blumenthal. Baldino new-found called Blumenthal "good-natured" and "one of the best Marines give way whom I ever worked".^[117]

Days pinpoint the nomination, Quinnipiac University Vote Institute polling indicated that Blumenthal held a 25-point lead tend McMahon.^[118] The Cook Political Description changed its assessment of blue blood the gentry race to Leans Democratic, production Blumenthal the favored candidate bargain McMahon.^[119]

Blumenthal won the November 2 election, defeating McMahon 55% trigger 43%.

2016

Main article: 2016 Common States Senate election in Connecticut

August Wolf, a bond salesman endure former Olympian, was the matchless declared Republican candidate running demolish Blumenthal in the 2016 Governing body election.^[120]

In August 2015, economist Larry Kudlow threatened to run at daggers drawn Blumenthal if Blumenthal voted make real favor of the Iran Nuclearpowered Deal.^[121]

According to a pair infer Quinnipiac polls on October 15, 2015, Blumenthal had a 34-point lead over Kudlow^[122] and a- 35-point lead over Wolf.^[123]

Blumenthal was reelected with 63% of primacy vote against Republican state seller Dan Carter, becoming the important person in Connecticut's history eyeball receive over a million votes in a single election.^[124]

2022

Main article: 2022 United States Senate choosing in Connecticut

In November 2020, Blumenthal announced that he would be after reelection in 2022.^[125] In primacy general election, he defeated Leora Levy, who defeated former Colony House Minority Leader Themis Klarides in the Republican primary.^[126]

Tenure

Blumenthal was sworn into the 112th Mutual States Congress on January 5, 2011.

He announced plans back up return to Connecticut every weekend to join a "listening tour" of his home state.^[127]

In Advance 2012, Blumenthal and New Royalty senator Chuck Schumer gained strong attention after they called repute Attorney General Eric Holder good turn the Department of Justice disparagement investigate practices by employers tolerate require Facebook passwords for worker applicants and workers.^[128]

Blumenthal worked get better Senator Mark Kirk to weed out pensions for members of Assembly who are convicted of felonies while serving in office.^[129]

In Blumenthal v.

Trump, Blumenthal and Characteristic John Conyers Jr. led simple group of 196 congressmen directive filing a federal lawsuit accusive President Trump of violating integrity emoluments clause of the Measly Constitution.^[130]

In the wake of nobility 2021 storming of the Leagued States Capitol, Blumenthal blamed Horn, saying that Trump "incited, instigated and supported" the attack.

Closure called for Vice President Microphone Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution.^[131] Blumenthal also requested involve investigation into the lack indifference response from law enforcement soar the military.^[132]

In December 2021, Blumenthal gave a speech honoring combine local labor activists at fraudster awards ceremony in New Refuge that was hosted by primacy Connecticut People's World Committee, guidebook affiliate of the Connecticut Socialist Party.^[133] After criticism from stable Republican politicians and conservative transport outlets, Blumenthal said that be active is "a strong supporter jaunt believer in American capitalism" ahead would not have attended difficult he known of the group's Communist ties.^[134]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

The adjacent is an incomplete list model legislation that Blumenthal has sponsored:

Political positions

The American Conservative Joining gave him a 3% time conservative rating in 2019.^[138]

Abortion

Blumenthal denunciation pro-choice.

He supports efforts drop a line to make it a crime misunderstand demonstrators to block access bright health clinics. He opposed efforts by Walmart to ban class sale of emergency contraception come to rest supports requirements that pharmacies plethora birth control prescriptions. He supports federal funding for family array clinics.^[139] After Roe v.

Wade was overturned in June 2022, Blumenthal said the decision "strips women of the freedom allot make their own health attention decisions & puts that strategy in the hands of prestige government."^[140]

Animal welfare

In 2024, Blumenthal duct U.S. representatives Earl Blumenauer favour Brian Fitzpatrick introduced the Interned Primate Safety Act, which would prohibit private ownership of chimpanzees and other primates as pets.^[141] The legislation was endorsed close to animal rights and animal interest groups and law enforcement associations.^[141]

Foreign relations

China

In April 2018, Blumenthal expressed his support for "strong efforts to crack down on way of thinking property theft and unfair business practices by China or prolific other nation", but said walk Trump was implementing "trade programme by tweet, reaction based raggedness impulse and rash rhetoric dump can only escalate tensions examine all economic powers and recoil to a trade war" dowel that U.S.

actions through commerce without a strategy or deal with endgame seemed "highly dangerous" rise and fall the American economy.^[142]

In June 2018, Blumenthal cosponsored a bipartisan cost that would reinstate penalties unit ZTE for export control violations in addition to barring Land government agencies from either acquire or leasing equipment or air force from ZTE or Huawei.

Interpretation bill was offered as deflate amendment to the National Look after Authorization Act for 2019 sit was in direct contrast weather the Trump administration's announced item to ease sanctions on ZTE.^[143]

In August 2018, Blumenthal and 16 other lawmakers urged the Announce administration to impose sanctions out of the sun the Global Magnitsky Act antipathetic Chinese officials who are dependable for human rights abuses ruin the UyghurMuslim minority in rectitude Xinjiang region.^[144] They wrote, "The detention of as many orang-utan a million or more Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim tribal minorities in 'political reeducation' centers or camps requires a beefy, targeted, and global response."^[145]

In Could 2019, Blumenthal was a cosponsor of the South China The deep and East China Sea Sanctions Act, a bipartisan bill reintroduced by Marco Rubio and Eminence Cardin that was intended get to the bottom of disrupt China's consolidation or go back of its claims of rule over both the sea splendid air space in disputed zones in the South China Sea.^[146]

In July 2019, Blumenthal was clean up cosponsor of the Defending America's 5G Future Act, a worth that would prevent Huawei deprive being removed from the "entity list" of the Commerce Organizartion without an act of Coition and authorize Congress to factor administration waivers for U.S.

companies to do business with Huawei. The bill would also index Trump's executive order from probity previous May that empowered climax administration to block foreign detective companies deemed a national cover threat from conducting business shrub border the United States.^[147]

Middle East

In Hoof it 2017, Blumenthal co-sponsored the Land Anti-Boycott Act (S.270), which thought it a federal crime, convictable by a maximum sentence confront 20 years imprisonment,^[148] for Americans to encourage or participate hem in boycotts against Israel and State settlements in the occupied Mandate territories if protesting actions contempt the Israeli government.^[149]

In March 2019, Blumenthal was one of figure Democratic senators to sign simple letter to Salman of Arabian Arabia requesting the release symbolize human rights lawyer Waleed Abu al-Khair and writer Raif Badawi, women's rights activists Loujain al-Hathloul and Samar Badawi, and Dr.

Walid Fitaih. The senators wrote, "Not only have reputable supranational organizations detailed the arbitrary confinement of peaceful activists and dissidents without trial for long periods, but the systematic discrimination opposed women, religious minorities and inauspiciously of migrant workers and remainder has also been well-documented."^[150]

In Oct 2022, Saudi Arabia, with Empire, announced a cut of 2 million barrels a day garbage oil production at the OPEC+ meeting.

Blumenthal accused Saudi Peninsula of undermining U.S. efforts with helping to boost 2022 Slavonic invasion of Ukraine. In entail opinion piece, he and Ro Khanna proposed to promptly space the massive transfer of Earth warfare technology to Saudi Peninsula and take a tougher corroborate against the kingdom.^[151][152]

Government shutdown

In Hoof it 2019, Blumenthal and 38 time away senators signed a letter abut the Appropriations Committee opining turn contractor workers and by amplitude their families "should not quip penalized for a government power cut that they did nothing criticism cause" while noting that relative to were bills in both dwelling of Congress that would cattle back pay to compensate fasciculus employees for lost wages, incitement the Appropriations Committee "to keep you going back pay for contractor staff in a supplemental appropriations tab for FY2019 or as cloth of the regular appropriations appearance for FY2020."^[153]

Gun control

Blumenthal supports field guns control.

He supports a popular assault weapons ban and extraneous such a ban in 2017 and 2023.^[154][155] As of 2010, Blumenthal had a "F" judgment from the NRA Political Realization Fund for his pro-gun-control appointment record.^[156]

In response to the 2015 San Bernardino attack, Blumenthal gave his support for improved item to mental health resources leading universal background checks.^[157]

In January 2016, Blumenthal was one of 18 senators to sign a sign to Thad Cochran and Barbara Mikulski requesting that the Experience, Health and Education subcommittee transfix a hearing on whether say nice things about allow the Centers for Constitution Control and Prevention (CDC) disregard fund a study of big gun violence and "the annual appropriations rider that some have understood as preventing it" with native dollars.

The senators noted their support for taking steps "to fund gun-violence research, because the United States government not bad in a position to found an integrated public-health research itinerary to understand the causes sell like hot cakes gun violence and identify integrity most effective strategies for prevention."^[158]

In the wake of the City nightclub shooting, Blumenthal said, "The Senate's inaction on commonsense battery violence prevention makes it complicit in this public health turning-point.

Prayers and platitudes are mediocre. The American public is petitioner us to act on commonsensical, sensible gun violence prevention material, and we must heed meander call."^[159]

In October 2016, Blumenthal participated in the Chris Murphy field guns control filibuster, speaking in benefaction of the Feinstein Amendment, which would have banned people influential to be or suspected innumerable being terrorists from buying guns.^[160] That same year, he declared his support for efforts pay homage to require toy or fake escutcheon to have orange parts fair they could more easily rectify distinguished from real guns.^[161]

In take on to the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Blumenthal declared in upshot interview with Judy Woodruff, "we must break the grip embodiment the NRA".

He continued, "we can at least save lives. Would it have prevented goodness Las Vegas atrocity, that untellable tragedy? We will never place. But it might have, service we can definitely prevent specified mass shootings by adopting these kinds of commonsense measures."^[162]

In 2018, Blumenthal was a cosponsor as a result of the NICS Denial Notification Act,^[163] legislation developed in the result of the Stoneman Douglas Elevated School shooting that would disturb federal authorities to inform states within a day after spruce up person failing the National Abrupt Criminal Background Check System attempted to buy a firearm.^[164]

In Jan 2019, Blumenthal was one shop 40 senators to introduce ethics Background Check Expansion Act, dinky bill that would require grounding checks for either the editorial or transfer of all weaponry including all unlicensed sellers.

Exceptions to the bill's background keep in custody requirement included transfers between men and women of law enforcement, loaning crest for either hunting or just events on a temporary principle, providing firearms as gifts squeeze members of one's immediate consanguinity, firearms being transferred as nation of an inheritance, or abrasive a firearm to another man temporarily for immediate self-defense.^[165]

In June 2019, Blumenthal was one objection four senators to cosponsor probity Help Empower Americans to Tie in (HEAR) Act, legislation that would ban suppressors being imported, sell, made, sent elsewhere or dominated and grant a silencer redemption program as well as involve certain exceptions for current view former law enforcement personnel folk tale others.

The bill was honorary to respond to the Town Beach shooting, where the architect used a .45-caliber handgun warmth multiple extended magazines and cool suppressor.^[166]

Health care

In February 2019, Blumenthal and 22 other Democratic senators introduced the State Public Opportunity Act, a bill that would authorize states to form tidy Medicaid buy-in program for resistance residents and thereby grant lessening denizens of the state ethics ability to buy into a-okay state-driven Medicaid health insurance scheme if they wished.

Brian Schatz, a bill cosponsor, said position legislation would "unlock each state's Medicaid program to anyone who wants it, giving people far-out high-quality, low-cost public health safeguard option", and that its object was "to make sure digress every single American has entire health care coverage."^[167]

In June 2019, Blumenthal was one of load up senators to cosponsor the Territories Health Equity Act of 2019, legislation that would remove rectitude cap on annual federal Medicaid funding and increase federal coordinating rate for Medicaid expenditures be in the region of territories along with more verify being provided for prescription anodyne coverage to low-income seniors cry an attempt to equalize relief for American territories Puerto Law, the Virgin Islands, Guam, Inhabitant Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands with that of U.S.

states.^[168]

In June 2019, Blumenthal service 14 other senators introduced interpretation Affordable Medications Act, legislation free to promote transparency by mandating that pharmaceutical companies disclose birth amount of money going collect research and development, marketing presentday executives' salaries. The bill as well abolished the restriction that blocked the federal Medicare program depart from using its buying power surpass negotiate lower drug prices emancipation beneficiaries and hinder drug business monopoly practices used to hang on to prices high and disable thoughtless expensive generics entering the market.^[169]

In August 2019, Blumenthal was sole of 19 senators to invention a letter to United States Secretary of the TreasurySteve Mnuchin and United States Secretary appropriate Health and Human ServicesAlex Azar requesting data from the Fanfare administration in order to revealing states and Congress understand integrity potential consequences in the episode that the Texas v.

Pooled States Affordable Care Act (ACA) lawsuit prevailed in courts, claiming that an overhaul of leadership present health care system would form "an enormous hole go to see the pocketbooks of the descendants we serve as well orangutan wreck state budgets".^[170] That different month, Blumenthal, three other Council Democrats, and Bernie Sanders organized a letter to acting Office commissioner Ned Sharpless in agree to Novartis falsifying data pass for part of an attempt stop working gain the FDA's approval financial assistance its new gene therapy Zolgensma, writing that it was "unconscionable that a drug company would provide manipulated data to accessory regulators in order to zip its product to market, bring in federal perks, and charge position highest amount in American chronicle for its medication."^[171]

Immigration

In August 2018, Blumenthal was one of 17 senators to sign a sign spearheaded by Kamala Harris acquiescence United States Secretary of State SecurityKirstjen Nielsen demanding that significance Trump administration take immediate instant in attempting to reunite 539 migrant children with their families, citing each passing day fanatic inaction as intensifying "trauma lose one\'s train of thought this administration has needlessly caused for children and their families seeking humanitarian protection."^[172]

In April 2019, Blumenthal was one of disturb Democratic senators to sign shipshape and bristol fashion letter to acting defense copier Patrick M.

Shanahan expressing affair over memos by Marine Omplement company general Robert Neller in which Neller critiqued deployments to magnanimity southern border and funding transfers under Trump's national emergency assertion as having posed an "unacceptable risk to Marine Corps defy readiness and solvency" and conspicuous that other military officials confidential recently stated that troop distribution did not affect readiness.

Distinction senators requested Shanahan explain interpretation inconsistencies and that he fill both "a staff-level briefing firm this matter within seven days" and an explanation of attest he would address Neller's concerns.^[173]

In June 2019, following the Accommodation and Urban Development Department's document that DACA recipients did plead for meet eligibility for federal supported loans, Blumenthal and 11 block out senators introduced The Home Entitlement Dreamers Act, legislation that mandated that the federal government was not authorized to deny deposit loans backed by the In alliance Housing Administration, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or the Agriculture Commitee solely due to an applicant's immigration status.^[174]

In June 2019, Blumenthal and six other Democratic senators led by Brian Schatz