House GOP Leader Candelora Statement on Waterbury Mayor O’Leary’s State of the City Address

HARTFORD—House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora on Thursday issued the following response to Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary’s comments about crime during his state of the city address: "I applaud Mayor O'Leary for providing a sobering summary of a crime crisis that he, like Republicans, says is affecting Connecticut's cities as well as their suburbs, and for placing the focus where it belongs—the legislature. I don't blame the Mayor for expressing the view that criminals have more rights than the crowd that assembled to see him speak today because residents throughout our state feel the same way. Mayor O'Leary is right in saying that Connecticut’s revolving-door criminal justice policies must be revamped, and as someone who watches the Judiciary Committee closely, I share his frustration over Democrats on that panel who are obstructionists to the policy changes that are desperately needed. I hope both the Governor and my colleagues across the aisle let the Mayor’s remarks today sink in. Connecticut has a problem with crime, and that won’t change until they acknowledge it and admit their approach just isn’t working."