This letter to the editor has been sponsored by Wilton resident and former State Representative Gail Lavielle.
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To the Editor:
Kim Healy is not a hypocrite or a liar. Yet Melissa Spohn would have us believe that Kim would not protect reproductive rights when “Republican push comes to Candelora shove,” because Rep. Vin Candelora paid for a mailer stating that she supports Republican proposals for tax relief.
Kim has all the characteristics of someone who would not do this. She is independent, proud, and averse to pressure. But even if she didn’t, it doesn’t work like that. I suppose that Ms. Spohn wouldn’t know because she isn’t there. She probably thinks everyone does what the Democrats do. In my 10 years in the legislature, no one directed me on how to vote on anything. When Republican Rob Sampson introduced bills on notification and parental consent, we would all groan and demand a voice vote. House Republicans vote as they choose. But I remember waiting a whole afternoon when the Black and Puerto Rican caucus refused to vote on a bill that the Democrats absolutely wanted. The leaders spent most of the afternoon bribing individuals — with gifts for their districts.
Kim is a serious candidate in this election, focused on our tax and economic situation. She has also spent much of her time on zoning issues, education, and on the dignity and purpose of the police force. Abortion? She has not had the time for it, and neither has Vin Candelora.
I suggest that if she is truly concerned, Ms. Spohn should talk to the minority leader. He would tell her immediately how inconsistent with his character her scenario is. He would not obligate anyone — including Kim Healy — to eat her words.
Gail Lavielle
State Representative, 143 district (2011-2021)
Cool, you guys spend the entire campaign attacking the Democratic candidates over positions they don’t hold on regionalization, and now that they’re fighting back and their attacks seem to be landing, you start complaining about all the negativity.
If Connecticut Republicans don’t want to be associated with the toxic policies of the national Republican Party then they should stop calling themselves Republicans.
As Ms. Lavielle wrote, “When Republican Rob Sampson introduced bills on notification and parental consent, we would all groan and demand a voice vote.” Thanks for validating that a Republican initiated repeated bills for abortion restrictions. This is a threat to women’s healthcare that Connecticut women stand against, and won’t risk losing to any Republican candidate, Kim Healy included. Vote for Keith Denning.
It is very honorable that Gail Lavielle would respond in support of Kim Healy.
The off the cuff comment she made about abortion, belittling an issue that is very important to many people, regardless of their political affiliation, speaks to where her party stands on this issue.
The Republican candidates who say they support and will protect a woman’s right to autonomy over her own body, and keeping the government out of it, need to tell the voters if they intend to send Leora Levy to the United States Senate.
If Republicans win the majority, a bill will come before the senate for a federal ban on abortion. Leora Levy will vote in favor of a federal ban on abortion. Leora Levy will block any gun safety legislation that comes before the senate. Those are facts.
Will the “pro-choice” candidates in our district vote for Leora Levy? Yes or No?
A letter from Vincent Candelora and now a sponsored letter from Ms. Lavielle; house minority leader and the former state representative. They both are responding to the letter by Ms. Spohn. It seems she touched a nerve.
I contacted Kim Healy upon hearing of the PAC contributions and asked her to give the money back and stop the ads so that it becomes clear where she stands. I have yet to receive a response. It’s very simple Kim, denounce the money and where it came from and stop the ads.
Editor’s note: Vincent Candelora did not send a letter; Vincent Candelora made a comment on Melissa Spohn’s sponsored letter.
Could you please correct that to ‘A response by Mr. Candelora to a letter by Ms. Spohn’, just so no one is mislead?
I’m not sure what happened when Gail Lavielle was serving and perhaps things were different back in her day under former Democratic leadership, but as the only Wilton Representative who has ever actually been a member of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, I find her assertion absurd: “But I remember waiting a whole afternoon when the Black and Puerto Rican caucus refused to vote on a bill that the Democrats absolutely wanted. The leaders spent most of the afternoon bribing individuals — with gifts for their districts.”
That aside has nothing to do with Kim Healy’s stance on any issue or even how the legislature will work in 2023.
As always, I urge people to do their own research on candidates and vote accordingly.
There are a myriad of ways to support and defend a friend and fellow political representative. Unfortunately, Ms. Lavielle’s tactic of dismissing the very real and very critical topic of abortion as unworthy of thought or action, while being insulting about the opposing party is, sadly, what we’ve come to expect lately from the politicians of the Republican bent. Both she and Ms. Healy would have been better served by a thoughtful and respectful rebuttal. But Ms. Lavielle has certainly been helpful in validating my upcoming choice. And yes, Ms. Lavielle – some of us DO think about choice.
Support for abortion is more complex than Gail (and Kim and Toni Boucher) make it. Would Kim and Toni 1) continue support for Medicaid coverage in CT for abortion, 2) entertain any of the 30 restrictive bills proposed by state Republicans in the last 8 years, and 3) vote with every single Republican House and Senate member in opposing 2021 law restricting false advertising by so-called “crisis pregnancy centers?” Ms. Spohn is right to question the depth of Ms. Healy’s commitment to a woman’s right to choose…no matter what.
“Abortion? She has not had the time for it…” Gail, is this just your assumption? It’s dismissive and I can’t imagine a person, a parent, or a candidate, “not having time” to consider their position on this issue.
As others have pointed out, Ms.
Lavielle’s dismissive, “Abortion? She has not had the time for it” comment is not only tone deaf but telling. It is simply not an issue we can trust the Republicans on to take seriously when it comes to
protecting on any level a woman’s right to choose. Read the room.
Gail, your snarky letter and gratuitous insult against a very specific group of fellow legislature members shows your true colors and reflects poorly on the local Republican party. Do I believe your claim that Kim Healy is “independent” and a “serious candidate?” Let’s see… She has shown a concerning indifference, dismissiveness, defensiveness and a lack of effort to understand, develop and articulate substantive, thoughtful solutions specific to issues affecting Wilton. Healy has jumped on her party’s bandwagon, adopting in its entirety her party’s generic statewide platform, yet demands “local control” when we already have it in many places. She parrots national party dog whistles and dwells on nonexistent wedge issues to fearmonger. Not only did Healy accept payments for political ads from two PACS chaired by anti-choice CT House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, she also accepted Candelora’s political appointment to serve on a state student literacy committee for which she was and is wholly unqualified. Despite admitting that abortion laws in Connecticut “can be changed,” Healy does not even mention choice on her website (or other issues important to Wilton residents like gun safety or LGTBQ rights), and is not transparent with specifics regarding how or if she will vote against the many republican legislative attempts to chip away at women’s rights. Would she have voted with every single other Republican house and senate member in opposing 2021’s law restricting false advertising by “crisis pregnancy centers?” You say Healy “has not had the time” to spend on abortion because she is focused on other issues, including education. Yet Healy proves to be surprisingly uninformed about our schools and local education needs. I urge everyone to watch Healy’s full interview with GMW. Can we trust that this candidate will work hard to defend our rights? Will she come to the table with positivity and a broad world-view, prepared with thoughtful solutions, ready to collaborate with Democrats and eschew republican proposals which don’t align with constituent priorities? Wilton deserves better. Our community will continue to thrive with thoughtful, principled Democrats who will work hard for all of us in Hartford. Keith Denning, Ceci Maher and Stephanie Thomas have my vote. And Kim – in case you still haven’t found it – the detailed curricula are right there, front and center on the Wilton public schools home page under “Teaching & Learning.” It took me about ten seconds to find!