Hartford, Conn., Jul 7, 2009 / 00:49 am
The Connecticut Attorney General has called upon the Office of State Ethics (OSE) to abandon action against the Diocese of Bridgeport, citing “profound and serious constitutional concerns” in its investigation into whether the Catholic Church in the state acted as a lobbyist in opposing radical legislation that would have forcibly reorganized the Church.
A state bill proposing to redefine the financial and pastoral structure of the Catholic Church in Connecticut brought swift reaction from the states’ bishops and Catholic laity. Bishops made outspoken protests while hundreds of people were bused in for a rally at the state capitol.
State lobbying law requires that any rally sponsors who advocate for or against legislation be required to register as lobbyists when their costs exceed $2,000.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in a June 30 legal opinion commented about the “profound and serious” concerns in the enforcement of lobbyist legislation laws against the Church.