Who Knew What When?

“While I cannot comment directly on Judge Zarella’s qualifications to serve as State Supreme Chief Justice – it is clear that Gov. Rell should not re-nominate him and that former Chief Justice Sullivan’s actions have irrevocably harmed the confirmation process. Additionally, the sudden resignation of Chief Justice Sullivan and Gov. Rell’s immediate nomination of Judge Zarella to replace him, have already been troubling. Those concerns were immediately compounded yesterday as it is now clear that Judge Sullivan’s acted to protect Judge Zarella’s nomination at a point in time prior to Gov. Rell even saying she knew there was a vacancy. Either Judge Sullivan or Gov. Rell don’t have their stories straight, either way this harkens back to a way of doing business that Connecticut residents thought they put behind them. They deserve better.”

This little missive is from gubernatorial hopeful John DeStefano, and it suggests that Democrats are fully prepared to turn the nominating process for Judge Zarella into an Alito moment.

It is certain that retiring Supreme Court Chief Justice William Sullivan was attempting to grease the skids under Judge Peter Zarella when he withheld publication of a court decision that might have impeded the judge’s nomination. Zarella’s decision is easily defensible, particularly since the judge voted with the majority, and Sullivan’s ham-fisted attempt to ease the way for Zarella shows that the judiciary is not practiced in the ways of politics.

The question of the moment appears to be: Who knew what and when did they know it?