Raj Shah, spokesman for Republican U.S. Senate Rob Simmons, lashed out against Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for his role in a lawsuit that wound up costing the state $18 million.
“This reckless lawsuit by Attorney General Blumenthal ruined a state business, killed Connecticut jobs and will cost the state tens of millions of dollars,” Shah said in a statement. “It serves as a window into his sue first, ask questions later mentality that has helped create one of the least competitive climates for business and cost our state jobs.”
In a stunning verdict Friday, a jury at Superior Court in Waterbury sided with Gina Malapanis, owner of Computers Plus Center Inc., that state officials had violated her or her company’s civil rights and ruined her business with false claims that she had broken her state contract.
“Richard Blumenthal never hesitates to file lawsuits and hold press conferences to demagogue businesses,” Shah said, “and that’s just one reason why he was named the nation’s ‘worst Attorney General’ by the Competitive Enterprise Institute.”
The long-running court battle began in 2003 when the state sued the firm, seeking $1.75 million in damages. At the time, Blumenthal said that, for more than 10 years, the company had been selling the state computers that lacked the proper parts.
Blumenthal vowed to fight the award.
“This verdict against the Department of Information Technology is wrong, inconsistent with law and evidence presented at trial,” he said. “I will vigorously and aggressively fight to reverse this flawed finding. We will immediately ask the court to throw out the award and verdict as a matter of law. If the verdict stands, we will appeal.”
Blumenthal, a Democrat, is also running for U.S. Senate. He and Simmons are among several candidates seeking to fill the seat that will be vacated by U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd.
The economic concerns of small businesses have been at the forefront of policy debate in recent weeks. In his State of the Union speech, President Obama courted small businesses, promising tax breaks and an infusion of capital.
Simmons, a former congressman who also served as the state’s business advocate, is kicking off a tour next week to highlight the concerns of small businesses across the state.