Attorney General of Connecticut
| Connecticut Attorney General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | General Statutes of Connecticut, 3-35-124 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
 | |
| Name: | George C. Jepsen |
| Officeholder Party: | Democratic |
| Assumed office: | January 5, 2011 |
| Compensation: | $110,000 |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 4, 2014 |
| Last election: | November 2, 2010 |
| Other Connecticut Executive Offices | |
| Governor•Lieutenant Governor•Secretary of State•Attorney General•Treasurer•Comptroller•Commissioner of Education•Agriculture Commissioner•Insurance Commissioner•Energy & Environmental Protection Commissioner•Labor Commissioner•Public Utilities Regulatory Authority | |
Contents |
Current officeholder
The current attorney general is George Jepsen, who was first elected in November 2010 and took office on January 5, 2011. He will first come up for re-election, if he chooses to run, in November 2014.
Before becoming attorney general, Jepsen was an attorney at the Hartford, CT law firm of Cowdery, Ecker and Murphy, LLC, where he specialized in corporate transaction and civil and appellate litigation. He previously worked for the firms of Shipman & Goodwin in Hartford and Abate & Fox in Stamford, and began his legal career as a general counsel for Carpenters Local 210 in Norwalk.
Jepsen served as a state representative from 1987 to 1990, then as a state senator from 1990 to 2003. He was also chairman of the state Democratic Party from 2003 to 2005.[1]
Authority
The office of attorney general, though it is mentioned in the state constitution, is formally established by state statute.[2]
General Statutes of Connecticut, 3-35-124
|
There shall be an Attorney General to be elected in the same manner as other state officers in accordance with the provisions of section 9-181. |
Qualifications
The attorney general must be an elector of the state, i.e. at least 18 years old and a resident of Connecticut, and must have "at least ten years' active practice at the bar of [the] state."[2]
General Statutes of Connecticut, 3-35-124
|
The Attorney General shall be an elector of this state and an attorney at law of at least ten years' active practice at the bar of this state. |
Elections
Attorneys general are elected to four year terms in federal midterm election years (2006, 2010, 2014, etc.) and take office on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in the January following their election.[3]
General Statutes of Connecticut, 9-146-181
|
At the state election to be held in 1966, and quadrennially thereafter, there shall be elected a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary, Treasurer, Comptroller and Attorney General to hold their respective offices from the Wednesday following the first Monday of the January next succeeding their election until the Wednesday following the first Monday of the fifth January succeeding their election and until their successors are qualified. |
Term limits
Connecticut state executive officers, including the attorney general, do not face term limits.
Vacancies
When a vacancy occurs in the office of attorney general, the governor appoints a replacement to serve out the unexpired portion of the term.[4]
General Statues of Connecticut, 9-146-213
|
(b) Any vacancy in the office of Attorney General shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired portion of the term. |
Duties
The attorney general has "general supervision over all legal matters in which the state is an interested party," represents state agencies and employees in their official capacities and provides advisory opinions when necessary.[5]
Additionally, the attorney general may establish legal task forces or units to pursue specific types of crime, e.g. the Health Care Fraud Unit, Antitrust Department, and Consumer Protection Department. The attorney general's office also provides citizens with a number of educational materials related to deceptive trade practices, banking regulations, etc.[6]
Divisions
- Antitrust
- Child Protection
- Civil Rights/Torts
- Collections & Child Support
- Consumer Protection
- Energy
- Employment Rights
- Environment
- Finance
- Health & Education
- Health Care Fraud/Whistleblower
- Public Safety
- Special Litigation
- Transportation
- Workers' Compensation and Labor Relations
Campaign finance discipline
The Attorney General of Connecticut is responsible for prosecuting all campaign finance law violations that involve criminal laws or any other matter deemed appropriate by the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission. [7] [8]
The first step if someone knows a person or committee violated Connecticut campaign finance law, then the first step is to file a complaint with the SEEC. It is up to the SEEC to investigate all complaints. [9] The SEEC is responsible for prosecuting all civil campaign finance law violations. [10]
Electoral history
2010
General election
| 2010 Race for Attorney General - General Election [11] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Democratic Party |  George C. Jepsen
|
53.7% | |
| Republican Party | Martha Dean | 43.6% | |
| Green Party | Stephen Fournier | 2.7% | |
| Total Votes | 1,101,794 | ||
Democratic Primary
- 2010 Race for Attorney General - Democratic Primary
- George C. Jepsen ran unopposed in this contest
Republican Primary
| 2010 Race for Attorney General - Republican Primary [12] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Republican Party | Martha Dean
|
60.5% | |
| Republican Party | Ross Garber | 39.5% | |
| Total Votes | 112,912 | ||
2006
- 2006 Race for Attorney General - Democratic Primary
- Richard Blumenthal ran unopposed in this contest
| 2006 Race for Attorney General - General Election [13] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Democratic Party | Richard Blumenthal
|
74.1% | |
| Republican Party | Robert Farr | 24.2% | |
| Green Party | Nancy Burton | 1.7% | |
| Total Votes | 1,055,937 | ||
2002
- 2002 Race for Attorney General - Democratic Primary
- Richard Blumenthal ran unopposed in this contest
| 2002 Race for Attorney General - General Election [14] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Democratic Party | Richard Blumenthal
|
65.6% | |
| Republican Party | Martha Dean | 34.4% | |
| Total Votes | 963,225 | ||
1998
- 1998 Race for Attorney General - Democratic Primary
- Richard Blumenthal ran unopposed in this contest
| 1998 Race for Attorney General - General Election [15] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Democratic Party | Richard Blumenthal
|
68.5% | |
| Republican Party | Santa Mendoza | 30.6% | |
| Libertarian Party | Richard J. Pober | 0.9% | |
| Total Votes | 921,414 | ||
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
In 2012, the Connecticut Attorney General was paid an estimated $110,000. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.
Contact Information
Capitol Address:
Post Office Box 120
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: (860) 808-5318
Fax: (860) 808-5387
E-mail: Attorney.General@po.state.ct.us
See also
Articles
External links
References
- ↑ Office of the Connecticut Attorney General, "Bio of George Jepsen," accessed July 25, 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 General Statutes of Connecticut, "3-35-124," accessed July 25, 2011.
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "9-146-181," accessed July 25, 2011.
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "9-146-213," accessed July 25, 2011.
- ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "3-35-125," accessed July 25, 2011.
- ↑ Office of the Connecticut Attorney General, "2009-2010 Annual Report," accessed July 25, 2011.
- ↑ "Connecticut General Assembly" Connecticut Campaign Finance Law(Referenced Statute 9-7(b)(7))
- ↑ "Connecticut General Assembly" Connecticut Campaign Finance Law(Referenced Statute 9-7(b)(7)(9)(10))
- ↑ "Connecticut General Assembly" Connecticut Campaign Finance Law(Referenced Statute 9-7(b))
- ↑ "Connecticut General Assembly" Connecticut Campaign Finance Law(Referenced Statute 9-7(b)(2))
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State - 2010 General Election Results
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State - 2010 Primary Election Results
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State - Vote for Attorney General 2006
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State - Vote for Attorney General 2002
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State - Vote for Attorney General 1998
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