Jimmy Kimmel Live

Drinking was tolerated for decades by multiple House Speakers and various legislative leaders, but that shifted in 2021 when the same legislator who was arrested recently for drunken driving — Comey — made a halting speech on the House floor that eventually ended when she could not complete her remarks. She later said that she was suffering from anxiety, exhaustion, and too much wine at dinner.

Comey’s speech became a flash point as it gained national attention after being mentioned on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on ABC.

“Republicans and Democrats have been drinking during work hours in Connecticut,” Kimmel told his national audience. “And while it is nice to see them finally agree on something, the result of that merry-making is this now-viral video of Rep. Robin Comey trying to say something.”

With the Capitol complex largely empty due to pandemic restrictions and legislators left with long stretches of free time, alcohol consumption became an issue during the 2021 session, lawmakers said. Some legislators were drinking on the top floor of the legislative parking garage as they were able to listen to the House debates on their laptop computers that were often left along the top-floor skywalk that connects the Legislative Office Building with the parking garage’s roof. The pandemic rules allowed legislators to cast votes without entering the House chamber as long as they were anywhere within the confines of the Capitol complex.

Legislative receptions with alcohol have since ended, and the traditional Irish Coffee Break on St. Patrick’s Day was recently moved off campus to the Officer’s Club for the first time in more than 30 years.

“We haven’t had those events since COVID, and I’m not sure they’re ever going to come back,” Candelora said.