The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Sources: Esty mulls 2020 comeback
Office denies rumors of another House run
WASHINGTON — Although she bowed out of her 2018 re-election bid in the wake of missteps over the firing of an abusive chief of staff, Rep. Elizabeth Esty is said to be talking about a possible return to Capitol Hill in 2020.
Esty’s office is denying the information. However, in separate interviews, three former Esty staffers said that Esty, DConn., has told current staffers and perhaps fellow lawmakers that she is seriously contemplating a run in 2020 for the same seat she will soon vacate.
If so, a race to reclaim representation of Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District could be viewed as redemption for a Democratic lawmaker who decided not to seek a fourth term earlier this month after admitting mistakes in easing out former chief of staff Tony Baker in 2016.
But to former — and, likely, current — staffers jarred by the revelations of Esty’s conduct, a rehabilitative run in 2020 would fly in the face of her promises to devote her remaining time in part to addressing abuse and harassment on Capitol Hill.
“It’s too soon to be turning the page,” said one former staff member. “It may always be too soon to be turning the page.”
Esty’s office denied the 58-year-old Cheshire resident is entertaining thoughts of a comeback.
“Rep. Esty has announced that she is not running for re-election and nothing has changed since she made that announcement,” said her current chief of staff, Timothy Daly, in an email. “Her focus right now is serving out the remainder of her term to the best of her ability.”
Asked whether Esty specifically disavows talking about any plan to run again, Daly replied: “There is no truth to a claim for a run in 2020.”
On April 2, the day she quit the 2018 race, Esty said in a statement that Congress needs “stronger workplace protections” to eliminate instances of abuse and harassment.
“In my final months in Congress, I will use my power to fight for action and meaningful change,” she said.
At the heart of Esty’s decision to quit her 2018 re-election bid was her acceptance of blame for keeping Baker on the office payroll for three months after learning of his abusive behavior in 2016.
After a night of heavy drinking, Baker let loose an expletive-laden round of about 50 phone calls, messages and texts threatening to find Esty’s former scheduler, Anna Kain, and kill her.
Kain went to court and obtained a year-long protective order against Baker. Her court petition said Baker had threatened Kain over disclosing his behavior to the House ethics panel, saying she would never
“Her focus right now is serving out the remainder of her term to the best of her ability.”
Timothy Daly, Esty’s chief of staff
find another job.
Baker and Kain had a consensual relationship in 2013, which was Esty’s first year in office after winning the seat formerly occupied by now-Sen. Chris Murphy. They broke it off by mutual consent the same year.
In January 2014, Baker went from being Esty’s legislative director to chief of staff — a promotion that made him Kain’s boss.
It was then that Kain started enduring abusive treatment from Baker, she said, including a punch in the back — the only element of Kain’s accusations that Baker has specifically denied.
Esty said she knew nothing of the abusive behavior until receiving a report of Baker’s phoned and texted threats to Kain on May 5, 2016. The abuse took place after Baker became intoxicated at a party he threw to mark his 10th anniversary on Capitol Hill.
Esty took responsibility for keeping Baker in the office while an investigation of his conduct proceeded, and then taking him as part of her political entourage to the Democratic convention in Philadelphia after firing him.
She also said she should not have offered a positive job recommendation that enabled him to find a position in his native Ohio with Sandy Hook Promise — a job from which he has since been dismissed.
Esty initially said she hoped she could survive the ensuing firestorm that followed disclose of her efforts to ease Baker out quietly.
But leading Democrats in Connecticut were among those calling for her resignation.
If it did indeed occur, an Esty comeback in 2020 would be fraught with obstacles. At least three possible Democratic replacements have expressed interest in occupying the seat, including Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley.
They are founders of Newtown-based Sandy Hook Promise and the parents of children slain in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
If a Democrat wins in November — the seat is rated “lean Democrat” by the authoritative Cook Political Report — there is no guarantee the new lawmaker would want to relinquish his or her seat in 2020.
The Connecticut Democratic Party’s spokeswoman, Christina Polizzi, said she was unaware of any expression of interest by Esty in running in 2020.
"The Democratic Party is focused on 2018 and making sure we elect a Democrat in this seat who will stand up to Donald Trump and Republicans on issues from combatting gun violence to protecting our health care to creating jobs that pay a fair wage,” she said.
Esty’s political staff has been figuring how to reimburse contributors for campaign donations designated for the general election, which they are obligated to do under federal election law. Esty’s campaign had $1.6 million in cash on hand as of the end of March.
But the majority of the money is designated for the Aug. 14 primary. Under law, those who contributed for the primary must request a refund.
In an interview last week, Daly told Hearst Connecticut Media that the number of refunds so far was fewer than 100, and that Esty had not decided what to do with the primary money that had not been requested for refund.
Daly and Esty’s press secretary did not respond to requests Monday to interview Esty.
In an interview April 10 upon her return to Washington, Esty said she didn’t know what she would do when her term in office ends on Jan. 20, 2019.
“My focus now is to be as effective as I can be, to continue to serve in my present job,” she said. “I’m hoping to have some good come out of all this pain.”