State police automate firearm registration
Gun rights group complains about purchase delays
A gun rights group said Wednesday it is raising a new legal complaint about delays in the state gun registration process even as the state police said the agency is taking long-overdue steps to automate and speed up the registration system.
The ongoing dispute over delays in buying guns and permitting owners is taking place during a year in which law enforcement officers said citizens across society appear to be trying to buy record numbers of guns.
The nonprofit Connecticut Citizens Defense League asked a federal judge on Monday to schedule an emergency hearing on what the group characterized as unnecessary delays in carrying
which is operated by former state Rep. Selim Noujaim. “Congress has lost its way. We need Congress to work for us again.”
Logan, who is Black, criticized Hayes for strongly supporting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying he would vote against Pelosi for speaker if he gets to Washington. He predicted he would be able to catch up “relatively quickly” to Hayes’ early fundraising lead.
“I’m going to Washington to say no to radical politics and yes to radical sensibility,” Logan said as his supporters cheered. “We don’t need to grow government. We need to grow a healthy economy. … We don’t need politicians in Washington to tell you how to spend your money.”
Logan promised to be the polar opposite of Hayes, who is a reliable Democratic vote and a supporter of Pelosi. He described himself as a moderate Republican and a fiscal conservative.
The Hayes campaign did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Logan is hoping to impress national Republican fundraisers as the party seeks to regain a seat that was redistricted and was once held by Republicans John G. Rowland, Gary Franks and Nancy Johnson. But Democrat Chris Murphy broke that streak by beating Johnson in 2006, and Democrats have held the seat ever since as the district has trended Democratic.
While supporters believe the 2022 race could be close, Logan is already a veteran of close races for the state Senate. In 2018, Logan defeated union organizer Jorge Cabrera in a recount in a contest that Democrats thought they had won. Cabrera had been hailed as the victor by Senate Democrats, and Democrats had declared at the time that they would hold a wide majority in the Senate. But the final tally showed that Logan won by 85 votes, up from an earlier lead of 65 votes when the recount began.
But Cabrera then defeated Logan in a rematch in 2020.
Republicans had targeted the seat that was held by Sen. Joe Crisco for 24 years, and Logan finally defeated the incumbent in 2016. The district includes Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby and parts of Hamden, Naugatuck and Woodbridge.
Logan, who lives in the 3rd Congressional District, would need to move in order to represent the 5th District. After living in his home in Ansonia for 20 years, Logan said that he would “yes, yes, absolutely” move into the 5th District. But he does not expect to move until January so that he knows exactly where the district lines are after the redrawing that takes place every 10 years and is based on the U.S. census.
A graduate of Trinity College, Logan also holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Bridgeport. He eventually became director of engineering at Aquarion Water Co., where he still works in community relations.
A noted guitarist, Logan is friendly with Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont. Logan played “The Star-spangled Banner’’ in the style of famed guitarist Jimi Hendrix at Lamont’s inaugural ball in Hartford, and Lamont also invited Logan to play at the Woodstock Fair in August 2019 that commemorated the 50th anniversary of the rock festival that made history.
In an event that became known as “Nedstock,” both Lamont and Logan served as judges of the musical groups seeking to be named best band of the day.
A contest between Hayes and Logan would be historic in Connecticut with Black candidates from both major parties.
“I think it’s beautiful that we have two people of color vying for this same position,” Logan said. “We need more of that throughout Connecticut and throughout the nation as well. I don’t see anything odd about that.”