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NEWS JULY 6, 2020 ¦ 11

commissioners of Hardy’s decision to
say yes to the offer while they were in
executive session on her reappointment
soon after he received the fax.
Hardy will stay on as Hartford State’s
Attorney until a replacement is named,
upon which time she will begin in her
new role working for Colangelo.
The commission took the unprece-
dented step of suspending Hardy without
pay for four days on June 18 for her role
in the handling of those police-involved
shootings. At the time, commission
chairman and Associate Supreme Court
Justice Andrew McDonald said, accord- Chief State’s Attorney Richard Colangelo and outgoing Hartford
ing to the state’s NBC affiliate, that there State’s Attorney Gail Hardy.

was a “serious dereliction in duty for her inexcusable A focus on youth is important for the office, Col-
delay in submitting these reports.” angelo said.
Despite the controversy, Colangelo said Tuesday “I am the father of four kids,” Colangelo said.
afternoon he felt Hardy, who has been Hartford “Youth are so important and we want to make sure
State’s Attorney for 13 years, was the best person for they have a voice and that they know their voice is
the new role at his office. being heard by us.”
“As any prosecutor in Connecticut, we will make The American Civil Liberties Union of Con-
decisions people do not agree with,” Colangelo said. necticut was one of the loudest voices in asking that
“That is the nature of the job. Hardy not be reappointed.
One of the best things about this On Tuesday, Melvin Medi-
country is we have the ability to na, public policy and advocacy
voice displeasure in something we director for the ACLU of Con-
don’t agree with. If you look at the Despite controversy over necticut, called the sequence of
public comments from the reap- incomplete investigations events regarding Hardy “strange-
pointment hearing, there were a ly timed.”
lot of comments that were positive of police-involved “This seems to me as an exam-
about Gail in how she provided shootings, Colangelo said
outreach to all parts of the com- Tuesday afternoon he feels ple of prosecutors being shielded
munity.” Hardy is the best person for by their own from public scru-
the new role at his office. tiny,” Medina said. “In the wee
Colangelo, who said he’s known hours of a vote, there is this phan-
Hardy for about 20 years, said tom position that arises for her to
she’ll do outreach for the office. step into. It’s just another example
“It’s one of the biggest projects of the status quo.”
I am working on,” Colangelo said. Hardy did not respond to a re-
Hardy’s task, Colangelo said, will bring together quest for comment for this report.
leaders from education, the faith community, so- ¦

cial services and those representing the youth. The Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
group will meet monthly and Hardy will organize analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
and run the meetings, said Colangelo, who noted he him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
plans on attending every meeting. 203-437-5950.

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