The Senate may wish to place a moratorium on criticism of New Haven fire fighter cum expert legal witness Frank Ricci. But we sure don’t.
On its official witness list, the Senate Judiciary Committee lists Ricci as Director of Fire Services, ConnectiCOSH (Connecticut Council on Occupational Safety and Health). And that’s understandable–he boasts as much on his website.
The problem, unfortunately, is that there is no such position.
Seeking to distance themselves from Ricci, ConnectiCOSH has sent a letter to Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) asking him to correct the record. “Mr. Ricci has posted on his website that he is the “Director of Fire Services for ConnectiCOSH” but there is no such position with ConnectiCOSH,” writes ConnectiCOSH Co-Chair Steve Schrag.
We have in no way authorized him to testify in relation to this nomination. In fact he does not hold any elected or appointed position with ConnectiCOSH.
Please remove ConnectiCOSH from any association with Mr. Frank Ricci in relation to his testimony before your committee regarding Judge Sonia Sodamayor as his views are his own and do not reflect our organization’s position regarding his lawsuit against the city of New Haven and subsequent legal decisions.
You can read the entire letter below the fold. At a glance, I’d say the non-existence of a “Director of Fire Services” position is probably evidence of anti-Ricci discrimination of some sort on the part of ConnectiCOSH, and they should either invent one or expect to be sued.
ConnectiCOSH
Ct Council on Occupational Safety & Health
683 North Mountain Road · Newington, CT 06111 · (860) 953-COSH (2674) · Fax (860) 953-1038
July 14, 2009
Senator Patrick J. Leahy
United States Senate
Committee on the Judiciary
224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510Dear Senator Leahy,
On behalf of the Connecticut Council on Occupational Safety and Health we wish to make clear that Mr. Frank Ricci is not speaking on behalf of our organization before your committee regarding the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Please remove ConnectiCOSH as an affiliation for him from your records and correct this error on the committee’s website.
Mr. Ricci in the past has participated in ConnectiCOSH activities to strengthen workers’ rights to refuse dangerous work and some fire safety issues. Mr. Ricci has posted on his website that he is the “Director of Fire Services for ConnectiCOSH” but there is no such position with ConnectiCOSH. We have in no way authorized him to testify in relation to this nomination. In fact he does not hold any elected or appointed position with ConnectiCOSH.
Please remove ConnectiCOSH from any association with Mr. Frank Ricci in relation to his testimony before your committee regarding Judge Sonia Sodamayor as his views are his own and do not reflect our organization’s position regarding his lawsuit against the city of New Haven and subsequent legal decisions.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Steve Schrag Judy Sparer
Steve Schrag Judy SparerCo-Chair ConnectiCOSH Board Member
CC: Frank Ricci