A Connecticut lawmaker who saw her influence wane after losing a fight to become majority leader, suggested in an extraordinary farewell speech to the House that her marginalization in Hartford came at the hands of her party’s leadership.
Remarks Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, made at the start of a one-day special session, came six weeks after her unconventional non-announcement of her intention not to run again: She simply failed to show up at her district’s nominating convention, refusing to take calls from the party’s leadership, her colleagues or the press.
Porter said publicly for the first time Thursday that she had been stripped of her role as co-chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee prior to the 2023 session, contradicting the previous framing by House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, as a change made in consultation with Porter.
She read a paragraph from a Connecticut Mirror story posted May 15, the night of her convention no-show that described her as “at odds, or at least distant, from leaders and members of the House Democratic caucus in recent years” and giving up her labor post.
“I hope I haven’t done anything that has distanced me when I have been made to feel the total opposite — made to feel ostracized, marginalized, demonized,” Porter said. She looked at Ritter, who was presiding.
Ritter listened, jaw clenched.
Porter said any suggestion that her departure from the Labor and Public Employees Committee was voluntary was a “gut punch.”
She said she was at a conference out of state when she heard from lobbyists and colleagues that they had heard a change in the committee leadership was coming.
“What I decided to do was to exit with grace and humility. That’s what I decided to do. And I have to tell you, I’m glad I did that because of the way things turned out,” Porter said. “I can sleep at night. But what I don’t want to do is leave this building without putting my truth on the record. I would have never gave up my labor chair. But I did pass the baton to our beloved Q. That’s what I did. And I saw fit to do that.”
She was succeeded by Rep. Quentin “Q” Williams, a popular Democrat from Middletown who was killed in a car crash after the opening day of the session in January 2023.
Porter offered no further comments after the speech, declining to say what she meant by “the ways things turned out” or what the leadership, presumably a reference to Ritter, did to ostracize her.
Porter declined to say if she was referring to Ritter, or House Majority Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, who defeated her for majority leader. Or both.
Porter said her comments spoke for themselves, and she was at peace.
From the chair, Ritter said, “Thank you, Rep. Porter, and we certainly all wish you the best of luck.”
In an interview later, Ritter declined to describe in detail the private conversation he had with Porter about leaving labor and taking on a new role.
“I think the description on the floor was pretty accurate: I think that there was a decision to sort of pass the baton on to Rep. Williams,” Ritter said. “And, as much as it may be today painted as adversarial, I actually at the time did not find it adversarial.”
Ritter conceded he had concerns about how Porter managed the committee and had fielded complaints that she was involved in urging a potential challenge to one of her colleagues in New Haven. But he insisted there was no confrontation.
“I thought it was a respectful conversation, and I think that I’ve worked just fine with Rep. Porter since that happened,” Ritter said. “I wish her nothing but happiness.”
The House recessed for a Democratic caucus after Porter’s remarks to review pending legislation. Ritter said he and Porter said nothing to each other about her speech.
