Admonished For Drinking At Capitol, Branford Lawmaker Apologizes

BRANFORD, CT — After the state House Speaker said he scolded lawmakers about occasions of indulgent alcohol consumption at the Capitol, state Rep. Robin Comey, who was singled out after a legislative session last week was scuttled when she struggled to speak on her bill advocating for early childhood education services, apologized, saying a combination of anxiety, exhaustion and wine at dinner was to blame for her inability to carry on.

The Democrat, who represents Branford, said in an emailed statement to Patch that what occurred is an anomaly.

“This type of behavior is not typical for me,” Comey said. “I take full responsibility for my error in judgment.”

But Rep. Matt Ritter is reported to have said he was not going to “downplay” the incident.

"I have on multiple occasions had to talk to the caucus or individuals in my office. There are lines you cannot cross and if somebody ever left this building and injured somebody or themselves, I can't even begin to think about what those consequences would be, and I don't want them to happen on our watches in leadership,” Ritter said. “To say that this is being taken seriously is an understatement."

Comey said that while she was speaking on the bill, of which she is a primary author, that she “suddenly and unexpectedly began to feel unwell."

“This was due to several factors, including anxiety, exhaustion, and, regrettably, the wine I had with dinner,” Comey’s statement reads. “In an abundance of caution, I did not drive home and remained in Hartford until the following morning."

Ritter said he did "not want to get into specifics," and that there may have been health-related issues involved, "but what I would say at the end of the day is, we take it very, very seriously."

In a press event, Ritter said while the “incidents are a little more isolated, maybe not as widespread as some might think," nonetheless, it’s expected that lawmakers act as “adults, to understand the consequences of their decisions."

As reported by Patch, COVID-19 mitigation measures have allowed lawmakers to work from their laptops, including vote-casting.

"When you have very few people around, and you have a lot of idle time, and the ability to vote from your office, yeah, that probably has contributed to it a little bit," Ritter said. "If it happens again, there will be significant consequences associated with it.”

In her statement, Comey addressed her constituents in Branford.

“I will continue fighting for you with the same responsibility, respect and commitment as always,” she said, noting she was “grateful for your understanding and support."

Patch editor Rich Kirby contributed reporting.