Watching the executions of two Minneapolis residents protesting the federal government’s immigration policies, millions of Americans, repulsed at what they see ask themselves, what can we do?
The short session of the state legislature, which began on February 4 and concludes May 6, provides a narrow window to enact an important change in the law. Protect Democracy founder Ian Bassin told Mona Charen on the February 2 episode of her podcast, The Mona Charen Show, that states can give their residents the right to sue federal officials for civil rights violations.
Bassin pointed out that under current law, a person whose civil rights are violated by a local or state official can seek redress in federal court but if a federal official is the bad actor, there is little recourse. Protect Democracy’s proposal would change that by states authorizing its residents to seek civil justice in state court against federal agents who violate their civil rights.
Connecticut already has an inspector general who investigates the police use of deadly physical force. Our state law could be expanded to give the inspector general authority to investigate incidents involving federal law enforcement authorities. He might have trouble gathering evidence from stonewalling federal officials, but that would only bolster the argument for giving individuals an independent right to sue in state court a federal official who violates their civil rights.
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California is moving forward with its version of this legislation. Its state Senate voted 30 to 10 along party lines in favor of it. The state’s House of Representative is likely to follow. There will be years of litigation in federal courts to strike down the law. The law may be able to withstand challenges. Federal courts have emerged as our most reliable bulwark against the ceaseless efforts of Trump administration officials to pervert or ignore the law.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul, our New York neighbor, announced support for similar legislation in her annual state of the state address last month. While Gov. Ned Lamont did not include his own proposal in his February 4 speech, his tone was firmly on the side of finding ways to protect Connecticut residents from the violent acts of federal officials that violate our traditional rights to speech and assembly. There’s no reason to think he would oppose an additional means of protecting our embattled rights in state court.
We approach two anniversaries this month of events involving a war that is closer than many believe. February 24 will mark the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of democratic Ukraine. Russian troops brought their dress uniforms with them because a triumphal parade through Kyiv was planned for the end of a short and victorious war. Russian generals and their overmaster, dictator Vladimir Putin expected to defeat the nation of 40 million in 10 days with lightning strikes and overwhelming force.
Russia has failed. Abandoned equipment in the early going revealed corruption pervading the ranks. Money intended to be spent on tires had been pocketed by officers. The poverty of Russian life was clear by soldiers’ looting toilets from Ukrainian buildings to send home to Russia. “Steal a toilet and die,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the great man of our time, pointed out was the most glory a Russian soldier could achieve.
Ukraine has fought on and inflicted more than a million casualties, dead, wounded, and missing, on Russia. It has come at great cost, but Ukraine survives as a free nation. Its courage and innovation in defending itself has won the admiration of much of the world–except, oddly, in the White House. February 28 marks the first anniversary of one of the lowest moments in either Trump administration.
That was the day the president and Vice President J.D. Vance ambushed Zelenskyy in an extraordinary assault on democratic values in the Oval Office. Vance, who after the 2022 Russian invasion said, “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other,” accused Zelenskyy of being insufficiently grateful for American support. Trump spat out his belief, and probably also his hope, the Ukraine had “no cards” The craven careerist Secretary of the State Marco Rubio slumped in silence.
Let no one forget either’s instinctive betrayal of a sovereign ally on the embattled frontline of freedom as the duo jockey to become the next Republican nominee for president.
The United States twice suspended aid to Ukraine in 2025. The administration has not asked Congress to authorize additional support. Trump welcomed Putin, for whom he maintains a weird admiration, to a red-carpet summit in Alaska last summer. American envoy Steve Witkoff later presented a peace proposal thick with Russian talking points. North Korea has sent troops to Russia to kill Ukrainians. Young Africans captured by Ukraine claim they were tricked into joining the Russian army. Russia has abducted tens of thousands of Ukrainian children, one of the invasion’s most heartbreaking war crimes.
What can we do? Our state government buys hundreds of cars each year. They replace vehicles that have depreciated to zero but still work. Ukraine needs vehicles. We can send the ones we are done with to Ukraine. The State Police have recently purchased some notable upgrades to their fleet. Send what was replaced to Ukraine, and others, too. California, Ohio, and West Virginia that have sent body armor and headgear to Ukraine. Ohio donated armored personnel carriers that its National Guard was discarding.
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation, helping Ukraine is one way to highlight Connecticut as a critical manufacturer of guns and ammunition during the Revolutionary War. Any equipment Ukraine does not have to purchase allows resources to be spent on making more advanced drones to drop explosives on Russian refineries. And it honors the spirit of Yankee ingenuity that helped secure our own freedom and continues to flourish at the border of liberty and servitude 4,500 miles from Connecticut.
They are fighting our fight. We can help.
Reach Kevin F. Rennie at [email protected]