“We have been in darkness before, and we’ll get beyond this period.”
— Attorney General William Tong
KENT – Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, the latest Democratic politician to campaign in the Northwest Corner in recent weeks, joined State Rep. Maria Horn of the 64th District at a Democratic Town Committee fundraiser in Kent, where the leaders criticized actions by the Trump administration while urging supporters to remain focused on the future.
Speaking at 109 Cheese & Wine, Tong, who is running for his third term as attorney general, emphasized the role states can play in pushing back against federal actions they believe exceed constitutional limits.
“We get to live the way we want to live,” Tong said, explaining that while certain powers are granted to the federal government under the Constitution, states retain authority over many areas of public life.
Tong said he has challenged the Trump administration when he believes it has exceeded its authority, noting that Connecticut has joined dozens of lawsuits against the federal government.
“We’ve told Trump we didn’t agree and that he has limited power,” he said.
He pointed to education and elections as examples of responsibilities that largely remain under state control.
Tong has also been outspoken on immigration matters, particularly the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which he said has been granted “tremendous power.” Tong questioned some federal enforcement tactics, including the presence of federal officers at airports, arguing that certain practices are difficult to justify.
“They have this power, but it seems they don’t have to be nice about it,” he said.
Tong criticized the administration’s tariffs, arguing that Congress – not the president – has authority over trade policy.
“He did it anyway until he was challenged,” Tong said. “But the Supreme Court agreed with us by a vote of 6 to 3. The justices agreed Congress is in charge of tariffs.”
Tong also discussed abortion rights, pointing to the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, which overturned Roe v. Wade and returned abortion policy to the states.
He and other Democrats are fighting back on restrictions to the drug Methotrexate, which is sometimes used in abortion-related care but is also used to treat other health conditions like cancer, arthritis and lupus.
“I’ll fight for this tooth and nail,” he said.
Asked what gives him hope, Tong pointed to the Supreme Court.
“I’ve watched the justices operate and they continue to impress me with their command of the law, except two of them,” he said, adding that he has no other choice but to have hope.
“We have been in darkness before, and we’ll get beyond this period,” Tong said.
Running for a fifth term, Maria Horn said she originally threw her hat into the ring because of the irresponsibility she saw in the federal government. But now, she describes it as cruelty, corruption and destruction.
Horn said she is pleased that in the Connecticut General Assembly, members choose to be collegial.
“We listen and try to come to compromises,” she said. With a healthy fund balance, she added, elected officials have been able to establish policies that allow for addressing priorities, such as investing in free daycare for parents earning under a certain income. She said money has also been sent to municipalities to help them alleviate the pressure of rising property taxes.
“We listened to the people who said they wanted us to invest in kids and in their towns,” Horn said.
