Trinity-Area Representative Called to Resign Over Texts

BRENDAN CLARK ’21
NEWS EDITOR
Representative Angel Acre (D-Hartford), who represents the neighborhood in which Trinity is located, has been called upon by Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, and numerous other colleagues amid questions surrounding a series of messages between Mr. Acre and a sixteen year-old female in 2015 that was first reported in The Hartford Courant last Thursday, Mar. 1.
The exchanges were not lewd but did reveal an affectionate exchange between the two individuals. The messages were shared with the Courant and appeared in publication as follows: “Good night love and sweet dreams and thank you for coming into my life,” one text read, while others said: “I wish you were living in Hartford. We be hanging out all the times;” “You so beautiful and gorgeous;” “Really hun trust I think we going to keep a lot of secrets between us;” “Hope you know how to keep things to yourself when we conversate;” “I’m going to help your mom get that job in Hartford.” Mr. Acre has not alluded to a possible resignation and his lawyer, Jeffery Kestenband, issued a statement that his client “did not do anything improper but will not comment further based on my advice.” Mr. Aresimowicz was removed from his committee positions and stripped of his title as assistant majority leader, a spokesman for the speaker announced.
On Thursday, Mar. 1, the Courant also reported that photocopies of the exchanges had been left in the mail room of the Legislative Office Building to the attention of the four House caucuses. A letter was attached which urged the resignation of Mr. Acre and was signed by “concerned Hartford citizens.”
Senate Republican leader Len Fasano had prevented the spread of the documentation to his caucus and added to the Courant that “Whatever happens, happens,” further expressing his desire not to “spread gossip.”
In a follow-up article on March 3, the Courant reported that the State Capitol Police had documentation of the messages, but that they did not describe a crime. The Police also added that they will initiate an investigation “if information is received alleging a crime or if a victim comes forth.”
On Saturday, the chairman of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, Representative Christopher Rosario (D-Bridgeport), added to the call for Mr. Acre to “step down,” adding that the scandal has already caused a considerable disruption.
The Courant also reported that Mr. Acre gave a brief interview on Saturday in which he repeatedly responded to inquiries with the instruction of “talk to my attorney, with all due respect.” This story was originally run in two separate articles by The Hartford Courant, one on Mar. 1 and one on Mar. 3, both by Jon Lender. The Courant’s article was circulated by the Associated Press.