State loses Air Base fight

I'm alittle shocked over this. I always thought the Governor had control over the Connecticut National Guard. This will probably be appealed but for now, the air base is back on the chopping block.

From the Hartford Courant

Gov. M. Jodi Rell this morning lost the latest round in the legal battle over Connecticut Air National Guard's A-10 fighter planes.

A decision today by the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals means the recommendation to move the planes from their East Granby base are back in the closure list sent to President Bush late Thursday.

A Connecticut federal judge, Alfred V. Covello, had granted the state a preliminary injunction barring the Base Realignment and Closure Commission from recommending to the president that A-10 fighter planes be moved from Connecticut. U.S. Solicitor General Paul D. Clement appealed that action to the 2nd Circuit, which issued an emergency stay of the injunction today.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who representes Rell in a lawsuit challenging the legality of the BRAC recommendation, now has the option of asking the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the stay.