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Attorney General of Connecticut

From Ballotpedia
Connecticut Attorney General

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General information
Office Type:  Partisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $206,062
2025 FY Budget:  $39,253,103
Term limits:  None
Structure
Length of term:   4 years
Authority:  General Statutes of Connecticut, 3-35-124
Selection Method:  Elected
Current Officeholder(s)

Attorney General of Connecticut William Tong
Democratic Party
Assumed office: January 9, 2019

Elections
Next election:  November 3, 2026
Last election:  November 8, 2022
Other Connecticut Executive Offices
Governor•Lieutenant Governor•Secretary of State•Attorney General•Treasurer•Comptroller•Commissioner of Education•Agriculture Commissioner•Insurance Commissioner•Energy & Environmental Protection Commissioner•Labor Commissioner•Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

TheAttorney General of Connecticut is the chief legal officer of the state. The office of the attorney general was officially established in 1897. TheConnecticut Constitution and General Statutes authorize the attorney general to represent the interests of the people of Connecticut in all civil legal matters involving the state to protect the public interest, and to serve as legal counsel to all state agencies.[1]

Connecticut has a Democratictriplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.

Current officeholder

The current Attorney General of Connecticut isWilliam Tong (D). Tong assumed office in 2019.

Authority

The office of attorney general, though it is mentioned in thestate constitution, is formally established by state statute.[1]

General Statutes of Connecticut, 3-35-124

There shall be an Attorney General to be elected in the same manner as other state officers in accordance with the provisions of section 9-181.

Qualifications

The attorney general must be an elector of the state, i.e. at least 18 years old and a resident of Connecticut, and must have "at least ten years' active practice at the bar of [the] state."[1]

General Statutes of Connecticut, 3-35-124

The Attorney General shall be an elector of this state and an attorney at law of at least ten years' active practice at the bar of this state.

Elections

Connecticut state government organizational chart

Attorneys general are elected to four-year terms in federal midterm election years (e.g. 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026) and take office on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in the January following their election.[2]

General Statutes of Connecticut, 9-146-181

At the state election to be held in 1966, and quadrennially thereafter, there shall be elected a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary, Treasurer, Comptroller and Attorney General to hold their respective offices from the Wednesday following the first Monday of the January next succeeding their election until the Wednesday following the first Monday of the fifth January succeeding their election and until their successors are qualified.


Term limits

Connecticut state executive officers, including the attorney general, do not face term limits.

2022

See also:Connecticut Attorney General election, 2022

General election

General election for Attorney General of Connecticut

IncumbentWilliam Tong defeatedJessica Kordas,A.P. Pascarella, andKen Krayeske in the general election for Attorney General of Connecticut on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of William Tong
William Tong (D / Working Families Party)
 
57.1
 
713,894
Image of Jessica Kordas
Jessica Kordas (R)
 
41.4
 
518,128
Image of A.P. Pascarella
A.P. Pascarella (Independent Party)
 
0.9
 
11,788
Image of Ken Krayeske
Ken Krayeske (G)
 
0.6
 
7,103

Ballotpedia Logo

Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,250,913
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. IncumbentWilliam Tong advanced from the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Connecticut.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled.Jessica Kordas advanced from the Republican primary for Attorney General of Connecticut.

Past elections

Expand All
2018
2014
2010
2006
2002
1998


Vacancies

When a vacancy occurs in the office of attorney general, thegovernor appoints a replacement to serve out the unexpired portion of the term.[3]

General Statutes of Connecticut, 9-146-213

(b) Any vacancy in the office of Attorney General shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired portion of the term.

Duties

The attorney general has, "general supervision over all legal matters in which the state is an interested party." He represents state agencies and employees in their official capacities and provides advisory opinions when necessary.[4]

Additionally, the attorney general may establish legal task forces or units to pursue specific types of crime, e.g. the healthcare fraud unit, antitrust department and consumer protection department. The attorney general's office also provides citizens with a number of educational materials related to deceptive trade practices, banking regulations, etc.[5]

Divisions

As of January 12, 2020, the attorney general's office of Connecticut is divided into the following departments.[6]

  • Antitrust
  • Child Protection
  • Civil Rights/Torts
  • Collections & Child Support
  • Consumer Protection
  • Energy
  • Employment Rights
  • Environment
  • Finance
  • Health & Education
  • Healthcare Fraud/Whistleblower
  • Privacy
  • Public Safety & Special Revenue
  • Special Litigation
  • Transportation, Housing, and Public Works
  • Workers' Compensation and Labor Relations

State budget

See also:Connecticut state budget and finances

The budget for the Attorney General's Office in Fiscal Year 2025 was $39,253,103.[7]

Compensation

See also:Compensation of state executive officers

The salaries of Connecticut's elected state executives are determined by law as mandated by theConnecticut Constitution.[8]Article IV, Section 7 of the state constitution also requires all changes in salary to take effect following the next election for the affected offices. The attorney general's salary is set by Chapter 35, Section 3 of the Colorado Statutes.[1] The attorney general's salary was last raised to $110,000 effective January 2003.[9]

2023

In 2023, the officer's salary was $206,062, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[10]

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $110,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[11]

2021

In 2021, the attorney general received a salary of $110,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[12]

2020

In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $110,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[13]

2019

In 2019, the attorney general received a salary of $119,625, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[14]

2018

In 2018, the attorney general received a salary of $110,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[15]

2017

In 2017, the attorney general received a salary of $110,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[16]

2016

In 2016, the attorney general received a salary of $110,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[17]

2015

In 2015, the attorney general received a salary of $110,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[18]

2014

In 2014, the attorney general received a salary of $110,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[19]

2013

In 2013, the attorney general receiveda salary of $110,000. This figure comes from theCouncil of State Governments.[20]

2012

In 2012, the attorney general was paid an estimated$110,000. This figure comes from theCouncil of State Governments.

Historical officeholders

#NameTermParty
1Charles Phelps1899-1903Republican
2William A. King1903-1907Republican
3Marcus H. Holcomb1907-1910Republican
4John H. Light1910-1915Republican
5George E. Hinman1915-1919Republican
6Frank E. Healy1919-1927Republican
7Benjamin W. Alling1927-1931Republican
8Warren B. Burrows1931-1935Republican
9Edward J. Daly1935-1937Democratic
10Charles P. McLaughlin1937-1938Democratic
11Dennis P. O'Connor1938-1939Democratic
12Francis A. Pallotti1939-1945Republican
13William L. Hadden1945-1951Republican
14George C. Conway1951-1953Republican
15William L. Beers1953-1955Republican
16John J. Bracken1955-1959Republican
17Albert L. Coles1959-1963Democratic
18Harold M. Mulvey1963-1967Democratic
19Robert K. Killian1967-1975Democratic
20Carl R. Ajello1975-1983Democratic
21Joseph I. Lieberman1983-1989Democratic
22Clarine Nardi Riddle1989-1991Democratic
23Richard Blumenthal1991-2011Democratic
24George Jepsen2011-2019Democratic
25William Tong2019-presentDemocratic[21]


Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the termsConnecticut Attorney General. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Contact information

Capitol Address:

Office of the Attorney General

Connecticut

Post Office Box 120
Hartford, CT 06106

Phone: (860) 808-5318
Fax: (860) 808-5387
E-mail:Attorney.General@po.state.ct.us

See also

External links

Articles

Footnotes

  1. ↑1.01.11.21.3General Statutes of Connecticut, "3-35-124," accessed January 7, 2021
  2. ↑General Statutes of Connecticut, "9-146-181," accessed January 7, 2021
  3. ↑General Statutes of Connecticut, "9-146-213," accessed January 7, 2021
  4. ↑General Statutes of Connecticut, "3-35-125," accessed January 7, 2021
  5. ↑Office of the Connecticut Attorney General, "2019-2020 Annual Report," accessed January 7, 2021
  6. ↑The Office of the Attorney General of Connecticut, "Departments," accessed January 7, 2021
  7. ↑Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, "2024-2025 Biennial Budget," accessed January 16, 2025
  8. ↑Justia, "2012 Connecticut General Statutes," accessed February 20, 2015
  9. ↑General Statutes of Connecticut, "3-35-124," accessed January 12, 2021
  10. ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
  11. ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
  12. ↑Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
  13. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 7, 2021
  14. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 7, 2021
  15. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 7, 2021
  16. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 7, 2021
  17. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
  18. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
  19. ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
  20. ↑The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
  21. ↑State of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General, "Biographies of the Attorneys General of Connecticut,"http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?a=2132&q=295144#mcl, accessed 4 Sep 2008.


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