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HARTFORD: Council Gives Itself Subpoena Powers

Hartford Courant

February 11, 2009

The city council voted Monday to give itself and a soon-to-be-retained attorney the ability to subpoena city documents that Mayor Eddie A. Perez has turned over to state investigators looking into allegations of corruption at city hall.

The council is moving to hire its own attorney to advise it, instead of the city attorneys, with whom some on the council have had a rocky relationship. Meanwhile, Councilman Pedro Segarra has for some months wanted confidential access to city records that the mayor has turned over to investigators in response to their subpoenas.

On Monday, the council voted to approve that measure and expand it — giving the entire council as well as its attorney the power of subpoena.

In an unrelated matter, the council also approved an "immediate hold" on city capital improvement projects.