If there are hard feelings between Senate president pro tem Martin Looney and Republican senate president over the acrimonious battle over Governor Malloy’s choice for chief justice of the Connecticut supreme court, I couldn’t tell during our taping of Face the State. The two talked about how they disagreed over nominee Andrew McDonald, and allegations that homophobia played a factor in McDonald’s defeat.

I asked the two who is acceptable to them as the next chief justice, and Fasano suggested Justice Richard Robinson, and Looney offered New Haven Superior Court judge Brian Fischer, the judge who donated a kidney to help save Looney’s life.

Fasano also took issue with his Democratic colleague Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, who made headlines last month when he called Republicans “anti-gay.”  “I’m still deeply offended by what Senator Duff said,” Fasano said.   “It was done to thrown political dynamite into this argument…..any 6th grader can call someone a name.”  

Watch Fasano and Looney here: http://www.wfsb.com/clip/14237293/lawmakers-weigh-in-on-rejected-chief-justice-vote

Also weighing in on the McDonald vote is Republican candidate for governor Mark Lauretti, who also took issue with the state’s bailout saying bankruptcy was a better option.   Watch that here: http://www.wfsb.com/clip/14237312/shelton-mayor-jumps-into-race-for-governor

Our flashback takes us back to 1974 and a clip of then CT NAACP leader Ben Andrews, who died last week.