Attorney General William Tong stood beside Leland Moore, an assistant attorney general, to formally announce his endorsement of Moore’s campaign for state representative. Moore is running against New Haven Fair Rent Commission Executive Director Wildaliz Bermúdez in the Aug. 11 Democratic primary.

Local Support

Tong was joined by other supporters of Moore’s campaign, including the district’s current state representative, Al Paolillo Jr., as well as Annex Alder Sal Punzo, former Annex Alder Jody Ortiz, and a team of staffers with New Haven Rising and local UNITE HERE unions.

Moore has also received endorsements from the local Democratic Party, an array of alders, and labor unions including UNITE HERE Local 34, AFSCME Council 4, SEIU District 1199, and Connecticut AFL-CIO.

Experience and Priorities

Moore has worked in the Public Safety Division of the attorney general’s office, frequently defending the Department of Correction or its commissioner in lawsuits over prison conditions, medical care access, and use of force incidents. He has also served as a legislative advisor for the Board of Pardons and Paroles and as a staff attorney for the Connecticut Sentencing Commission.

Moore’s primary takeaway from his experiences with various facets of the criminal justice system is the importance of education. He believes that educational opportunities and general resources for youth can help divert kids away from the justice system.

Increasing school funding is a key part of Moore’s campaign. He would advocate for more school funding through the state’s Education Cost Sharing formula and for more state funding for New Haven in general, including through the PILOT grant distributed by the state.

Affordable housing is another priority for Moore. He believes that the city needs to build more housing and put checks and safeguards on entities that are trying to profit through dwindling supply.

Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.