AccomplishmentsDemocracy/Elections/Government Legitimacy

In the lead up to the 2020 election and after, Attorney General Tong fought in courts across the country to beat back against unconstitutional and politically-motivated voter suppression laws to protect the rights of all to cast their ballots in free and fair elections. That work continues, including most recently filing an amicus brief opposing Florida’s discriminatory voting laws. Attorney General Tong personally argued before the Connecticut Supreme Court to successfully defend the state’s COVID-era absentee ballot protocols.

2020 Election: Attorney General Tong joined with 23 attorneys general fighting back against the Texas-led coalition of attorneys general seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Connecticut Pardons: Attorney General Tong personally argued and defended the legitimacy of Connecticut’s pardon process before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and First Circuit in 2019. In both cases, the courts sided with Connecticut, resulting in the release of detained Connecticut residents Wayzaro Walton and Richard Thompson. Attorney General Tong used Homeland Security and the DOJ in 2019 seeking declaratory judgement that Connecticut’s pardons are indeed executive pardons under federal law. In August 2022, he announced an agreement affirming that DHS will recognize full and unconditional pardons granted by the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles as waiving deportability, based on a Connecticut conviction, under the Immigration and Nationality Act’s pardon waiver clause.