Richard Blumenthal is taking a pass on the Gadsden Flag controversy.
The Attorney General had been asked to weigh in on the issue by State Senators Sam Caligiuri and Toni Boucher.
A group of marines asked Capitol Police to fly the flag over the state capitol July 4. Various flags are often flown above the capitol in Hartford, but Capitol Police said no to the Gadsden Flag.
The Gadsden Flag was originally used by the Continental Navy in 1775, but has since been adopted by the Tea Party movement.
Capitol Police have denied previous requests to fly the flag, saying it doesn't meet state guidelines to qualify to be flown on state capitol grounds.
In a letter to Caliguri and Boucher on Thursday, Blumenthal, who is running for U.S. Senate, said it's out of his hands. "The plain fact is that I am unable to direct the Capitol Police or the legislative leadership to honor these requests because only the Legislature has authority to interpret and expand its own flag flying policies," Blumenthal said.
House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero has called for a hearing on the issue in the Joint Committee on Legislative Management. Blumenthal said that is the appropriate body to discuss the Gadsden Flag flap.
