Connecticut Caves To Biotech, Ignores Consumers Right To Know About GMO’s

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Who’s Buying The Lie?

“Qui transtulit sustinet” or “He who is transplanted still sustains”. This is the motto of the great state of Connecticut. Perhaps the motto should be changed to “Foods which are genetically modified still remain.” Thanks to the recent events eviscerating HB 5117, An Act Concerning Genetically Engineered Foods, the bill may be alive but no longer requires the labeling of GE foods. As of last night, the labeling provision was removed.

90% Ignored!

The battle to mandate GMO labeling in the state of Connecticut looked very promising. 90% of the CT residents polled supported mandatory GMO labeling. Early vote counts within the legislature showed the majority of legislators were in favor of this bill. However, with this action the legislators have clearly demonstrated that what Connecticut residents want does not matter.

Right to Know CT rallied in support of Rep. Richard Roy’s GE Foods bill at the Capitol on May 4, only to withdraw support the next morning after learning that the labeling provision had been removed.

According to former New York City prosecutor Tara Cook-Littman, “The constitutional argument is absurd, and everyone knows it.  As long as Connecticut law makers had a legitimate state interest that was reasonably related to the labeling of products produced from the process of genetic engineering, the GMO labeling bill would be considered constitutional by any court of law.”

Biotech’s Hidden Agenda

Cook-Littman, a CT resident, is the co-founder of Right To Know CT, along with Analiese Paik. She stated that representatives and senators who learned of Friday night’s political maneuverings are equally disgusted. Littman says, “it appears that the biotech industry’s influence was in place all along, waiting for this tactic to be deployed at the last minute, with no time to argue before the vote.”

Representative Richard Roy also added, “I feel very strongly that someone or some state has to challenge the use of the Bill of Rights, designed to protect we individuals, from using it to thwart the sharing of information and the subjugation of a whole industry. Residents of more than 50 other countries get simple information saying that GMOs are present in a product. The freest society in the world cannot get that simple sentence.

If GMO labeling were mandated, 90% of the foods in this pantry would not be here!

The labeling provision was eliminated from the bill due to fears that it opened the state up to a lawsuit. The attorneys for the leadership and Governor’s office felt that the Constitutional Rights of Monsanto gave them the power to successfully sue the state. Their main duty was to protect the welfare of the state.”

Listen To The Interview:

Listen to this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, as host, June Stoyer is joined by special guests Analiese Paik, Tara Cook-Littman co-founders of Right To Know CT. Also joining the conversation will be renowned GMO activist, Jeffrey Smith, Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology.

Please note: Although an invitation had been extended to Governor Molloy’s press staff to participate in this interview, no response was received.