Governor taps new consumer protection chief

By Mary E. O'Leary Register Topics Editor moleary@nhregister.com

HARTFORD -- Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's choice to head the state'sDepartment of Consumer Protection is a former state assistantattorney general who was part of the team that successfullylitigated the national tobacco settlement more than a decade ago.

William M. Rubenstein, a partner at Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider,where he works on antitrust, intellectual property and traderegulation cases, was named to the position Monday.

Rubenstein handled consumer protection litigation and thedevelopment of enforcement policy when he worked for the stateattorney general's office from 1986 to 1997 and was counsel for theFederal Trade Commission in the 1980s.

Connecticut's share of the tobacco settlement reached in 1996 isbetween $3.6 billion and $5 billion over 25 years, with some $1.29billion received between 2000 and 2009.

On Monday, he promised to protect consumers, whether thosetransactions occur at retail establishments or as part of e-commerce on the Internet.

Rubenstein pledged to go after "fraudsters," who promise morethan they can deliver.

Other Internet issues include collecting the sales taxes due ontransactions or policy changes that would allow Connecticut to joina compact with other states.

Connecticut's tax exemption on clothing worth less than $50 haskept it from the compact.

Kevin Sullivan, who Malloy has nominated as commissioner at theDepartment of Revenue Services, Monday said Internet taxes are partof a very complex issue, not the least of which is the practicalcollection of the taxes.

As for lifting the tax exemption on clothing, that is a policyissue for the governor and lawmakers to decide, not his office,Sullivan said.