The Loyalty of Longshanks.

In the pivotal battle scene of the movie Braveheart, King Edward Longshanks orders his archers to fire at will on a mass of soldiers fighting in the fields of Scotland. His field commander says, “Beg your pardon sire, but won’t we hit our own troops?” To which the king replies, “Yes…but we’ll hit theirs as well. We have reserves…attack!”

This is the image that came to mind as Governor Rell fired on her own troops over what has come to be known as The Krayeske Affair.

For the past several weeks, the news media of Connecticut and some in the political community, have been consumed with the case of Ken Krayeske. Mr. Krayeske is the sometimes journalist, sometimes political activist who got himself arrested during Governor Rell’s inaugural parade in Hartford, because the police couldn’t tell which he was at that particular moment in time.

Since his arrest, there have been editorials, legislative hearings, front page coverage of his court appearances and finger pointing by state and Hartford police. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are all on the line – it is said. This column is about none of that. It is about what the case tells us about loyalty to a team and Governor Rell.

Following the revelation of Krayeske’s arrest, there was outrage on the part of some left leaning members of the Connecticut media who quickly found allies in legislators like Michael Lawlor, of the Judiciary Committee and Chris Caruso of Government, Administration and Elections. There were charges of a conspiracy by the Rell administration to silence its critics and calls for hearings.

Sensing an impending controversy, the Rell administration moved quickly to stop it by sending a letter from the governor to now out going Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle. The letter expressed the governor’s general outrage, respect for freedom of speech and called for the commissioner to get to the bottom of it and report back as quickly as possible. A letter?

The main phone number for state police headquarters in Middletown is 860-685-8441. It is listed on the department’s homepage under “Contact Us.” This reporter also has reason to believe the governor has direct access to Commissioner Boyle through his cell phone and through the state police security detail which is steps away from her at all times.

There is usually only one reason for a politician to write a letter and that is to release it publicly to distance herself from a situation at the expense of someone else.

In this case, the governor’s willingness to publicly humiliate the commissioner of public safety is remarkable, because it shows her willingness to abandon anyone who is of momentary nuisance – even the men and women charged with protecting her personal safety. Shortly after this public rebuke, it was reported that Boyle was looking for another job. If the governor’s letter to Boyle was not the final straw it was certainly confirmation for him that moving on is the right decision.

This is not the first time Rell has shown that loyalty in her administration is a one way street. There have been public letters of reprimand to other commissioners and re-assignments or dismissals for those who have shown signs of independent thinking. Ask Steve Korta, Jennifer Aniskovich and Linda Yelmini among others.

Her tactics do nothing to inspire loyalty and as a result, someday she may find herself on the field of battle and find she is riding alone.

Originally published in the Hartford Business Journal.