U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., says he wants to help a West Hartford family get money from the Iranian government.
In 2000, a U.S. judge awarded $327 million to the families of Matthew Eisenfeld of West Hartford and his girlfriend, Sara Duker of Teaneck, New Jersey. They were killed in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem in 1996. Their families had sued Iran, claiming that the country sponsored the attack.
To fulfill the judgment, the families’ lawyers are trying to attach Iranian assets held in Italy. Blumenthal says he is going to try to pressure Italy by introducing a resolution in the U.S. Senate.
“The Iranians may not be cooperative. But their assets are in the hands of the Italians. And Italian courts can order the release of those assets to satisfy the judgment.”
State Representative Dan Carter is a Republican challenging Blumenthal for his Senate seat. He issued a statement calling Blumenthal a hypocrite. He says if Blumenthal were so concerned, he should have voted against the Iranian nuclear deal last fall.