Donovan Campaign Official Arrested in Alleged Contribution Scheme. FBI Investigation Continues. Focus Includes Labor Official.
The legislature and Democratic race for the 5th Congressional District nomination are reeling from arrest of an employee of Speaker of the House Christopher Donovan’s congressional campaign for allegedly accepting and misrepresenting campaign contributions, according to a breaking Courant story. Talk about a ruction. The news will roil the race among the party-endorsed Donovan and August 14th primary rivals, Elizabeth Esty and Daniel Roberti.
The Donovan campaign official, Robert Braddock, Jr., was arrested by federal officials Wednesday night. Agents, however, have continued to ask questions about Donovan’s role in killing a proposal (Senate Bill 357) that would have treated Roll-Your-Own tobacco stores as manufactures under the state’s tax laws. The bill had been requested by the Department of Revenue Services in the recently concluded legislative session. Language was added to a bill that was going to die in the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee and sent to the Senate. Neither the Senate nor the House took up the proposal.
The investigation has introduced some denizens of the Capitol village to the traditional FBI tactic of appearing without notice and conducting interviews in the early hours of the day, Daily Ructions has learned. In addition to inquiries about Donovan and the legislation, teams of agents have been asking about AFL-CIO Western Connecticut Central Labor Council President Ray Soucy’s role in the course the bill took this spring.
The gravity of the charges, references to Donovan as “Public Official Number 1” in the Braddock arrest warrant, and the look of an investigation that has been squeezing those with information is roiling political circles today. Fallout for Donovan, a lame duck Speaker and mortally wounded congressional candidate, will be swift and without mercy. Calls for Donovan to step aside as Speaker and withdraw from the congressional race are likely to be heard soon.