Jonathan Pelto
PO Box 400
Storrs, CT. 06268
October 13, 2009
State Elections Enforcement Commission
20 Trinity
Hartford, CT 06106
Re: Campaign Finance Complaint Against Jodi Rell, Thomas Filomeno and the Jodi Rell, Governor – Exploratory Committee
I am writing to request an immediate in investigation into what appear to be serious and significant violations of Connecticut’s campaign finance laws by Jodi Rell, Thomas Filomeno, Treasurer for the Jodi Rell, Governor – Exploratory Committee and the committee itself.
Violations appear to include, but may not be limited to the following;
o Failure to report significant campaign exploratory expenditures
o Failure to report significant in-kind contributions
o Illegally accepting in-kind contributions of great then $375
o Potentially accepting illegal corporate in-kind contributions
o Illegally accepting services provided by state employees, working on state time and using state resources. Services came from employees who worked for the Office of the Governor and state employees retained through a state contract. (In addition to directly benefiting the campaign exploratory committee, these services may have served as illegal coordinated expenditures).
Violations arise out of the activities related to, but not limited to the following;
o A poll developed, but apparently not utilized, under a state contract, and with the involvement of state employees, on state time in June 2008
o A focus group conducted in December 2008 that was developed under a state contract and with the involvement of state employees, on state time but utilized for political purposes. The net effect of this violation is that Jodi Rell and the Jodi Rell, Governor Exploratory Committee received the benefit of focus group worth $4,000 - $5,000 but did not pay anything nor report anything for that benefit.
o A poll that was conducted in May 2009 that was not properly accounted for on Jodi Rell, Governor Exploratory Campaign Finance Reports and apparently included the involvement of state employees, on state time. The net effect of this violation is that the Jodi Rell and the Jodi Rell, Governor Exploratory Committee received the benefit of a survey research project worth $20,000 - $30,000 but only paid and reported an expenditure of $6,000.
o In addition, Jodi Rell and the Jodi Rell, Governor exploratory campaign has received the direct and on-going benefit of information and advice provided through a $220,000 state contract. The contract purchased one third of the time of an extremely experienced, well-known and much sought have political advisor and pollster who in-turn provided Jodi Rell and the Jodi Rell, Governor Exploratory Committee with tens of thousands of dollars worth of advice and information, none of which was paid for or reported, as required on campaign finance reports.
These violations are extremely serious in nature and require immediate investigation and action by the State Elections Enforcement Commission. As required under Connecticut statute, the liability for the violations accrue directly to Jodi Rell, the candidate (or in this case the candidate exploring a run for Governor), Thomas Filomeno, the committee’s treasurer and to the actual committee – Jodi Rell, Governor Exploratory Committee.
Please contact me with any questions that might arise from this complaint.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Pelto
PO Box 400
Storrs, CT., 06268