Slow Walking Election Enforcement
by Dave Mullane
Today’s Connecticut Post article ( “State elections enforcer: Bridgeport probe is agency’s biggest ever (ctpost.com) The state’s clean elections watchdog is committing most of its limited manpower to a massive probe in Bridgeport and cannot offer a timeline for when that work will be completed. “Collectively, it is the biggest investigation this agency has ever undertaken,” Michael Brandi, executive director and general counsel of the state Elections Enforcement Commission, said in a statement to Hearst Connecticut Media when asked how the SEEC is tackling several complaints related to this year’s ongoing mayor’s race. “All of our enforcement resources are being dedicated to the investigation.” “These cases are our highest priority,” said SEEC spokesman Joshua Foley. Four out of the Hartford-based agency’s five legal investigators are assigned to the more than a dozen Bridgeport cases stemming directly from this year’s municipal elections and, in particular, the Democratic mayoral primary between incumbent Joe Ganim and chief rival John Gomes, Foley said.”)
This article is a farce what can the SEEC really do? Issue a fine or refer it for criminal investigation?
My experience with SEE showed me they really only serve as a clearing house to give out CEP grants to politicians.
I made a complaint with them in December 2017 that clearly showed voter fraud in Stratford Town Hall involving the Republican Registrar, the Town Clerk, and the cousin of then Governor Dan Malloy. The SEEC sat on the complaint for 2 years, and I was never interviewed by any investigators and I kept investigating
More and more while I waited on the SEEC and I found more information which strengthened the case of Town Officials committing long term fraud with years of false paperwork being filed with the Town Clerk.
In December 2019 a reporter from the CT Post did a follow up article on my complaint which I think resulted in the SEEC finally doing something which was less than nothing. They fined Malloy $300 and failed to investigate the Town Officials who enabled Malloy’s year’s long frauds.
Skip ahead a few years and Stratford elected a new Democrat Registrar James Simon and in his first election as registrar he finds the easiest case of voter fraud
That involves a Democrat Maria Perez/ Roach a woman who voted twice by AB in 2021. Both Registers and the Town clerk made a formal complaint with the SEEC. Which once again sat on the complaint for 2 years then they kicked to the State Attorney in July 2023 and still no action has been taken. The Registrars still keep this 1 person on the voter rolls with 2 names because they are waiting the conclusion of the 2021 complaint. That’s crazy.
We need to do better holding people accountable and calling out bad actors. Journalism could really do better pointing how these frauds aren’t being properly addressed. Why don’t you?
My case with the SEEC:
1.) 2017 Stratford housing panelist dogged by residency questions (ctpost.com)
2.) 2019 Case pending 2 years plus: Stratford resident alleges misconduct by town officials (ctpost.com)
3.) 2020 SEEC: Former Stratford Town Council chairman broke election laws (ctpost.com)
4.) From 2021 unresolved the easiest voter fraud you’ll ever find, Letter to the Editor – Stratford Crier
