Tom Kelly, who filed the complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission that led to a $5,000 fine against Attorney William Beccaro for an assortment of violations stemming from a political action committee that was aligned with Mayor Bill Finch, has asked state elections investigators if their findings merit a criminal investigation.
The SEEC can issue fines as part of its enforcement action. It has no criminal investigatory authority. But it can forward a complaint to state law enforcement officials if elections investigators believe their findings go beyond civil action.
The 16-page SEEC decision involving Beccaro stipulates Upon the Respondents’ compliance with the Order hereinafter stated, the Commission shall not initiate any further proceedings pertaining to this matter.
Commission action, however, cannot bind a law-enforcement agency from conducting its own independent probe. Kelly, a supporter of Mary-Jane Foster, Finch’s 2011 Democratic primary opponent, filed the complaint last August. Beccaro had earned hundreds of thousands of dollars as a city legal consultant while fronting the PAC. His consulting agreement with the city ended two months ago, as city officials likely anticipated what was coming. State law weighs heavily against persons operating political action committees, not necessarily against those aligned. If a politician is associated with a state PAC it is much better to receive than to give, as was the case with the mayor, although Finch’s 2007 mayoral candidate committee dumped $46,000 into Beccaro’s PAC that was rerouted to finance Finch’s political activities. Elections investigators, while citing many Beccaro irregularities, did not fine the mayor.
Kelly sent this letter today to SEEC investigative officials:
Thank you for your quick and diligent efforts on the above captioned matter. As the complainant I understand the statutory limitations of the SEEC. However, I understand that the Commission has the authority to forward any complaints that may be criminal in nature to the State Attorney’s Office for further review.
If your office is of the opinion that it doesn’t merit a referral, I was wondering if you could under FOI give me the blood and guts of your investigation with respect to the 78% of expenditures disallowed. These are serious matters that border on the conversion of campaign funds by an elected official and his consigliere that have IRS implications. Notwithstanding questionable practices of forgery and elder abuse by Bill Beccaro and a quid pro quo of his now former position with the City of Bridgeport. Any comments would be greatly appreciated with the full understanding and respect of your positions.
Good work Tom. I do believe criminal action should be taking place against all involved. In the old days this was called money laundering.
Isn’t it amazing how many receipts were lost? Keep pushing Tom, I support you 100%.
Tom, Bridgeport is proud and thankful you are here.
Tom,
You and I have heard the Mayor use the ACCOUNTABILITY word many times. Isn’t his limited statement after hearing the SEEC discussion interesting? Let me paraphrase him: “Whew! They did not charge the Woods or my family with anything.” Certainly his momentary relief is understandable. But he so often invokes concepts he does not fully understand when hitched to ACCOUNTABILITY, this must be one of his times when “permissive” language is more favored than “restrictive” language for him personally.
On Attorney Beccaro, have any parties in the administration bellied up to the bar and provided ACCOUNTABILITY for his hours, his efforts, his activity or his legacy for the year of work with a $90,000 price tag? Or has Bill or anyone explained what exact expenses were presented for payment and on what authority he considered them legal, reasonable and appropriate?
I am not a negative person generally. It’s that ACCOUNTABILITY (to the people, 24/7) thing once again, isn’t it? Time will tell.
Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre!!!
Seems like Localize can’t get enough of the Finch Fruit Kool-Aid.
He’ll be rooting Bill on until we gets slammed by some agency or authority and then do a 180-degree turn and bash him with the best of ’em. Just like the Ganim Backers became Ganim Hackers.
When I was a kid I remember people saying they caught Ganim by bugging Testo’s Restaurant. I think if those buggers were still around, there would be a lot of bracelets handed out.
Chosen, they bugged a diner in Fairfield where the Lenocis frequently ate, near their offices. Lenoci set Ganim up–wore a wire. Lennie can confirm this.
Yup, the diner in Fairfield. That and the feds had a fever in a bunch of phone lines. Such happy days. Not!!!
That diner was wired up by the Feds, unbeknownst to Lenoci’s sister-in-law who was the maître d’ during the investigation. The Feds were looking at Lenoci, but got a bigger fish and fried him. Then the Lenocis cooperated and the rest is history.
I had heard Mario had the exterminators in on a regular basis checking for bugs.
As I remember hearing it, the exterminators came highly recommended by Gus C.
Tom Kelly is my hero. There are some people on this blog and in the city who complain and complain and complain. But they don’t have the balls that Kelly does.
He took on the administration and won; won big!
So now we have Finch hiring an attorney who also has a PAC that gives Finch money.
Then we have a bogus construction company owned by two city employees that gets minority construction contracts that are awarded by themselves.
Then we have a questionable organization that certified the construction company as a minority qualified firm and a high-ranking member of the Finch administration sits on the board of that organization.
Then we have the son of a party insider responsible for overseeing the minority contracting process who apparently turned a blind eye to what was going on and nothing has happened to him.
And then we have Finch begging to get complete control of the BOE and its $200 million-plus budget along with its thousands of jobs.
Folks, isn’t it just a little too much?
In my head I hear the voice of Mary-Jane Foster saying, “I told you so.”