Connecticut Republicans have renewed their call for a public hearing into allegations of corruption at the state’s school construction program. It comes after Governor Ned Lamont told reporters he would not oppose such a move.
Lamont has pledged transparency from his administration. His budget proposal includes a request to hire more public auditors to scrutinize state contracts.
“Setting it up that way through a budget process will take months and months and months — well beyond the November election. We believe the investigation needs to occur today,” said House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, reiterating his request that Democratic legislative leaders hold a public hearing. The General Assembly should immediately move forward with a public hearing to examine state contracts, he said.
The call for a probe has been prompted by allegations of public corruption involving Kostantinos “Kosta” Diamantis, a former deputy budget director who stepped down from his job last October. His resignation came after a federal grand jury issued subpoenas into his oversight of school construction.
There are reports that in 2020 Lamont was sent a memo about corruption at the agency. The governor has said he does not recall reading the memo.
