Steve Obsitnik’s campaign for governor of Connecticut says it’s shocked that the State Elections Enforcement Commission is investigating it for alleged illegal campaign contributions.
A spokesman for the former hedge fund manager says the complaint has no merit.
Westport entrepreneur and Navy veteran Steve Obsitnick is one of five Connecticut Republicans contesting in the party’s August 14th primary for governor. He is also one of the three who are taking part in the Citizens’ Election Program that provides public money for campaigns.
Obsitnik had hoped to get $1.3 million in public money for the primary, just like Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst have, but that prospect is now on hold because the State Elections Enforcement Commission announced on Wednesday that it had voted unanimously to investigate Obsitnik’s campaign fundraising.
“This announcement came as a total shock to us. Especially considering that the SEEC has not reached out to the campaign directly,” said Dan Debicella, a former state senator who is managing Obsitnik’s campaign.
“As a Navy veteran, Steve holds honor above all else and will continue to be transparent throughout this process.”
At issue is an accusation that the campaign received illegal campaign contributions and coordinated with FixCT Inc, an independent political action committee run by a friend of Obsitnik.
The State Elections Enforcement Commission is also investigating a complaint that Republican gubernatorial candidate David Stemerman violated state law by using out-of-state petition circulators to get onto the primary ballot.
