DeLuca and Healy Want Sen. Gaffey Investigated for Relationship

Former Sen. Louis DeLuca has been out of the Senate for only a few days, but he has already fired off a letter to top Senators that calls for an investigation into Senator Thomas Gaffey's personal relationship with a legislative lobbyist during the time they were both seeking $1 billion for the Connecticut State University system.

Gaffey, 48, has a relationship with 44-year-old Jill Ferraiolo, the associate vice chancellor for government relations and communications at the CSU system who has been well known at the state Capitol for years as a legislative liaison. Gaffey and Ferraiolo were both involved in CSU's successful push this year for nearly $1 billion in improvements over 10 years at the four-campus system.

"Since this involves $1 billion of taxpayer's money, I cannot understand why this was not investigated,'' DeLuca wrote. "These are serious charges that impugn the integrity of the Senate and violate the public trust if substantiated. ... This alleged charge should be investigated with zeal and fervor similar to my situation.''

But the Democrats immediately dismissed DeLuca's charges as a waste of time.

"Senator Williams is saddened by Mr. DeLuca's letter and his irresponsible allegations,'' said Derek Slap, the new Senate Democratic spokesman. "It appears that Mr. DeLuca's appetite for revenge has once again clouded his judgment. ... To suggest that Senator Gaffey's personal relationship affected the outcome of the bill is silly.''

State GOP chairman Christopher Healy joined the charge, saying that he wants to know if Gaffey received more than the $100 annual maximum in food and drinks that legislators are allowed to receive. But the Democrats immediately countered that Ferraiolo is not a "black hat'' lobbyist and is instead a state employee who falls under a different definition of lobbyist.

"Public policy was germinated from a private relationship that was not disclosed,'' Healy said. "Ms. Ferraiolo must explain if she provided any services or favors to him that exceed $100, because if she has, it raises questions of whether the process was fair. If she did, then she has to explain that to the ethics commission.''

But Gaffey rejected that idea, saying that he covers his own food and drinks.

"I pay,'' Gaffey said. "Maybe I'm old-fashioned.''

Gaffey, who graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in December 1981, charged that comparing DeLuca's admitted criminal conduct to his push for a bill for his alma mater and three other state universities "is just ludicrous.''

"DeLuca broke the law and violated the public trust. That's the standard,'' Gaffey said. "To me, it's a last gasp attempt to vindicate what [DeLuca] did, and he can't.''

Governor Rell's spokesman, Christopher Cooper, said Rell had not seen the letter yet, even though DeLuca listed her among those receiving copies. The issue regarding Gaffey was first raised in a column in Sunday's Hartford Courant by former state Senator Kevin Rennie.

Sen. Andrew Roraback, the Republican co-chairman of the committee that considered whether to expel DeLuca, said the Senate must make its own decisions based on the facts.

"That letter [by DeLuca] should have no bearing on our course of conduct,'' Roraback said.

But Roraback said he had spoken with Senate GOP leader John McKinney of Southport to say that the issues surrounding Gaffey are serious.

"I think there are issues that could implicate the institution of the state Senate,'' Roraback said. "What's been reported is deserving of our attention.''

Based on a inquiry by Joseph P. Quinn, Jr., an attorney for the Senate Democrats, the Office of State Ethics replied that Gaffey did not appear to have a conflict.

"This e-mail serves to confirm that, based on the facts presented below [by Quinn] - particularly, the fact that there was absolutely no financial gain to the legislator, his family members, or any associated business - there do not appear to be any conflict-of-interest issues under the Code of Ethics for Public Officals,'' wrote Brian J. O'Dowd, the assistant general counsel for the Office of State Ethics in Hartford.

--Christopher Keating

Comments

[Pol Watcher]

"I pay,'' Gaffey said. "Maybe I'm old-fashioned.''

We'll see . . .

[Canadian Ponce]

I don't care what Healy and DeLuca say, but Roraback's comments hold water. I hope and expect the Courant to do a full and complete investigation into this matter. I look forward to reading about their findings. Gaffey, as proven by his arrogant remarks to Keating, is yet another politician who feels he can say or do anything he wants because of his position. The senate needs to send a strong message to Gaffey, like it did to DeLuca. The very institution itself is at stake here.