Thanks for visiting our archive of investigative reporting. Please visit, YankeeInstitute.org for the latest stories.
Democrats continue to collect donations from DOT preferred developer
The Connecticut Democratic Party continues to benefit from the generosity of a preferred developer selected by the Department of Transportation to develop the area near Stamford’s train station. Last month, the party collected $27,500 from donors affiliated with the...
Transparency versus privacy task force latest example of missing emails
The task force attempting to balance government transparency with crime-victim privacy provides a simple – even harmless – example of how Connecticut legislators can avoid disclosure of their email. In this case, the missing emails are of no real consequence, but they...
Warning to campaigns: State list of banned contributors isn’t definitive
The list of state contractors banned from contributing to political campaigns is the best effort of state agencies, but it isn’t definitive, a reality highlighted by the absence from the list of several companies with publicly-acknowledged state relationships. For...
Board of Regents awards raises while awaiting results of six-figure pay study
The Board of Regents for Higher Education will give Christmas raises to 279 managers before a consulting firm completes a six-figure study of how it pays those employees. The board, which oversees Connecticut’s state universities and community colleges, hired Sibson...
Health insurance exchange buys three murals for $24,980 each
Access Health CT, the quasi-public state agency that sells insurance under Obamacare, spent nearly $75,000 to commission three murals, plus nearly $4,000 to have one of them installed. Contracts with the three artists – Adam Niklewicz, Katro Storm and Rafael Cornier...
Did employees of DOT contractor attend NYC fundraiser with Malloy?
Eight donors affiliated with HAKS Engineers, a Department of Transportation contractor, gave generously to the Connecticut Democratic Party in October and circumstantial evidence suggests they may have attended a New York City event with Gov. Dannel Malloy. Malloy’s...
DOT contractor gave $30,000 to Connecticut Democrats weeks after selection
A husband, wife and son each wrote $10,000 checks to the Connecticut Democratic Party weeks after learning the Department of Transportation selected their company for a $500 million Stamford redevelopment project. The state will provide $35 million for parking garages...
Connecticut named a “Turkey State” for budget deficit
The Institute for Truth in Accounting named Connecticut one of 13 “Turkey States” for spending more than it took in last year according to a measure the institute calculates. “Turkeys may be tasty on the Thanksgiving table, but they aren’t the...
Ethics chief won’t confirm or deny existence of Donovan investigation; another legal battle wears on
Connecticut’s top ethics official “won’t confirm or deny” the existence of a confidential investigation into the scandal last year that tarnished the Congressional campaign of then-Speaker of the House Chris Donovan. The two top aides on Donovan’s campaign received...
Criminal justice computer system at “high risk for failure”
A new computer system intended to streamline Connecticut’s criminal justice system is at “high risk for failure” according to a consultant report uncovered by state auditors and Attorney General George Jepsen. The Auditors of Public Accounts and...