Embattled state rep resigns House seat days after arrest
WEST HAVEN — State Rep. Michael DiMassa, D-West Haven, submitted his resignation from his lawmaking position to the Secretary of the State’s office Monday, five days after being arrested and charged with one count of wire fraud.
Secretary of the State Denise Merrill received DiMassa’s resignation Monday morning, effective immediately, said Press Secretary Jada M. Harris.
According to investigators, DiMassa allegedly abused his position as an administrative assistant in West Haven City Hall to transfer over $636,000 of federal pandemic relief funding to a business bank account, which he then used to purchase chips at Mohegan Sun for gambling purposes.
“I am glad that he has resigned so we can start the process of replacing him through the special election process,” said Mayor Nancy Rossi.
“I think it’s important that we have a full legislative delegation. There’s a lot of work ahead for West Haven and we need our delegation to help us” move forward, she said.
“Hopefully will start the healing process to restore trust, not just for the legislative delegation but for the whole city,” Rossi said.
Gov. Ned Lamont now has 10 days under state law to issue a writ of election for a special election to fill DiMassa’s 116th District seat, said Harris. The special election must be held on the 46th day after the issuance of the writ of election, she said.
Major party conventions must take place no later than 36 days prior to the special election, she said.
“They will notify me and we will have a special election,” said City Clerk Patricia Horvath. She said she expected it to take place “sometime in December.”
Horvath said it’s important for people to know that there are many people in city government who work hard every day to earn and maintain the public’s trust.
“So many people work every day to retain people’s trust in government, and one person, hopefully that doesn’t damage people’s trust for everyone,” she said.
“So I guess we’ll get ready for the next election,” Horvath said.
Democratic Town Chairman Michael Last said that no one has contacted him directly to express interest in running but he has heard indirectly about at least one
person who may be interested in the seat.
“We’re going to go through the selection process” and “the delegates in the town committee would make that choice,” Last said.
In his letter to Secretary of the State Denise W. Merrill, DiMassa said is was with “deep regret” that he resigns his 116th District House seat, effective immediately.
In a joint statement, House Speaker Matt Ritter and Majority Leader Jason Rojas said: “Rep. DiMassa’s resignation is the right move for his constituents and the State. He (allegedly) broke faith with the people of West Haven and can no longer serve as their trusted voice at the State Capitol.”
Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement, “The allegations against Mike DiMassa are serious and very troubling.
“If the allegations are true, he has not only broken the law but also betrayed the public trust. He had no choice but to resign,” Lamont said. “The citizens of West Haven and all of Connecticut deserve honest government.”
In subsequent comments to a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter, Lamont said, “Our credibility as political leaders is the public’s trust. Anytime something like that happens it hurts people’s faith in government. That’s why I’m glad the representative stepped aside. Let’s now let
justice take its course, and every day I think the political class has to earn the respect of the voters.
“As soon as we found and heard about potential fraud going on in West Haven, we were all over it,” Lamont said. “… We’re going to get to the bottom of it and do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Asked if it was part of a wider problem the state needs to address, Lamont responded, “Anybody that wants to make a complaint, any whistleblowers, they can come to us, we’ll follow up on that. Alyssa’s tough, she’s going to go over every single line item, every single dime of federal money that goes out, account for it as best we can, and if we’re missing anything let us know.
“We have plenty of checks and balances to make sure we hold accountable if laws were broken, and think again about how we can make sure this doesn’t happen again,” the governor said. “Look, there was a lot of federal money pouring out over this last year and a half, and I care very deeply that the money get out to the people that need, but to get it out in an honest way.”
DiMassa submitted his resignation from his City Hall job last Thursday, effective on Oct. 25. As a condition of his release on bond, he was forbidden from having any contact with West Haven municipal employees.
On the day of his arrest, neighbors and colleagues in West Haven expressed surprise.
City Hall officials have vowed to make changes to the city’s internal financial processes, although Rossi has declined to say what changes will be made, citing ongoing investigations into the city’s budget and finances.
DiMassa’s arrest and presentation in federal court Wednesday on one count of wire fraud in connection with the alleged scheme to siphon more than $636,000 in federal COVID-19 recovery money to a company he formed in January — and from there, to a personal bank account to finance alleged gambling sprees at Mohegan Sun Casino — left many people in wondering how it could have happened.
Ritter, D-Hartford, has said DiMassa’s arrest shocked him and everyone who worked with DiMassa in the General Assembly.
“We were all shocked,” Ritter said, calling it disappointment that someone who could do “so much more” might get involved in something like what has been alleged.
Attempts to reach DiMassa have been unsuccessful.