Conn. Republican files lawsuit against ex-candidate
A state Republican political operative has filed a lawsuit against Mary Fay, the unsuccessful GOP candidate for state comptroller, and her treasurer, charging that their campaign failed to pay part of a contract to raise money that made Fay eligible for public financing.
William J. Evans Jr., of Wolcott, charges that Fay, of West Hartford, and Casimir Mizera, of Stratford, wrongfully terminated his $26,000 contract signed in August, when Evans agreed to raise enough money for Fay to participate in the Citizens’ Election Program.
After writing checks totaling $16,000 for Evans, a former staff member of the state House of Representatives, Fay’s campaign did not pay off the balance of the contract, the lawsuit claims. Then Mizera, allegedly with Fay’s knowledge, defamed Evans when he “falsely suggested that the plaintiff was taking kickbacks from the campaign,” the lawsuit alleges. Evans claims his statewide reputation has suffered.
Evans says that “false and defamatory statements” were made to Fay’s campaign manager, Republican State Central Committee officials and campaign vendors.
“Mr. Mizera terminated the services of the plaintiff as a result of false allegations including allegations of improper and/or illegal kickbacks,” the civil lawsuit charges. “Mr. Mizera had no evidence of any wrongdoing by the plaintiff. Mr. Mizera made these statements in order to terminate plaintiff ’s contract with the campaign illegally and without notice.”
Evans’ attorneys did not immediately respond Friday to requests for comment. Robert D. Russo, a Fairfield-based attorney who is a former state senator, confirmed
Friday that his firm has taken the case for Fay and Mizera. “We will be providing a full defense to the claims that were brought,” Russo said in a brief phone interview.
According to Superior Court records, Evans’s contract was for work beginning Aug. 17 and running through Election Day. The
suit says that at that time, Fay had failed to raise more than half of the $86,600 needed in small individual contributions between $5 and $290 to participate in the Citizens’ Election Program.
On Sept. 23, the State Elections Enforcement Commission approved $967,063 for Fay’s campaign.
While Democrat Sean Scanlon won the general election, Fay collected 554,678 votes.
Evans was also on Stefanowski’s payroll as a consultant, and was paid more than $50,000 from that campaign between July 1 and Nov. 8, according to campaign filings with the SEEC. On Aug. 23, in
Guilford, during the controversial evening caucus of the state’s Independent Party, Evans was a high-profile monitor for Stefanowski, who failed to win that party’s cross endorsement.