D’Amelio raps Duff’s finance reporting

Democratic incumbent Bob Duff and Republican challenger Marc D’Amelio are neck and neck in fundraising in the run-up to the Nov. 6 election for Norwalk’s

25th District seat in the Connecticut State Senate.

Friends of Bob Duff, the campaign committee formed on behalf of the Democratic incumbent, raised $117,036, spent

$102,515 and had $14,521 left as of Sept. 30, according to its latest campaign finance disclosure statement filed with the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission on Wednesday.

D’Amelio for Senate, the campaign committee formed on behalf of the Republican candidate, raised $113,199, spent $65,943 and had $47,255 remaining as of Sept. 30, according to its latest campaign finance disclosure statement filed with the state Elections Enforcement Commission on Wednesday.

Bryan Meek, campaign treasurer for D’Amelio, noted each campaign received $95,000 in public financing through the Citizens Election Program, but blasted Duff over his expenditures. He singled out payments made to The SoNo Group, a consulting firm run by Duff’s longtime campaign manager, Mary Pugh.

“While Bob's team today still has this convoluted reporting mechanism of funneling the money to the Sono Group who then pays it out on things we can guess about, we suppose it's better than what they used to do with zero itemization,” Meek said in a statement.

Duff’s campaign expenditures have included $2,493 to The SoNo Group on Aug. 8 for “lawn signs, food,” $3,688 to The SoNo Group on Aug.

20 for “ice cream social expenses,” $1,574 to The SoNo Group on Sept. 11 for “various items,” $36,500 paid to The SoNo Group on Sept. 11 for “expenses for advertising, management,” $1,799 paid to The SoNo Group on Sept. 17 for “office supplies, postage, advertising,” and $9,117 paid to The SoNo Group on Sept.

26 for “videos, meeting space,” according to Friends of Duff.

“It’s in the report. The report is a public document,” Duff said Thursday. “Everything is itemized out and very easy for anybody to see where we are utilizing our resources.”

D’Amelio’s expenditures have included $6,000 paid to TR SONO Partners, LLC on Aug. 9 for “HQ Rent for August and September,”

$2,000 paid to consultant Thomas Burns on Aug. 9 for “Digital Media Coordinator for July and August per agreement,” $2,000 paid to consultant Isabelle Hargrove on Aug. 9 for “Campaign Manager for July and August per agreement,”

$1,728 paid to consultant Sarah O’Connor on Aug. 9 for “96 hours through 8/9/18 per agreement,” $1,787 paid to Victory Store on Aug. 15 for “500 lawn signs payment 1 of 2,” and $1,462 paid to Victory Signs on Aug. 16 for “500 lawn signs payment 2 of 2,” according to D’Amelio for Senate.

Duff, a Norwalk resident and Realtor, serves as Senate majority leader. He is running for an eighth term representing the 25th District, which covers Norwalk and part of Darien.

D’Amelio, a Norwalk resident and businessman, ran unsuccessfully for the Norwalk Board of Education in 2017.