Convention cost Boughton $21K

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton put the “P” in party last month, spending a cool $21,000 for event rooms, food services and lodging at Foxwoods Resort & Casino, according to a supplementary filing with the State Elections Enforcement Commission.

The recent filing, above and beyond the required quarterly finance report filed in April, was submitted in advance of his expected approval on Wednesday of the $1.3-million public-financing grant he will use for the primary campaign.

Nearly $18,000 in checks written to the Foxwoods’ Fox Tower was for party spaces and food services that Boughton used to woo delegates and ultimately win the Republican endorsement, according to the SEEC filings. While Tim Herbst of Trumbull and Steve Obsitnik also survived the GOP convention and are heading toward the August 14 primary, only Boughton’s campaign has reported the convention expenditures.

Herbst and Obsitnik are expected to report more-detailed expenditures in July, when the next quarter’s expenses are due. Herbst, however, did report a $1,542.58 steak-dinner dinner bill for he and his staff on Saturday night, May 12, at David Burke Prime, after his narrow loss to Boughton for the outright endorsement.

On Wednesday the State Elections Enforcement Commission is scheduled to review the financial records of Herbst and Boughton, to check whether they have met the requirements of the voluntary Citizens’ Election Program, which requires $250,000 in contributions of $100 or less. Last week, the SEEC turned down Obsitnik, whose revised report will also be considered on Wednesday.

Bob Luckey Jr. / Hearst Connecticut Media Gubernatorial candidates Tim Herbst and Mark Boughton at the recent Republican State Convention at Foxwoods Resort & Casino.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media Steve Obsitnik of Westport is one of three GOP candidates for governor who survived last month’s party convention and qualified for the August 14 primary.