Greenwich Time (Sunday)

Ex-GOP candidate sued for breach of contract

- By Ken Dixon kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT

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 “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 Fairfieldb­ased 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’ 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.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States