New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
SEEC to investigate campaign finance complaint against Elicker
NEW HAVEN — A campaign financing complaint filed by Democratic mayoral challenger Shafiq Abdussabur alleging Mayor Justin Elicker used a city-funded mobile phone for campaign business has cleared its initial hurdle.
The State Elections Enforcement Commission voted May 17 to investigate the complaint.
“I am pleased that SEEC voted to investigate something I find profoundly unethical that I might add has serious implications toward his campaign’s continued participation in the Democracy Fund,” said Abdussabur, a retired police sergeant and former alder. He is one of three Democrats challenging Elicker for the nomination.
“We deserve better than a rules for thee and not for me, mayor,” Abdussabur said. “We need a mayor who holds themself to the highest ethical standard first.”
The Elicker 2023 Campaign responded that Abdussabur’s complaint “is false.”
“The Abdussabur Campaign’s claim regarding Mayor Elicker’s use of a city phone number is false,” the Elicker campaign said in a statement emailed by Campaign Manager Shad Wojciechowski. “The phone number in question is Mayor Elicker’s personal cell phone number, paid for by Mayor Elicker.
“The SEEC investigates the vast majority of complaints they receive, and we encourage them to get all of the answers they need in this investigation,” the statement said.
“Our campaign is focused on making this election about the issues residents care about and Mayor Elicker’s vision for New Haven’s future,” the Elicker campaign said. “It is unfortunate Mr. Abdussabur is using frivolous SEEC complaints to undermine the important conversations we should be having.”
The Elicker campaign included a copy of a Verizon Wireless email, dated Jan. 10, confirming that the service — which once was for Elicker’s personal phone and later was transferred to the city, had been transferred back into Elicker’s name.
Abdussabur’s campaign manager, Gage Frank — Elicker’s former campaign manager — said that Elicker raised about $55,000 before Jan. 10, prior to switching his phone number over to his name.
But Wojciechowski said that the phone number in question “was not used by the Mayor for campaign purposes before Jan. 10th. The Mayor used another personal phone line for all campaign purposes before Jan. 10th.”