Democratic State Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo said Tuesday that she has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission about the 2010 campaign finance reporting of Janet Peckinpaugh, the Republican who lost the 2nd District U.S. House race on Nov. 2 and now is running in a Feb. 22 special election for state representative.
"Peckinpaugh may have concealed $70,000 in expenditures, illegally used campaign funds for personal use, and failed to pay thousands to staff and small businesses,' DiNardo said in a press release. "She should address these issues immediately, or drop her candidacy for state representative."
Peckinpaugh denied anything is amiss and called the complaint "a laugh" and "a joke." She said DiNardo is only lodging the complaint now to sabotage her campaign in the 36th House District against Democrat Philip Miller, the first selectman of Essex, and could have raised the issue last year when she lost to incumbent Democratic Congressman Joe Courtney.