In another split with his former running mate, Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele is calling for Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez to resign after being found guilty on five criminal counts Friday.
But Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who has refused to publicly endorse Fedele in his run for governor, is not calling for Perez's resignation. Instead, she says that Perez must make the decision.
Some Republicans say that Rell's lack of support has damaged Fedele politically and contributed to his second-place finish at the Republican Party convention last month. With more support and fundraising from Rell, some Republicans believe that Fedele not only could have won the convention endorsement but would have reached the necessary $250,000 threshold to qualify for public financing. He has not reached that level, and his campaign has said multiple times that he intends to reach it within 10 days.
"Mr. Perez needs to immediately resign as Mayor of Hartford," said Fedele. "As Lieutenant Governor, I am proud to have championed some of the most sweeping ethics reforms in the nation. Hartford deserves a government that is transparent and accountable to the people it serves. Mr. Perez has violated the trust bestowed to him by the citizens of Hartford. He must immediately step down."
Rell took a softer approach, declining to call for Perez's resignation.
"This is a sad and extremely difficult day for Hartford, Mayor Perez's family and all who care about our capital city,'' Rell said in a statement. "Mayor Perez must now make some very difficult decisions. I am sure he will act in the best interests of the city and its people."