Tom Foley, the front runner in the Republican race for governor, filed court papers Friday to block the payment of more than $2 million in public money to the campaign of Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele and his running mate, Mark Boughton.
A judge did not grant an injunction in the case, and a hearing has been set for Monday in civil court in Hartford, said Christopher Cooper, a spokesman for Fedele.
The court filing prompted an angry response from the Fedele campaign, saying that Foley was trying to change the subject because he has been in the news lately for two arrests years ago.
"I think Mr. Foley's action today is baseless. It's a political ploy,'' Cooper told Capitol Watch. "He's looking to change the subject. If he can't win by campaigning, he'll try to win by suing. ... It's an instance in which Tom Foley shows he thinks he's above the law. It's nothing more than a delay tactic and a political tactic.''
Foley had opposed the disbursement of the money to Fedele, which was approved unanimously Thursday by the State Elections Enforcement Commission. The commission has the power to award grants of public money under the state's landmark law on campaign finance reform.
The Fedele campaign was scheduled to receive more than $2 million on Monday, and that schedule remains, Cooper said.
"He's been in the news a lot recently,'' Cooper said. "It seems like a desperate move. He put the largest textile mill in the country out of business. He has a lot of motive to divert attention from his record. ... The last time I was involved in a routine fender bender, I did not have to spend a night in jail and have the court records sealed.''
One day earlier, Fedele and Boughton hailed the commission's unanimous decision Thursday, saying it was a landmark because they were the first statewide Republican candidates to be granted approval for the money.
In the same way as Foley, longtime business executive Oz Griebel of Simsbury has questioned the awarding of the money - based on his interpretation of the law.