Republican gubernatorial front runner Tom Foley is ripping Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele for his views on public financing in advance of a crucial court hearing at 2 p.m. today.
Foley is trying to block Fedele from receiving more than $2.1 million in public funds for his struggling race for governor - in which Foley is leading by more than 25 percentage points in the latest Quinnipiac University poll.
Foley and his campaign say that Fedele, running mate Mark Boughton, and the State Elections Enforcement Commission have misinterpreted the state's landmark campaign finance law in a way that differs sharply from the statute itself. But Beth Rotman, the director of the state's Citizen's Election Program, has rejected Foley's arguments and says that the Fedele and Boughton campaign have "absolutely'' followed the law.
"The Fedele and Boughton campaigns are trying to sneak one past the people,'' Foley said in an interview with Capitol Watch. "It's really pretty amazing what's going on.''
Foley asked why Fedele, who founded his own computer company and lives in a large home in North Stamford, is not pouring some of his own substantial money into his campaign.
"He's a man of means,'' Foley said. "Why is he using the taxpayers' money? I would think he would use his own money. He doesn't need the Citizen's Election Program.''
Foley says that Fedele gambled wrong in this case - betting his campaign on a primary funding source with only one month left before the August 10 primary.
"He took a bet on the Citizen's Election Program, and he wasn't able to raise the money, and now he's trying to cheat,'' Foley said. "He bet everything on the Citizen's Election Program. He ought to be out of business.''
If Fedele loses in court, he would then be severely cash-strapped in the crucial final weeks of the campaign. Foley said that's the way the game is played.
"It's too bad, man,'' Foley said. "He made a bet, and he lost. This is so clear, and cut and dry in my mind. If he doesn't qualify, it isn't fair for them to give him the money.''
The Fedele and Boughton campaigns have been strongly defended by Rotman, who oversees the program. She said that their campaigns followed the law "to the letter'' in making their filings.
"The commission considered the Foley arguments and rejected them squarely,'' Rotman said. "The Boughton campaign gave up their ability to apply for their grant of $375,000 because he decided to form a joint gubernatorial committee.''
Foley, though, responded that Rotman is flat-out wrong in her interpretation of the law.
"She may not like what's in the statute, but that is what is in the statute,'' Foley said.
Christopher Cooper, a spokesman for Fedele, responded sharply.
"I would call it cheating the system when you lay off 700 workers and profit from it,'' Cooper said of Foley. "I would call it cheating the system when you bankrupt the largest textile mill in America and pull $20 million out of it. Mike Fedele has never cheated at anything. He's never been arrested. He's never had his records sealed. He's always played by the rules, and he played by the rules in the Clean Elections Program. ... Tom Foley can't win by campaigning, so he's trying to win in court.''
The court hearing today will be a display of some of the top legal firepower in the Hartford region. The Fedele campaign has hired Bart Halloran, one of the best-known attorneys in Hartford. The Foley campaign has hired the firm of Wesley Horton, one of the top appellate attorneys in the state.