When Michael Fedele's family arrived on the shores of the United States when he was 3 years old, they had virtually nothing.
They had risked everything by leaving Italy, and they needed help from friends and relatives to find jobs and establish themselves in a new country. But they worked hard and survived, an experience that formed Fedele as he developed his philosophy of life.
Today, more than 50 years later, Fedele mentioned that philosophy in explaining his recent court battles against Greenwich multimillionaire Tom Foley, who tried unsuccessfully to block Fedele from receiving $2.5 million in public money in the Republican primary for governor. Through four appeals in state and federal courts, Fedele said he was confident he would prevail.
"I have always believed that if you do the right thing in life, and you're honest and have integrity, that that will come back in spades,'' Fedele said.
The twists and turns of his life's journey have included 10 years as a state legislator from his hometown of Stamford, founder of a successful computer company that now employs about 100 workers, and election to the state's second-highest position as lieutenant governor.
Though known for being mild mannered in the tough business of politics, Fedele has taken the gloves off lately with stinging criticisms of Foley and even former Stamford Mayor Dannel P. Malloy - his high school classmate in Stamford in the Class of 1973.
Five decades from his family's arrival, Fedele says he has the same beliefs regarding honesty and hard work. As he campaigns for the Aug. 10 Republican primary, he cites what he calls the three C's: competency, courage and character.
"One of the key components in this election is not only the qualifications that the candidate brings and the courage they're going to have to make the change, but the character of that individual -- the integrity and honesty and transparency that we need in our next governor,'' Fedele said. "When I speak to groups and I talk about the three C's ... I'm the only candidate that fulfills all three of those C's.''