Senator Witkos Questions Malloy’s Honesty on Keno

February 26, 2014

Hartford – State Senator Kevin Witkos (R-Canton), member of the General Assembly’s Public Safety and Security Committee, today questioned Governor Malloy’s honesty regarding his recent statements about the plans for keno in Connecticut. Emails obtained by Senator Witkos through a Freedom of Information Act request show that the governor had prior knowledge about keno in the budget as his top officials shared the exact language of the keno section of the budget on May 30, 2013, two days before the budget was approved.

“I am disappointed in the distortions coming from the governor’s office,” said Senator Witkos. “The governor has stated repeatedly that keno was not his idea. However, his top officials clearly had advanced knowledge of the plans for keno and provided the language for the legislature’s budget.”

“As a state leader, it is disgraceful to not take responsibility for your own actions. It is even more shameful to lie about your role and knowledge.”

On Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 8:09 pm Michael Sullivan, Undersecretary for Legal Affairs in the Office of Policy and Management, sent an email titled “keno language” to Alan Calandro, Director of the Office of Fiscal Analysis. On the email, the following Office of Policy and Management employees were carbon copied: Ben Barnes, Secretary; Paul Potamianos, Executive Budget Officer, Thomas Fiore, Section Director; Gregory Messner, Assistant Executive Budget Officer; and Karen Buffkin, Deputy Secretary.

The email contained the exact language of the budget’s keno section.

“I launched a ‘Tell the Truth’ campaign last July to try to provide the public with a more complete understanding of current issues facing Connecticut. This discovery shows that there is clearly still a need for dedicated watchdogs in Hartford today,” said Witkos.\

See more >> Click to view all documents received in response to the FOI request