Fasano, Kelly, McLachlan File Formal Complaint with the Freedom of Information Commission re: Commissioner Wade

Hartford – Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven), along with Senator Michael McLachlan (R-Danbury) and Senator Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford), today filed a formal complaint with the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission regarding Insurance Commissioner Katharine Wade.

In reply to a Freedom of Information request for information submitted by Sens. Fasano, McLachlan and Kelly on June 21, 2016, Commissioner Wade responded in a letter dated July 8, 2016. Her response was missing multiple pieces of communication between the Insurance Commissioner and the Office of State Ethics.

In the senators’ formal complaint, attached, they explain: “In light of the failure to provide nearly 500 pages of what another state agency has deemed to be public records, we are outraged at the Department of Insurance and their attempt to keep the public in the dark regarding a high profile merger that reeks with conflicts. Due to what we feel to be a bad faith refusal to provide us with the requested documents, we file this formal notice of appeal to the Commission. In addition, as we believe this refusal is without reasonable grounds and must be viewed as a bad faith attempt to keep secret the Commissioner’s potential conflicts, we ask that the Commission set an example and take the rare action of imposing civil penalties against Commissioner Wade and her Department.”