“Arrogance”: CT Senate GOP Statement on Audit Revealing $22K Taxpayer-Funded Picnic

Sen. Jeff Gordon and Sen. Stephen Harding issued the following statement regarding a CT state audit which criticizes the Division of Public Defender Services for wasteful spending, including a $22,561 staff picnic.

“That was quite a picnic – a picnic that state taxpayers paid for. It included a taxpayer-funded airbrush tattoo station, pony rides, cornhole tournaments, and pickle ball. It’s the latest example of state government arrogance and its disrespect for already overburdened Connecticut families and job creators. It shines another bright spotlight on the need for accountability and reform in this agency – and others – in state government.

We thank the bipartisan auditors for their good work. We also appreciate that the Public Defender Services Commission has proactively been taking steps to clean this obvious mess up.

Connecticut Republicans are paying attention. We are fighting every day for the proper use of taxpayer money, and we won’t stop calling out its misuse.

At the same time, we are fighting for the people of Connecticut to keep more of their hard-earned money upfront.”