Danbury Resident Files SEEC Complaint Against Hat PAC Members

Danbury resident Joseph Walkovich has filed a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission to investigate the activities of the Hat Political Action Committee and Chairman Gene Eriquez and Treasurer Helena Abrantes.

The complaint was filed with the Commission in January, but action was taken last Wednesday, Feb. 10 after Mr. Walkovich said the commission had previously levied late fines and civil penalties in the total amount of $968 for late filing and non-filing of campaign finance reports of the Political Action Committee in 2015.

Walkovich, Danbury’s Democratic Town Chair, is filing the complaint as an individual due to “various egregious violations, omissions and misleading filings,” Walkovich told Patch.

Walkovich accuses the Hat PAC of failing to file a report 7 days prior to the municipal election, failure to disclose expenditures for advertising on behalf of municipal candidates, missing or undisclosed PAC checks, double entry of and donations in reports months after the donations had been made.

Walkovich stated, “the leadership of the Hat PAC are not new to the political arena and should have known how to comply with the State Election Enforcement Commission rules. Their inability to comply with SEEC regulations not only tarnishes the candidates they have endorsed but places a cloud over those elections they try to influence and the PAC they founded and lead.”

Danbury Patch contacted Danbury’s Hat PAC but as of this posting they could not be reached for comment. According to their website, “The Hat PAC consists of Greater Danbury residents that are Democrats, Republicans and Independents who are concerned citizens committed to a stronger future for Danbury and our region. The PAC’s mission is to empower people to move Danbury forward, to support candidates for various offices, and to promote civil discourse through the true democratic process that will produce results.”