Investigation Launched Into Election Email In Fairfield: Report

FAIRFIELD, CT — The State Election Enforcement Commission is investigating after a complaint was filed in connection with an email from CT169Strong that may have benefitted Republican candidate Alexis Harrison in the 132nd District state representative race, CT Mirror reported.

Harrison, one of the founders of the advocacy group CT169strong, is running against incumbent Democratic Rep. Jennifer Leeper, and the email sent in the spring reportedly carried a screenshot of the vote tally for the Work Live Ride bill, which Leeper supported and CT169Strong opposed.

The bill, which advocated for housing complexes near public transportation hubs, was passed in the State House but died in the State Senate in May, CT Public Radio reported.

CT169Strong's message in the email read, in part, “REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER, THIS IS THE VOTE TALLY IN THE HOUSE! VOTE SMART IN 2024...," according to CT Mirror.

The Fairfield Democratic Town Committee, through its Chair Steven Sheinberg, filed the complaint with the SEEC against the CT169Strong email.

"This inappropriate expenditure is likely illegal under the state’s campaign finance laws (since Harrison was already a filed candidate) and it is, at the very least, unethical and improper," Fairfield Democrats wrote in a Facebook post.

In a message to Patch, Harrison said that she could not directly address the SEEC investigation, but that the bill in question could be harmful to Fairfield and the state.

A column by Gregory Stroud in CT Examiner took it a step further, questioning CT Mirror's promotion of the story.

"I cannot comment on the substance of the complaint that was filed against me by Fairfield’s Democratic Town Committee Chairman, Steven Sheinberg, but I have full confidence in the deliberations by the SEEC, and I will respect and honor that process," Harrison said.

She added, "It appears that this is an effort to silence and chill those who are critical of legislation that chips away at local control and deflects from Rep. Leeper’s affirmative vote on HB5390. The loss of local decision-making authority under HB5390 was particularly troubling to me and many others as it could have undermined efforts to manage growth, infrastructure, and environmental concerns at the community level, and to deny the voice of our residents at public hearings -- vital for local decision-making.

"For many years now, I’ve had the good fortune to serve my hometown on local boards and neighborhood groups and have focused my energies on environmental causes and land-use matters because they are issues that are important to me and many Fairfield residents of all political stripes. I’ve been very outspoken about local control relative to land-use for many years. I believe that volunteer grassroots groups like CT169Strong are vital to our democracy and important vehicles for sharing information and informing residents."

For her part, when asked by Patch for comment, Leeper also declined to specifically discuss the SEEC investigation. She told CT Mirror that the Work Live Ride bill would have benefitted Fairfield by making the town a priority for state housing funds.

"While I appreciate SEEC taking this complaint seriously and launching an investigation, I remain committed to fighting for the transparency and fairness in our elections that Fairfield and Southport deserve," Leeper told Patch.

"State Representative Jennifer Leeper has consistently worked for the benefit of Fairfield, supporting legislation like the Work Live Ride bill that would have brought significant benefits to our community," Fairfield Democrats wrote. "Her dedication to honest and effective governance stands in stark contrast to the inappropriate practices of her opponent."

Patch reached out to CT169Strong for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.

Read the CT Mirror story; read the CT Examiner story; read the CT Public Radio story.