Southington GOP Police Commissioner Fined In State Elections Probe

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A Republican on the Southington Police Commission was fined by the state last week for his role regarding a controversial 2022 flyer sent out opposing a Democratic House candidate.

The Connecticut Elections Enforcement Commission unanimously approved a consent order on Nov. 6 in which GOP Southington Police Commissioner Steven Kalkowski agreed to pay a $1,000 fine for violating two statutes associated with the 2022 flyer.

State EEC staff attorney Johnny Ross, at last week's meeting, said the fine was "based on making expenditures towards the distribution of a letter that ... opposed the Democratic party and its candidate that was running for election."

In addition to making a $1,000 payment to the state (spread out over four $250 installments), Kalkowski, by agreeing to the consent order, must abide by state elections regulations in the future, Ross said.

On Oct. 23, the state EEC voted to schedule a hearing with Southington Republicans regarding a complaint Democrats filed in 2023 about a mailer sent out before the 2022 state House elections.

But last week, the consent agreement was announced in which Kalkowski admitted to the violations and agreed to pay a fine.

During the 2022 election for the 81st House seat, Democrat Christopher Poulos narrowly defeated Republican Tony Morrison, 5,297-5,296, a one-vote margin was finalized following a recount in the heavily GOP Southington district.

At last week's elections, which took place the day before the EEC meeting, Poulos won re-election with an easier victory than two years ago, defeating Republican James Morelli Jr. to represent most of Southington, the lone town in the district.

This state ruling, however, pertained to actions two years prior.

Following the heated 2022 election, the Southington Democratic Town Committee filed a complaint with the state EEC about an anonymous letter sent out before the vote that year.

At issue, essentially, was whether the Southington GOP illegally funded the distribution of the flyer, Democrats said in the complaint, which was filed in March 2023.

The state investigation into the matter included Southington Police Commissioner Michael Riccio and colleague Kalkowski, along with Southington Republican Town Committee Chairman Mark LaJoie.

At issue is complicity with Connecticut State General Statutes 9-602 (a) and 9-621 (a), which deal with legalities associated with how campaign materials are distributed and how they're financed.

Calling the GOP's activities "election corruption," the Southington Democratic Town Committee Monday released a statement urging Kalkowski to resign from his post on the police commission.

"We contend that Commissioner Kalkowski, along with the others involved, were aware these actions violated campaign laws. It is disappointing that a police commissioner would knowingly engage in any kind of election corruption," wrote Southington Democrats.

"Corruption of any kind does not belong on the Southington Police Commission. As a result of Commissioner Kalkowski's ethically challenged actions, the Southington Democratic Town Committee calls on him to resign immediately from the police commission.

Patch has reached out to Kalkowski and is awaiting a response as of Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 12.

Southington Republican Town Committee Chairman Mark Lajoie said Tuesday the local GOP knew nothing about what happened in 2022 and denied any wrongdoing.

"This particular issue has nothing to do with the GOP or SRTC and I have no knowledge of any agreements made between Mr. Kalkowski and the SEEC," Lajoie wrote to Patch in a statement.

He said Democrats in Southington, historically, file election complaints with authorities frequently.

"It is my understanding that the complaint was made due to an attribution clause missing on a document. As mentioned previously, the Democrats file these types of complaints fairly often," Lajoie said.

From Oct. 24: 'State To Investigate Southington GOP Regarding 2022 Campaign Complaint'