Top GOP Aide, West Hartford Resident, Took PAC Funds: Reports

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A West Hartford resident who served as the chief legal counsel for state Senate Republicans has been fired for allegedly taking money from the Senate Republican Leadership PAC, according to multiple reports.

The Hartford Courant reports Michael J. Cronin allegedly took $80,000 from the political action committee account. To sign up for West Hartford breaking news alerts and more, click here.

Senate Republican leader Len Fasano told the CT Mirror that he fired Cronin, who was a legislative lawyer for nearly 20 years and the treasurer of the Senate Republican Leadership Committee, earlier this week after he admitted to misappropriating “tens of thousands of dollars.” Fasano said the misappropriated funds did not impact the Republican campaigns in the recent election and the Chief State’s Attorney is opening a criminal investigation, according to the CT Mirror.

Cronin, 55, was promoted just four months ago as the chief legal counsel of the Senate Republicans, which pays $175,000 per year, according to the Courant.

Read more at the Hartford Courant here and the CT Mirror here.