State Finds Probable Cause In Campaign Finance Complaint Against Three Eastern CT Campaigns

HARTFORD, CT — The Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission on Wednesday found probable cause that the 2024 campaigns of Christopher Reddy, Aaron Bowman and Anne Dauphinais violated state election laws related to campaign finance reporting and the spending of public campaign funds.

The findings stem from complaint file 2025-062, filed by the chairs of the Democratic Town Committees in Mansfield, Windham and Pomfret, which says the three campaigns concealed a combined $56,000 in public campaign expenditures. The matter will now move to a formal hearing before a hearing officer for adjudication.

According to the complaint, the campaigns collectively paid $56,000 to a company identified as “Sale Co” around Election Day in November 2024.

The complaint states that on Nov. 4, 2024, Reddy for CT Senate paid Sale Co $26,000, followed by an additional $3,000 payment on Nov. 6. The combined $29,000 represented roughly 23 percent of Reddy’s total Citizens’ Election Program grant.

According to the complaint, Bowman for Mansfield paid Sale Co $20,000 on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, accounting for approximately 55 percent of Bowman’s public campaign grant.

The complaint further alleges that Elect Dauphinais paid Sale Co $7,000 on Nov. 5, representing about 19 percent of Rep. Dauphinais’ public financing grant.

The complaint states the payments to Sale Co represented the largest individual expenditures made by each of the three campaigns.

According to the complaint, campaign finance filings originally listed Sale Co at the address of an apartment in Hartford, despite no company by that name being incorporated in Connecticut. The complaint alleges that after it was filed, campaign disclosures were amended to instead list an address associated with a Wyoming company that registers anonymous limited liability companies.

Under Connecticut election law, publicly financed campaigns are prohibited from concealing the true nature of campaign expenditures or using shell corporations to obscure how taxpayer-funded grants are spent.

The complaint also claims the campaigns made thousands of dollars in direct payments to political associates months after the November 2024 election, including expenditures recorded as late as June 2025. Campaigns participating in Connecticut’s public financing program are generally prohibited from continuing to spend grant funds after an election concludes.

Wednesday’s enforcement action follows an April 15 referral by the SEEC for further investigation into the Reddy and Bowman campaigns after state audits identified potential campaign finance violations connected to the Sale Co payments and additional expenditures.

Ben Shaiken, chairman of the Mansfield Democratic Town Committee, said campaign finance transparency is necessary so the public can verify taxpayer funds are being spent on legitimate campaign expenses rather than potentially benefiting candidates or associates.

William Sayers, chairman of the Windham Democratic Town Committee, said the commission’s findings confirmed concerns his organization raised months earlier regarding the handling of taxpayer funds connected to the campaigns.

Raymond Wishart, chairman of the Pomfret Democratic Town Committee, criticized Reddy and questioned his fitness to serve in office following the commission’s findings.

Reddy is currently the endorsed Republican candidate for the 29th State Senate District in the 2026 election. Bowman was recently elected chairman of the Mansfield Republican Town Committee and serves on the Connecticut Republican State Central Committee. Dauphinais is seeking re-election in 2026 as the endorsed Republican candidate for the 44th House District.

GOP officials could not be reached for comment.

Because the matter has been referred for formal adjudication, the Elections Enforcement Commission has several civil and administrative penalties available. If evidence of intentional fraud is uncovered, the matter could also be referred for criminal prosecution.

A recording of Wednesday’s commission meeting is available through YouTube livestream of the SEEC meeting.