NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WFSB) – Republican gubernatorial candidate Erin Stewart showed a reckless disregard for policies that govern the use of public funds, an investigation by the New Britain mayor’s office said.
Thursday, state police confirmed that they received a complaint and were asked to investigate.
“Connecticut State Police- Central District Major Crime has initiated an investigation into this matter,” troopers said in a statement.
Stewart is not facing charges at this point.
Democratic Mayor Bobby Sanchez on Thursday released results from his office’s investigation into Stewart’s spending during her time as mayor.
Read the entire 74-page report below:
Sanchez said the investigation showed that the great majority of her expenditures were “wholly unrelated” to municipal business.
The spending questions surfaced when a report showed she racked up $207,000 on her city-issued credit card over her 12 years in office.
Receipts showed that she used the card to purchase cat toys, gag gifts, lingerie, makeup, home decorations, items for a Peppa Pig birthday party and other parties, and more.
The investigation said that Stewart’s card abuses significantly affected the city’s bottom line. It said she disguised her purchases as “misc office supplies” or “misc expense incurred in the admin. of the office.”
Sanchez noted on Friday that his office’s investigation is not finished.
However, he said it concluded that Stewart misused the card in a blatant violation of city policies.
The financial records, purchase histories, and supporting documentation presented here show that the great majority of the expenditures made with Ms. Stewart’s P-Card were wholly unrelated to official municipal business and instead appear to have benefited and enriched Ms. Stewart and her family. These transactions were not isolated incidents but occurred repeatedly over an extended period, nearly a decade, showing a reckless disregard for established policies governing the use of public funds. This conduct represents a breach of public trust and raises serious concerns regarding accountability, oversight, and ethical leadership.
Sanchez also said that Stewart declined to be interviewed for the investigation, and instead asked for prepared questions to be forwarded to her.
The mayor said that when Stewart was told that could not be done, she ignored an additional request for an interview.
Tuesday, before the results of the investigation were released, Stewart issued a statement that said “expenditures by the mayor’s office were budgeted for, submitted, and subject to annual audit during her 12 years as mayor.”
During a campaign rally with her supporters on Tuesday, she did not address questions about whether any of the items listed in the original report were for personal use.
Channel 3 continues to comb through the investigation’s findings.
Eyewitness News is also reaching out to Stewart for comment.
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