I’m standing with Chris

Published Jun 3, 2012

My name is Tom Swan, and I am the new campaign manager of Chris Donovan’s campaign. I’m taking a leave of absence from my day job at the Connecticut Citizen Action Group to step in as campaign manager.

We’ve had a tough few days on the campaign. That’s why I wanted you to hear a couple of things directly from me: Chris has done nothing wrong, and has not been accused of any wrongdoing. I say that without any uncertainty or equivocation. And this campaign is going forward, and going forward in a way we can all be proud of.

I joined the campaign at this time without hesitation. I have known and worked with Chris Donovan for almost 20 years. I know him to be an honest man with a deep commitment to progressive politics and principles. He will fight for Connecticut’s working and middle class families in Congress, as he has done as Speaker, as a state legislator, and as a community organizer.

The campaign has hired a well-respected former Republican-appointed United States Attorney, Stan Twardy, to independently review the campaign’s finances and ensure that if there are any ill-gotten or inappropriate funds, they are donated in their entirety to the Connecticut Citizens Election Program. We are hiring a new finance team, and will work to ensure that accountability measures are put in place to make impossible for anything like this to happen again.

And I want to be absolutely clear: Chris had no knowledge of any wrongdoing, and there was absolutely no effect on his work as a State Representative or as Speaker of the House. As has been reported in the CT Mirror, Ct NewsJunkie, and elsewhere, neither Chris nor his staff had any contact on the matter with the relevant committee chair, or any effect on the outcome of the relevant legislation.

On the campaign front, we are continuing to do the work necessary to win in August and in November. We opened four field offices this weekend, with supporters coming out in New Britain, in Waterbury, in Danbury, and in Meriden, and 65 people braved the rains in Meriden and New Britain on Saturday morning to drop off literature.

Volunteers stand with Chris in Meriden today before going out to knock on doors.

As always, this campaign will be won with an army of supporters – with boots on the ground, knuckles on doors, and ears to the phone. That’s why I’m glad we have you. I don’t want you to have any illusions: This isn’t going to be easy. But with your help, and the help and hard work of thousands of the district’s working families, we will win.

Thank you, and let’s get to work,

Swan

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