Second Co-Conspirator Named in Donovan Campaign Finance Probe

A man has been identified by a major state newspaper as a second suspected co-conspirator in the federal investigation into campaign finances that has already snagged state House Speaker Chris Donovan’s congressional campaign finance manager .

An article by the Hartford Courant identified the second man as Paul Rogers of Middlebury, reportedly a former employee of a smoke shop in Waterbury, and said he retained prominent defense attorney Hugh Keefe of New Haven as his lawyer.

A week ago, the Courant reported that was another suspected co-conspirator in a scheme to conceal the source of campaign contributions to Donovan’s campaign for the 5th Congressional District seat. Soucy resigned or was ousted from three top union positions last weekend as a result.

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Donovan’s finance manager, Robert Braddock Jr., was arrested by FBI agents following a sting operation. Braddock was also fired from his campaign position.

The FBI sting involved agents posing as smoke shop owners who sought to pass substantial sums of money to Donovan’s campaign in return for help opposing a bill before the General Assembly that would have raised taxes and fees on roll-your-own cigarette equipment.

The Courant said court documents are not clear whether the campaign contributions scheme was initiated by opponents of the bill or by the FBI agents.