ANSONIA – A lawyer for the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) said Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti’s 2024 campaign for state representative was late to report about $200 in campaign expenses.
The SEEC lawyer determined that “Cassetti for State Rep” failed to report the purchase of yard signs within the timeframe mandated by state law. The SEEC board voted 5-0 on April 2 to adopt the lawyer’s report.
The complaint was brought by Dave Hannon, the chairman of the Ansonia Democratic Town Committee.
According to the SEEC, the Cassetti campaign purchased about $200 worth of promotional signs to use during a political gathering in March. At the gathering, Cassetti, a Republican, announced he was challenging incumbent state Rep. Kara Rochelle, a Democrat, to represent Ansonia and part of Derby in the state House of Representatives.
The expense should have been reported on campaign finance disclosures filed with the state on April 10, but were not reported until the next round of disclosures in July.
According to a letter from Clare Kindall, the SEEC interim executive director and general counsel, Cassetti campaign manager Tony Mammone said the campaign paid the bill for the signs on April 14, four days after the state’s disclosure deadline. Therefore it was not reported until the next round of disclosures in July.
However, the SEEC lawyer pointed out state law requires campaigns to disclose expenditures even if the expenses have yet to be paid.
The SEEC lawyer’s letter ordered Mammone to follow the rules. Cassetti and former Ansonia Economic Development Director Sheila O’Malley were named in the complaint, but the SEEC lawyer dismissed them from the case.
Cassetti and Ansonia Corporation Counsel John Marini did not return calls for comment. Mammone declined comment.
Rochelle defeated Cassetti in November 2024.
During the campaign, Ansonia Democrats – through the party’s Facebook page – repeatedly said that the Cassetti campaign was “under investigation” by the SEEC while declining to name the accusations they lodged.
Asked about the SEEC’s order, Hannon said in a written statement that “Team Cassetti” is fiscally irresponsible.
“Once again, Team Cassetti is found to play fast and loose with money, proper reporting, and the law,” Hannon said.
Hannon’s complaint also alleged that Cassetti’s campaign had registered the wrong address for Cassetti’s residence. The commission found it to be a clerical error, which the Cassetti campaign corrected.