FILE PHOTO
State Rep. Kara Rochelle, a Democrat who represents Ansonia and Derby in the state legislature.
DERBY/ANSONIA — The Hartford Courant published a story Tuesday saying state Rep. Kara Rochelle was hired as a consultant on a firehouse project in West Haven by Michael DiMassa, a West Haven city hall and state lawmaker who was accused in October by federal officials of stealing more than $600,000 in COVID-19 relief money.
Rochelle said Tuesday she was shocked by DiMassa’s arrest, and had no knowledge or involvement with West Haven’s funding process.
DiMassa, who has since resigned from West Haven City Hall and the state legislature, allegedly set up a shell company to receive COVID cash coming from the feds to the City of New Haven. Federal investigators said DiMassa used the COVID-19 money, in part, to purchase gambling chips at a casino, The CT Mirror reported.
The allegations against DiMassa, a Democrat, have reverberated across the state, with leading Republicans calling for audits and more oversight over how local governments use the federal funds.
Rochelle’s name does not appear in the court documents in DiMassa’s case, nor has it been reported that she was involved in DiMassa’s alleged criminal scheme.
Publications that cover state government — such as the Mirror, CT News Junkie, and the Courant — have been asking questions about how the City of West Haven has been spending COVID-19 relief money.
Tuesday’s story in the Courant, citing documents the newspaper obtained, reported that “DiMassa hired State Rep. Kara Rochelle, an Ansonia Democrat first elected in 2018, for something described in city records as “COVID fire study.”
The paper reported Rochelle was brought aboard to help with the planning of a new fire department building in West Haven. The Courant reported Rochelle was paid $5,000 in June. The paper said Rochelle spoke to a reporter using a lawyer (a move criticized on social media by the Ansonia Town Republican Committee), and reported that “the consultancy ended when Rochelle told DiMassa she needed more money to continue.”
Rochelle said she did not ask for more money, and the Courant reworded its story Wednesday removing that reference.
Rochelle issued a statement to The Valley Indy Tuesday.
“I was hired to work on an important public safety project and that is what I did — period. I did not seek any additional compensation and was as shocked by Michael DiMassa’s arrest as anyone.”
“I have been a leading advocate for upgrading and modernizing regional emergency response, and it made perfect sense to assist the City of West Haven and Allingtown Fire Department in the initial phase of planning for a new firehouse,” Rochelle said. “Working closely with the West Haven fire chiefs and other stakeholders, we made progress on this important project. While I have had no involvement in West Haven’s funding process, I do hope the City will continue to move this important project forward.”
The Valley Indy was unable to independently confirm The Courant’s reporting, but filed a Freedom of Information request Tuesday (Nov. 9) with the City of West Haven.
