Latest Column | ‘CT Democrats’ Culture of Corruption Is Hard to Ignore’ (June 2025)

By State Sen. Rob Sampson

Connecticut is a beautiful state with great people—and unfortunately, a government that’s starting to resemble a sketchy underground casino. High stakes, shady deals, and the house always wins.

While most residents are busy keeping up with rising electric bills and grocery costs, they might have missed what’s fueling their frustration: a deeply embedded culture of corruption that defines one-party rule in Hartford. And no, that’s not hyperbole—it’s just the headlines from the last six months.

Let’s start with the mess at the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), the very agency that determines our electric rates. In February, reports surfaced that a sitting Democratic state senator was being offered a seat on PURA in what sure looked like a quid pro quo. The deal? Support Chairwoman Marissa Gillett’s reappointment, and in return, get a plush new job. That’s not public service, it’s horse-trading.

To be clear, PURA is supposed to be an independent regulatory body. The last thing it should become is a cushy landing pad for legislators looking for a career change. But instead of calling it what it is—corruption—Democrats spent weeks pointing fingers. The Governor blamed the legislature. Lawmakers shrugged back. It would be funny if your electric bill hadn’t just gone up again.

And as if on cue, the Senate recently passed a bill extending state health care benefits to public members of quasi-public boards. That’s right, Cadillac-level health care, courtesy of you, the taxpayer, for folks who attend 12 meetings a year. Just as whispers started about making PURA a quasi-public entity. What timing. What a racket.

Now imagine if all that maneuvering was used to do something about electric rates. Or housing. Or taxes. Or any of the kitchen-table issues Republicans raise every session. But no—they’ll ram through anything if it helps their friends. Real reform? That dies in committee. Emergency-certified bills to eliminate corruption? Off the table. That tool is reserved for pet projects and secret budget deals.

Speaking of which, remember Deidre Gifford? A top Lamont appointee, head of the Office of Health Strategy, and one of the architects of Connecticut’s COVID-19 “response.” She quietly retired in May—hours after reports revealed she canceled a state audit that would’ve exposed a politically connected doctor for billing Medicaid for surgeries that never happened. Fake surgeries, real taxpayer money, real corruption. Poof—no audit.

Nothing to see here, folks. Just another high-ranking official skipping town as the media gets too close.

And no column on government corruption in Connecticut would be complete without mentioning Kosta Diamantis—the former deputy secretary at the Office of Policy and Management, and a longtime Lamont ally. Diamantis was indicted last year on 22 federal counts, including bribery and fraud related to school construction projects. Yep—this was the guy with the keys to the state’s checkbook.

Diamantis, for his part, recently asked a federal judge to let him travel to Greece this summer. For three weeks. While facing trial. The request was denied—presumably because even the judge had trouble keeping a straight face.

And this is just the greatest hits. There’s more.

Former Connecticut State Colleges and Universities chancellor Terrence Cheng racked up thousands in improper expenses—hotels, meals, personal charges—all while earning over $440,000. Instead of being fired, he was quietly moved to another position at the same salary. Apparently, there’s no such thing as being too expensive or too unethical for state government.

Then there’s the UConn professor who used grant funds for luxury travel and gifts. The Social Equity Council, created to oversee cannabis licensing, has become a hotbed of favoritism and dysfunction. The State Pier project in New London? Once budgeted at $93 million, it’s ballooned past $300 million—with little accountability.

The DMV towing kickback scandal? Still waiting for answers. Election fraud in Bridgeport? A Democratic primary overturned by a judge—and still no action from lawmakers. Republicans filed multiple bills to fix the problem this year. Not one even granted a hearing. Not one.

The silence from the Governor’s office is deafening. Either they’re asleep at the wheel—or they know exactly what’s going on and don’t want to talk about it.

This isn’t partisan bluster. It’s not about Democrat voters—I know plenty who are just as disgusted as I am. The problem is the Democratic machine in Hartford: entrenched, arrogant, and protected by years of unchecked power.

The people of Connecticut deserve better—honest leadership, real oversight, and a government that doesn’t treat your paycheck like a personal slush fund. This culture of corruption isn’t an accident. It’s the result of one-party rule that no longer fears accountability.

It’s time to change that.