The FBI announced Wednesday that David Moffa had been sentenced for his role in directing illegal campaign contributions to Christopher Donovan. Donovan was Speaker of the Connecticut House and running for Congress at the time with the endorsement of the Connecticut Democratic Party.
David Moffa is the former President of AFSCME Local 387 in Connecticut. He and several others created a scheme to funnel money to Donovan in an attempt to protect smoke shop businesses in the state from impending regulations.
Moffa convinced the owners of one smoke shop business to hand him $2,500 cash. Moffa then wrote a check donating the same amount to Donovan’s campaign in his wife’s name. Later when interviewed by the FBI about the transaction, Moffa lied about receiving the cash.
Seven other individuals have either pleaded guilty or been found guilty in connection to the contributions scheme including which eventually amounted to nearly $30,000. Donovan’s campaign finance manager, Robert Braddock, was found guilty of attempting to conceal the source of the funds last month. Campaign manager Joshua Nassi pleaded guilty last year and awaits sentencing.
Christopher Donovan has denied knowing anything about the scheme. Donovan, who is a former SEIU organizer, was considered the progressive candidate in the race with endorsements from the likes of Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas. After word of the FBI investigation broke, Donovan lost the primary to Elizabeth Etsy who went on to win the seat.