A former Connecticut mayor has repeatedly blown past deadlines to repay the $240,000 in taxpayer money that she allegedly misused while in office.
Erin Stewart, 39, suspended her gubernatorial campaign in May after an investigation exposed alleged misuse of a New Britain credit card to ‘benefit herself, members of her family and her political campaigns,’ the city said.
The city alleged that Stewart improperly boosted her income in the 12 years she ran city hall.
After missing the first two deadlines, New Britain said that Stewart owes a total of $241,558 in attorneys’ fees, taxpayer funds and tuition reimbursement.
‘I take the allegations that have been made against me very seriously,’ the former mayor said in a public statement. ‘And for that reason, I am suspending my gubernatorial campaign effective immediately so that I can focus on addressing those claims.’
Stewart and her charity, the Mayor’s Trophy Charity Fund, were investigated by the Crumbie Law Group who were hired by Mayor Bobby Sanchez, Stewart’s successor, the CT Mirror reported.
The Republican allegedly used more than $30,000 of the city funds to pay for her master’s degree program in public administration at the University of New Haven, News 8 reported.
Another $22,000 of city money was allegedly spent on deliveries to her home including clothes, makeup, an ice maker, diapers and baby formula, documents obtained by the outlet showed.
The card also funded nearly $20,000 in membership fees as well as food and drink at a private social club, the Hartford Club, the Mirror reported.
According to a letter addressed to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong on June 5, New Britain also accused Stewart of buying items with the city-issued card between 2016 and 2025 and selling them in a ‘moving-out tag sale.’
Hellbound and Down 