AND WHO ARE HIS ACQUAINTANCES?
by Sharon Rondeau
(Jun. 8, 2012) — On May 31, 2012, a Democrat operative, Robert Braddock, Jr., who had been “Director of Business Development” for an adult entertainment website several years ago, was arrested for illegal activity in regard to the congressional campaign of a Connecticut General Assemblyman and Democrat Speaker of the House.
Braddock, who describes himself as a “Democratic Political Fundraising Consultant,” administered a polygraph test in 2008 to Larry Sinclair, who had alleged in a book to be released in 2009 that he and Barack Obama had taken drugs together in 1999. Sinclair has pointed to a relationship between Parisi and David Axelrod, Obama’s adviser and campaign manager in both 2008 and 2012, claiming that Axelrod had offered Daniel Parisi, owner of an adult website and Braddock’s employer at the time, to “rig the results of the polygraph test.”
While Parisi filed a lawsuit against Sinclair and Amazon.com, retailer of the book, Sinclair insisted that the statements made in his book were “truthful.” Sinclair’s company declared bankruptcy after the lawsuit was filed, although earlier this year, federal Judge Richard Leon dismissed Parisi’s case against Sinclair and publishers of his book. On May 17, 2012, Leon ruled that Sinclair had “taken appropriate steps to verify information before publishing it.”
Sinclair was reported to have been vilified by the media after he made his allegations against Obama during 2008. Sinclair has started his own news service and is covering the Chicago CPAC convention today.
Someone operating a website on the Sinclair-Parisi lawsuit stated that a withdrawn “civil action” “will turn out to be the fuel necessary for Daniel Parisi, Patton Boggs LLP, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, David Axelrod, David Plouffe, Robert Gibbs, Bill Burton and Obama for America to be forced to turn over their Phone, Text Messages, Email, financial records and more.”
Braddock was serving as finance director for Christopher Donovan, Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives and candidate for U.S. Congress for the Fifth District when he was arrested for “concealing the source of $20,000 in campaign contributions.” Donovan fired both Braddock and his campaign manager and appointed Tom Swan as his new campaign manager. Donovan says he has spent his “whole life fighting for families” and says that “everybody’s the same.”
Donovan “and his campaign staff” are said to now be an object of a federal corruption probe being carried out by U.S. Attorney David B. Fein.
In a 14-page affidavit, an FBI agent from the Meriden, CT division stated that “probable cause” has been found “to believe…that Braddock has unlawfully conspired and continues to unlawfully conspire to conceal financial contributions to the campaign of a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, who is also a current member of the Connecticut General Assembly…”
A now-identified co-conspirator with Braddock is Joshua Nassi, who has hired a contributor to Donovan’s campaign as his defense attorney. There are two other identified co-conspirators in the legislation-rigging scheme which used “conduit campaign contributions.”
Donovan stated that he is cooperating with an FBI investigation but said he has not been questioned by federal authorities. Another report said that “the speaker will not discuss details of what he may know about the investigation, including his interview with the FBI.” An article from The New York Times indicates that Donovan was contacted by the FBI at the time of Braddock’s arrest.
In a signed declaration dated July 27, 2011, Braddock stated, “I have never had any connection or involvement with Barack Obama, his Presidential campaign, David Axelrod, or anyone affiliated with him.”
Braddock was allegedly taking campaign donations to influence legislation introduced in the Connecticut General Assembly which, if passed, would have imposed a tax on “roll-your-own” cigar retailers. In his online profile Braddock states that he is an “amateur cigar smoker.”
Donovan’s district in Connecticut will be the recipient of “an additional $1.77 million in education equalization aid grants in fiscal year 2013.” During the most recent legislative session, Donovan boasts the repeal of the state’s “Blue Law” which had prohibited sales of alcohol on Sundays; raising the minimum wage from $8.25 to $8.50 as of January 1, 2013; and repeal of capital punishment.
Donovan also introduced a revised elections law, signed by Gov. Dannel Malloy on May 31, 2012, which will allow same-day voter registration and casting of ballots. Regarding his hiring of Braddock, Donovan now states that he “regrets” it. Donovan denies any knowledge of the campaign donation scheme.
The Connecticut House Democrats website states:
Connecticut House Democrats have a long and proud history of representing and protecting the interests of all Connecticut residents.
That commitment is reflected in an agenda that emphasizes strong economic growth that promotes business and creates new, 21st century jobs; quality health care and education; safe and crime free communities; reasonable taxes and fairly distributed expenditures; clean,sustainable energy and green technologies; safe roads and bridges and reliable public transportation; and open, honest and accountable government that protects civil rights and liberties for all.