Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Sema 4: Yet Another Lamont Connection

It is amazing how perfectly the Covid-19 virus crisis is playing out for the Governor.  It seems like the only companies that can help the state are ones that somehow have an affiliation with either the Governor, his wife, her hedge fund and or with their friends who just happen to be state employees and or affiliated with our state government.  There seems to be a great deal of profitability in the Covid-19 virus for Ned and Ann Lamont.
Meet Sema4.  It has two laboratories in Connecticut, one in Stamford and one in Branford.  It is partially funded by Connecticut Innovations and by Ann Lamont's hedge fund Oak HC/FT among others.   Sema4 as stated in their April 6, 2020 press release: "Sema4 is partnering with the state of Connecticut and regional healthcare providers to address the pressing need for high-throughput testing, including regular screening of medical personnel and other high-risk populations. Doctors in Connecticut and New York are able to order the test. Sema4 is processing samples in its state-of-the-art clinical laboratory, which can analyze 6,000 COVID-19 tests per week and return results within 24-48 hours." “With our proximity to the epicenter of the worst COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, we desperately need increased testing capacity and reliable results reported as quickly as possible,” said Josh Geballe, Chief Operating Officer for the State of Connecticut."  (this is the same Geballe who was the VP GM of Thermo Fisher Scientific after they bought out Core Informatics which he headed and the same company that received a large loan from the state in 2014) (https://sema4.com/home/media/sema4-launches-high-capacity-covid-19-testing-to-address-critical-need-across-connecticut-and-new-york/). Sema4 has also received $15 million dollars in loans from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development of which $12.2 million is forgiven if certain job criteria is met.
My question is this:  Is the only company in the country that the state of Connecticut can do business with for these Covid-19 tests?  For the Covid-19 crisis is the state of Connecticut only allowed to do business via no bid, secret contracts with companies that have an affiliation with either the Governor, his wife, her hedge fund and or with their friends who just happen to be employees and or affiliated with our state government?  Is the state overpaying for all of this work and what is the state actually getting for its money?  It is hard to get answers such as what is Connecticut getting for the $2 million dollar no bid contract it entered with the Boston Consulting Group?
Tony DeAngelo, who has been investigating these issues on his "Ten Minutes With Tony"  segment heard on the Lee Elci Show that broadcasts on 94.9 FM New London, Connecticut talked about this new Lamont connection among other troubling connections with them on his June 16 segment. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9CYa6rW4xE&feature=youtu.be).
There seems to be a massive disconnect with Ned Lamont and the ethical boundaries of his Governorship.  Profit seems to be the driving force of his administration at the expense of the Connecticut Taxpayer.  The same Connecticut Taxpayer who is now trapped in a state it can not leave freely and without some probable cause.  Freedom is now elusive in Connecticut due to the Lamont's and their entourage.  Lamont needs to resign.


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