Connecticut:Where Democrats Profit From Nonprofit Organizations

It has been another week in the sordid and bizarre world of the State of Connecticut. Horrendous bills violative of the constitutional rights of ordinary citizens advanced in the state Legislature. Decrepit and nearly bankrupt Hartford, CT, a city that is run by lunatics and one that cannot pay its bills, is petitioning to borrow $50,000,000 as that amount will finally fix everything. As my friend and colleague Tony De Angelo pointed out on his March 19, 2026, THIRTY WITH TONY no gubernatorial candidate of either party has yet addressed the cancer of this new crippling debt engulfing the state. Another minor league sports franchise is leaving, adding to a very long list of such disasters in the past thereby breaking the hearts of thousands of fans, many of whom are young. And as all of this were not enough, once again, we have an esteemed member of the Connecticut State Democrat Party with his hand in the till leveraging his take through a nonprofit organization.

Before we delve into that, let us define our terms. A nonprofit organization is defined as a legal entity organized for purposes other than generating profit, such as charitable, educational, or social causes, where no part of the net income is to be distributed to directors or officers. Even though reasonable compensation is allowed, a nonprofit must use all revenue exceeding expenses to further their mission rather than for private gain or inurement.

Over the course of time in Connecticut and in review of a number of the abuses of the past, some may wonder why Connecticut’s nonprofits are even considered to be “nonprofit.” In some cases, those who are politically connected with the Connecticut Democrat Party or who hold elected office in the state are somehow able to gain income and profit from these same state subsidized nonprofits. Confusing? It is very confusing and is meant to be, in order to hide the complex web of money that flows in and out of these organizations.

The latest issue involves the “Human Resources Agency of New Britain.” Since 1964, the organization has stated that it has been dedicated to “increasing economic self-sufficiency among individuals and families. It provides a wide variety of services that support citizens at every phase of life, from early childhood education to employment and training to elderly assistance. Its mission is to respond to the causes and conditions of poverty while building stronger individuals, families, and communities.”

Given the same, abused and intransparent abuse-filled conveyor belt that no politician wishes to fully overhaul, this organization receives a significant amount of money from the State of Connecticut. Its most recent available Form 990 from 2023 shows that Executive Director Marlo Greponne received $165,338 dollars in compensation along with $32,300 dollars in additional compensation. The Director of Finance and Sustainability, James Frohn, received $130,322 dollars along with $25,038 dollars in additional compensation. Director Amy Griswold received $105,191 dollars with $14,338 dollars in additional compensation. As the old song says, its nice work if you can get it. 

Based on available financial filings, this nonprofit receives approximately 7 to 8 million dollars in federal pass-through grants, along with well over 10 to 12 million dollars in direct and indirect funding from the State of Connecticut. Its total budget is roughly 23 million dollars. All this money is intended to combat poverty.Yet in 2026, New Britain continues to face serious social and economic challenges, including job losses from one of its largest employers, Stanley Black and Decker, which is closing manufacturing units in the city. The city also continues to struggle with illegal drug activity and other chronic issues.

Formerly under the stewardship of Republican candidate for governor Erin Stewart, New Britain is represented at the state level by Democrat State Senator Rick Lopes of the 6th District. According to his website, Lopes highlights efforts to secure funding for housing, health care, and other initiatives. However, and most recently, questions have been raised regarding financial connections between Lopes and the Human Resources Agency of New Britain.

According to reporting by “Inside Investigator,” two companies owned by Senator Lopes have been among the highest paid contractors to the nonprofit. These companies reportedly received 1.6 million dollars between 2018 and 2024, based on a review of the organization’s Form 990 filings. At the same time, the Office of State Ethics has stated that this arrangement does not violate state ethics laws because the companies are not directly contracting with the state and therefore do not require disclosure on financial filings.

Taking into account this sickeningly insufficient explanation from the heart of the Great Connecticut Administrative State, this taking raises an important question. If the “Human Resources Agency of New Britain” receives substantial taxpayer funding, should those financial relationships be subject to greater scrutiny? More broadly, what measurable outcomes have been achieved since 1964 if both Connecticut and New Britain continue to experience economic decline, rot, and persistent social challenges? Can it be argued that billions of dollars spent on nonprofits over the past fifty years have produced limited results, if any at all?

A larger issue is how political ethics are viewed in Connecticut. A pattern appears to emerge where elected officials support funding for nonprofits, while businesses connected to those same officials receive compensation for services provided to those nonprofits. And but for the egregious abuses of the Blue Hills Civic Association and this instant case, one must ask if these questions would have ever been raised at all.

However, there are even further questions. Are there other businesses in Connecticut that could perform these services at a lower cost through a competitive bidding process? Why are executives at some nonprofit organizations paid at such high levels? Why does no real oversight of these organizations exist at all? And why are these organizations not subject to any Freedom of Information disclosure whatsoever?

Connecticut faces a nonprofit spending problem, a politically connected profit problem, an illegally overcompensated politician problem and a lack of oversight problem. Meanwhile, those most in need continue to struggle, and taxpayers are left questioning how their money is being used.

So, in this 2026 election year which many have considered to be the “Last Chance Saloon” in the annals of Connecticut history, critical questions need to be answered. Will this same, intransparent abuse-filled fiscal conveyor belt covertly feeding nonprofits that no politician wishes to fully overhaul, finally be overhauled (or, eliminated?) Will real-time financial disclosures be available from these organizations as a condition of their grants? Will reasonable compensation guidelines be instituted? Will the next governor empower a citizen DOGE picked by fellow citizens? And will “quasi-public” organizations such as the Department of Economic and Community Development and “Connecticut Innovations” and “Advance CT” be abolished, or even overhauled in the least? The answers to those questions will determine if those patrons in the “Last Chance Saloon” will either live to enjoy another day or die in a hail of bullets in what will be the end of a once-great, innovative, and proud state.

May God Save The Once Great State of Connecticut in 2026.

 

Connecticut Community Fund 2030: Funding a Community That You Ain't In

The week of March 9. 2026 was a monumental week in the sordid annals of Connecticut history. In this week, scores of disenfranchised and justifiably disaffected Connecticut citizens descended on the Connecticut State Legislature fighting for their very lives in matters of education, medical freedom, and matters of personal self-defense in front of a largely uncaring and supercilious legislature who in many ways could not care less about them. Meanwhile, state Republicans caucused and called conferences supporting the efforts of these dear people. However, when all the dust settled one equally sickening issue remained: The government of the state of Connecticut continues to take your money and throw it into the street. And the arrogance and disdain from the political class towards the unwashed masses regarding this issue continually reaches steroidal proportions. 

And in this latest fiscal boondoggle, no politician comes out a winner. But you, the taxpayer, continually come out the loser.

Therefore, welcome to the “Connecticut Community Fund 2030”.

What is the Connecticut Community Fund 2030? 

Depending on what you want it to be, it is yet another bureaucratic dive for your wallet that creates even more economic misery for you, the Connecticut Taxpayer. The supposed purpose of the  "Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF) is a Connecticut state-run program established in 2021 (codified in CGS § 32-285a) designed to foster economic and community development in historically underserved and distressed municipalities."  (https://portal.ct.gov/communityinvestmentfund/about-the-fund). This fund started in 2021 and works through the should-be-abolished and failed Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development to give free money to  throw to his or her district like a gouty ward heeler. 

This fund is a bipartisan project. At the onset, it was intended to be funded for a mere $767 million dollars in its lifespan with a series of aspirational and/or questionable projects that you did not vote on, and regardless of how you may feel about it. But no one really gives a tinker’s dam about what you may think. And so what? Are we not supposed to pay attention to $767 million dollars to Connecticut taxpayers?  Especially since no amount of Taxpayer’s monies thrown any of the state's nonprofits/historically distressed communities and never-ending stream of "nonprofits" ever solves any of the massive social and economic problems of the state.

Here is some of the projects the Connecticut Community Fund has funded so far (https://portal.ct.gov/communityinvestmentfund/about-the-fund?language=en_US) : 

INTERNATIONAL HARTFORD - $1,137,514

The request of CIF funds is towards the construction of a year-round public food truck court for ethnic food vendors. The project will renovate an existing 5,500 square foot property at 681 Wethersfield Avenue. The facility will have both outdoor patios and indoor dining, a breakfast café with free community Wi-Fi, a community performance space for activities and programming, a lounge with music as well as outdoor musical concerts, a co-working kitchen space, cold and dry storage, graywater, and grease disposal – all in one environment, increasing efficiency for food truck operations.

CITY OF BRIDGEPORT - $3,500,000

“Civic Block” CIF funds will aid the completion of the East End development known as Civic Block. Funds will be used to complete construction to create 35,000 ft2 of retail space, including a grocery store in a neighborhood that is currently a food desert.

This project is interesting as there continues not to be much progress on the project. Does anyone have an accounting of money spent to date? Does anyone realize how much money has been given freely to Bridgeport to solve the never-ending years of fiscal theft, fiscal negligence, fiscal ineptness, and fiscal lies of all of their supposed economic development? Does anyone in Bridgeport feel they will benefit from a grocery store? 

Moreover, is there any starvation, scurvy, or beriberi taking place in this Bridgeport “food desert” to date?

TOWN OF HAMDEN - $5,400,000

“Arts & Cultural Center / Middle School Demolition”

This CIF award will enable the re-development of a former middle school that currently stands as a blighted, vacant structure within an Environmental Justice Block Group. CIF grant funds will go towards demolition and abatement of the structure, and community planning activities for the creation of a Community Campus on the site. 

Hamden, formerly a highly desirable town, now has a large theft and crime problem. Instead of worrying about "Environmental justice" maybe Hamden should worry about "Justice for victims of Hamden's never ending crime problem"? 

Or possibly how about some property tax relief or Kevlar shields for the bullet-ducking Hamden taxpayers?

Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, New London $ 2,020,096

New London Relocation PPSNE health centers promote the availability of high-quality family planning and reproductive services. PPSNE proposes to use CIF funds to renovate and expand the property at 467 Ocean Avenue in New London to become the new home of PPSNE’s New London health center. 

Connecticut is now such an economic wasteland that abortion is now considered to be a community and economic development activity.

YWCA Hartford Region, Inc., Hartford $ 1,500,000

Center for Racial Justice & Gender Equity YWCA is committed to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting justice, freedom, and dignity for all. YWCA proposes HVAC system enhancements as part of renovating its 50-year-old Hartford building to establish The Center for Racial Justice and Gender Equity. 

Hartford has a a serious theft and crime problem. Instead of worrying about "Racial justice" maybe Hartford should worry about "Justice for victims of Hartford's never ending crime problem"? But "Racial Justice" of course is a much higher priority than resident safety.

Make no mistake in that Connecticut is a hotly divided state between the aggressors and enablers vs. the aggrieved and besieged. But when it comes to pork-filled and quasi-useless-feed-the-monkey type spending, both sides of the aisle unify to incinerate your tax money in the street while they are calling for financial policing and ending waste, fraud, and abuse. My friend and colleague Tony De Angelo did a great job of explaining this very thing on the March 12 edition of THIRTY WITH TONY TRUE NORTH THIRTY WITH TONY MARCH 12 2026

But nothing ever seems to change in the Grand Nutmeg State, The list is endless for what is being spent on top of the $28 billion dollars yearly in the Connecticut State Budget. Kindly consider that the state has $100-150 billion dollars in short- and long-term debt along with unfunded liabilities before this latest jaunt into Community Investment. But no one in this history of Connecticut politics past or present ever seems to get that. The formula for insolvency and failure continues:  Keep throwing money out the window to a should-be-abolished agency with the result always leaving Connecticut at the bottom of the country in most economic categories. This unmitigated fiscal horror should make every Connecticut Taxpayer's blood boil. And the same pattern is repeated, year after year. 

But in fairness to Republicans let us never ever forget the root cause of the fiscal destruction of the state. The Connecticut Community Fund 2030  is another pure overreach of a never-ending money-wasting Democrat Party ruling authority eliminating local decision-making and facilitating a socialist command top-down planning regime. And in typical Connecticut fashion, there is no transparency whatsoever with respect to this fund and in accuracy, no member of the Board has advocated for your right to the same. Of course, this usual behavioral pattern continues as the state is facing at a federal investigation of Democrat State Senator Doug McCrory and the misuse of $750,000 in funds for the now bankrupt Blue Hills Civic Association. But with business as usual, McCrory is still Deputy President Pro Tempore, Chair: Education Committee, and Vice Chair: Public health; Government Oversight. But again, what is stealing $750,000 of Connecticut Taxpayers monies given the amount that has been stolen and wasted for the past 35 years? Its just a mere bag of shells.

Omnipotent one-party Democrat rule facilitating and enabling the same, and state government with no transparency has consequences. I am confident that down the road there will be even more committees, commissions, and politically appointed- highly paid incompetent-economically illiterate state employees who will talk incoherent economic gibberish while still we see the same horrific economic results. The waste and theft of Connecticut Taxpayers monies needs to stop today. Hopefully, the current federal investigation into State Senator McCrory will lead to many more investigations into Connecticut State Government's corruption. For we simply cannot have enough of them. The dear and hardworking citizens of Connecticut that have been aggrieved and harmed by Connecticut, deserve nothing less. There are no winners here whatsoever, only losers. And the losers here are the poor taxpaying citizens of Connecticut.

 

Rip-Offs. They’re Not Just Committed By Criminals, Anymore.

 Why can't people stop ripping off our government at all levels? Because it is too easy. Why can't government at all levels stop ripping people off? Because it is too easy. And this is one of the biggest issues in our country and in many states in 2025 today. It has been a problem for many years, and it is becoming worse.

One can estimate that a great deal of our federal deficit of $38 trillion dollars may be from fraudulent spending. A small contribution in this category is the throwing of $79 billion dollars in Taxpayers monies out the window was echoed by Republican Iowa Senator Joni Ernst on Wednesday when she stated.; "$79 billion in COVID fraud could have been prevented if four basic questions were asked. Is the Social Security Number valid, does the number match the name, does the birthday match, and is the individual ALIVE?"  (https://x.comSenJoniErnststatus/1998850871757602839ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet ). Obviously, those four questions were too difficult for the dullard bureaucrats who were working on this program to be bothered with. Hey what's another $79 billion dollars of Taxpayers monies anyways? When is my next (vacation, holiday, mental health, or emotional support) day?

Why is this not front-page news?

Most recently, we find that fraud is rampant in Minnesota, where the astounded "deer in the headlights” incompetent Democrat Governor Tim Walz was totally unaware of the massive rip off of Taxpayers by various Somalian groups and individuals. Over $1 billion dollars in fraud has taken place in Minnesota. Examples include: "A group called “Feeding Our Future” spearheaded the theft of $250 million in federal school food aid administered by the state Department of Education. More than 50 people have pleaded guilty to crimes related to receiving government payments for meals not delivered to the claimed groups of children. “...”A new fraud scandal is now rocking Minnesota. Last week, Acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson charged eight people with stealing millions of dollars from a Medicaid program called Housing Stabilization Services. The defendants are alleged to have filed a raft of bogus program claims for clients with disabilities and then pocketed the benefits. This is just the “first wave of charges in a massive fraud in Minnesota’s housing stabilization program,” said Thompson. The Minnesota housing program was originally supposed to cost $2.5 million a year, but the annual cost soared to $104 million by 2024, mainly due to fraud." (https://www.cato.org/blog/minnesota-fraud-illustrates-federal-aid-failure) 

Apparently, this is just the tip of the iceberg there. Why was this allowed? Are there no safeguards in place to prevent this type of fraud?

How about Maine's Medicare fraud with “Gateway Community Services LLC,” which was founded by Abdullahi Ali. Abdullahi Ali was born in Somalia and was recently seeking the the presidency of Jubaland, a region of Somalia bordering Kenya. Whatever “Gateway Community Services LLC” does, it ostensibly does larceny at a very high level. The rip off from this program is estimated to be over $28 million dollars. (https://nypost.com/2025/12/10/us-news/maines-medicaid-program-bilked-out-of-millions-of-dollars-in-somali-fraud-whistleblower-claims/ ).

With so much nonprofit fraud nationwide it has almost taken on a casual connotation to the point where it does not register as a big deal by government and state-run media. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code was specifically written by Congress to allow resources to flow to those in need. But with the larcenous nature of those at the helm of many state-connected nonprofit organizations, charity goes only as far as one’s pocket or purse. 

And nationwide rip-offs are not limited to nonprofits alone. For example. we know in Connecticut massive Democrat Party voter fraud has taken place in Bridgeport for decades. Most recall the infamous Bridgeport State Senator Ernie Newton ballot fraud case. But it goes back much longer than that. In Bridgeport, voter fraud goes back to Mayor John Mandanici’s people submitting ballots for dead people in the 1970s. Look at what happened with the 2023 Bridgeport Democrat Mayoral Primary, and again in 2025 with the stuffed absentee ballot fraud that took place by “The Stuffer” Wanda Geter-Pataky, who in 2023 was charged with "42 counts of possession of ballots and envelopes restricted, two counts of fraudulent voting, 22 counts of misrepresenting eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot,17 counts of being present when an absentee ballot applicant executes an absentee ballot, and nine counts of conspiracy to commit possession of ballots and envelopes restricted". (https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/fairfield/5-charged-in-bridgeport-absentee-ballot-fraud-to-be-arraigned/ ). This case finally came to trial in March of this year. Curiously, mum is the word on “Wanda the Stuffer.” What did Wanda know? What did Wanda do? For whom? How many losses were miraculously spooled into wins? What if Wanda sings? What about fraud in the election of 2025? (Possibly someday we will find out).

But questions, fraud, concealment, and obfuscation are the Gold Standard parameters of Connecticut governance. Kindly note that Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has successfully avoided any type of transparency nor accountability with his involvement with numerous shady dealings for six years, nor has he been pressured by anyone in the Legislature with respect to the same. Years later, Connecticut Taxpayers  do not have any answers with the 2020 Covid-19 debacle and the suspect business in the secret REOPEN-CT Committee meeting in the super-secret ADVANCE CT nonprofit that is fully exempt from all Freedom of Information and state transparency laws by that very same Legislature. Years later, we still do not have any answers to Ned Lamont's family hedge fund (Oak HC/FT Partners), investments in Rapyd, a global Fintech-as-a-service provider, and Unqork, both having documented common-investment ties to "Infosys", that same Infosys that received Connecticut taxpayers monies. We have no disclosures as to what happened in the Lamont-Infosys trip to India in February of 2025 completed under that secret cloak of that same ADVANCE CT. Nor are any answers forthcoming from associated companies relating to the Covid-19 crisis that include "Thermo Fisher Scientific", "Sema 4", " Core Infomatics", “Centrellis”. "Ocrulus", "Urjanet", "1life Healthcare", "Galileo Health", "Castlight Health", "Paladina Health", and "VillageMD" to name several. Nor are there ever any answers to the questions concerning the Lamont-related Cayman Island partnerships, large Cayman Islands deals such as the "Horesebarn Hill Investment Fund" hiding in the UCONN Foundation,  and other funny-money  deals working through “quasi-public” organizations such as the now-clearly Lamont-connected (and covert) “Connecticut Innovations”.  There is a massive nonprofit funding  scandal involving alleged malfeasance between Democrat State Senator Douglas McCrory and the malignant and out-of-control Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development ("DECD") This situation is being investigated by a Federal Grand Jury as the state is incapable of policing himself and the entire Legislature refuses to institute meaningful and useful controls and standards for this money throwing agency.  My colleague Tony De Angelo has discussed these ties and issues numerous times over the years, and silence is the result of both elected officials and the state-run media.

The question every Taxpayer must ask is when are we going to be paid back for all these rip-offs? When will taxpayers be allowed access to the books and records of these organizations that these miscreant “leaders” are stealing from? When will we hear one (read that as ONE) legislator of gubernatorial candidate in Connecticut champion the cause of a no-holds-barred Citizen DOGE and meaningful and punitive fiscal controls and penalties for these state-funded nonprofits? Or should Taxpayers just shut up, dig in deeper, and work longer hours to pay more taxes so that these frauds can continue unabated and the leaders and politicians get off scot-free and spend more taxpayer money? Why is justice so slow in its efforts to both find and prosecute these individuals who steal from our government? And why has Connecticut allowed the rampant voter fraud to continue in Bridgeport, Connecticut? Where has been any oversight into the numerous schemes of Ned Lamont and family profiting from the Connecticut Taxpayers’ backs?

Why has this been allowed? Why are legislators and candidates silent about all of this? 

Fraud is embedded in our political system. It is nurtured and encouraged by everyone and anyone in and out of government. It seems to be a big game of theft and fraud and rape of the Taxpayers with no consequences legal or otherwise.And it needs to stop now-today-as soon as someone with ethics stands up in government and ends it once and for all. 

Connecticut, and many other states, cry out for just that special someone.