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'Political Hit Job' Alleged After Federal Subpoena Issued In New Haven

THOMAS BREEN / NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
New Haven Mayor Toni Harp

New Haven officials say they’re cooperating fully and working to compile documents requested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

A person who requested anonymity told the New Haven Independent that the subpoena focuses on at least three issues — a youth center and homeless shelter that was never completed, a federal grant to address violence in a section of the city, and a proposal for a charter school.

City spokesman Laurence Grotheer said the city’s office of the corporation counsel received the federal subpoena just over two weeks ago. Grotheer said he hasn’t read the full subpoena, but confirmed that a number of documents regarding several issues were requested.

“There is no mention in the subpoena of the mayor nor the mayor’s office,” said Grotheer, adding that no member of Mayor Toni Harp’s administration is named in the subpoena, either.

Grotheer said nothing stands out about the information summoned. He said the city routinely receives similar requests from residents, press outlets, and other agencies and organizations.

“I don’t mean to suggest that it’s routine for the city to receive a request from federal officials for information, but the nature of this request is quite routine,” Grotheer said.

Harp’s campaign manager, Ed Corey, put out a press release late Wednesday calling the impending investigation a “political hit job.” Corey said Harp’s Democratic challenger Justin Elicker’s wife is an assistant U.S. attorney working in the Trump administration — suggesting that her influence initiated the investigation.

Grotheer said the feds have not given a particular deadline for the requested documents.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.