To the editor:
From now until the upcoming Tuesday, Greenwich residents have a choice to represent them in the Upper Chamber of the Statehouse, Incumbent Senator Ryan Fazio or challenger Nick Simmons.
Before candidates make their final pitches on local control, taxes and spending, there is some background that I feel needs to be addressed.
Let’s talk about campaign spending. These two candidates are not playing on a level playing field. In 2005, in light of the John Rowland Scandal, the Citizens Election Program was enacted into law with overwhelming Democratic Support. The Program goals were simple:
1. Eliminate reliance on special interest money
2. Allow statewide officers and legislators to make decisions free from the influence of special interests
3. Restore public confidence in the electoral process
4. Increase citizen participation
5. Provide the public with timely and useful disclosure forms
Why then, are we talking in 2024 about a law written and passed by Democrats in 2005?
Because Senator Fazio, for the second time in his career, is facing an opponent who has determined the rules do not apply to them, or their family’s wealth.
The origin of Mr. Simmons campaign money and Senator Fazio’s has been well documented. Simmons raised his nearly $500,000 from a litany of places, including out of state interests and real estate developers. Senator Fazio is using the $124,000 allotted to him by the citizens of Connecticut.
Almost as curious a question, but one receiving less attention as to the “Where is it coming from?” question, is the “Where’s it going” question.
A brief look at both candidates final financial disclosures tells the story.
Senator Fazio’s main October campaign spend was $29,000 with Spectrum Marketing, a direct mail and communications company used locally by Democrat and Republicans as well as The Salvation Army, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the American Red Cross.
Mr. Simmons disclosure tells a different story. He has paid over $164,285, more than Fazio’s entire budget, to a single consultant, SKDK (formerly SKDKnickerbocker). You can read more about SKDK online, but the summary is:
SDKN is a public affairs and political consulting firm that specializes in working for Democratic Party politicians. It has offices in Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, California, and Albany, New York. The firm employs notable figures like former Obama White House Communications Director Anita Dunn, and Hilary Rosen.
SDKD was featured in a Politico report in 2014 by a unnamed senior Democrat aide that it was an “open secret in the Dem consultant community that SKD has been signing up clients based of’ perceived White House access’ tied to prior relationships.
SKDK was hired by Tik Tok in 2023 for communication support amidst the legal challenges in Washington, DC.
SDKD was also granted a no-bid $35m contract for voter turnout work in California.
This is not what was intended for the Citizens Election Program. Does Greenwich want to turn its future over from a truly fiscal conservative hometown product to a machine-led, partisan politician, who’s fulfilling his family’s legacy, as he seeks to expand his public service resume with a short stop at the State Senate?
We have a chance in the following week to vote for true Greenwich Leadership, Ryan Fazio.
Michael E. Hahn, Riverside
