ICYMI: Another Name – Jordan – Now Added To Circle Of Donovan Aides Mentioned In Feds’ Probe

Sources have now identified Laura Jordan — a confidant to state Rep. Christopher Donovan — as the top aide who allegedly gave inside information to the house speaker’s congressional campaign.

Jordan, a $150,000-a-year counsel and top aide on the public payroll in the speaker’s office at the Capitol, was referred to as Legislative Aide 1 by federal prosecutors in an indictment released July 26. That was the day seven arrests were announced – bringing the total to eight – in an ongoing federal probe. It’s an inquiry into whether thousands of dollars in contributions to Donovan’s campaign were part of a conspiracy this year to kill a bill to impose taxes and fees on so-called “roll-your-own” tobacco shops.

Unlike two other top Donovan aides who’ve figured into the indictment narrative, Jordan has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

That’s in contrast to Joshua Nassi, Donovan’s campaign manager and former aide in the speaker’s office at the Capitol, and Robbert Braddock Jr., who was Donovan’s campaign finance director. Braddock was arrested May 30, and Nassi on July 26 — both in connection with an alleged conspiracy to disguise the source of funds that were contributed to Donovan’s campaign by straw, or “conduit” donors. Those donors put their names on checks for money that came from other people, the indictment said. The funds — estimated at $27,500 by prosecutors — were funneled to Donovan by people connected to roll-your-own moke shops, where customers pour loose tobacco into a machines that manufacture cut-rate cigarettes.

The Courant reported over the weekend that Jordan is the aide referred to in the indictment as Legislative Aide 1. The indictment said the aide had electronic text exchanges in April and May with Nassi – who then was still managing Donovan’s campaign – that continually updated him on the status of the roll-your-own tax bill. Jordan has been taking vacation or accumulated compensatory time off her Capitol job for most of the past two weeks, House Democratic staff members have said.

Both Nassi and Braddock were fired from Donovan’s campaign after Braddock’s arrest was announced May 31. Donovan denies any wrongdoing.

Senate Republican leader John McKinney of Fairfield called last week for a legislative investigation of matters including the reported actions of Legislative Aide 1, as reported in the indictment, as well as a handwritten list of 2012 legislative bills – apparently kept by Nassi – that an internal investigation by Donovan’s campaign turned up in recent week. The list included the roll-your-own tax bill, but Donovan and his campaign organization have refused to identify the other six bills. McKinney said the public needs to know what those bills were to be assured that there were no attempts to interfere with them, as has been alleged concerning the roll-your-own legislation.

House Majority Leader Brendan Sharkey told The Courant last week that he had not sought to investigate who Legislative Aide was because he had seen nothing that indicated to him that anyone had tried to interfere with the roll-your-own tax legislation — which failed to win passage by the May 9 adjournment of the 2012 regular legislation, but passed in a special session two after the Braddock arrest brought notoriety to the issue.

Donovan faces a three-way Democratic primary Aug. 14 for the Democratic congressional nomination in the 5th District.