Feds’ Raid Over, Business As Usual At CRT

After the Community Renewal Team ended last week with two days of records-seizures by federal agents – who took control of the third-floor executive offices of its Hartford headquarters as they executed search warrants in an ongoing criminal investigation – the regional anti-poverty agency announced Monday that all of its offices were “open and functioning at full capacity.”

“On April 19 and 20, the third floor of the administrative offices at 555 Windsor Street, Hartford, had been closed because of an investigation being conducted by the Office of the Inspector General. Even during those two days, all programs continued without interruption, and there were no disruptions of service to the community,” the agency said in a press release emailed to news organizations.

The agency also issued this statement from Lena Rodriguez, CRT President/CEO:

“As the investigation into CRT proceeds, we ask the community and its leaders, in the spirit of fairness, to reserve judgment until the process is concluded. CRT has cooperated fully with the authorities and the information that was the subject of the recent Federal search and seizure had previously been made available to them. We continue to believe that when all the facts are known, CRT will be absolved and seen to have acted properly and in the best interest of those that we serve. Our request to withhold judgment is not only based on fairness to CRT and its many hardworking employees but it is also a request to do the right thing for the thousands of people who rely on us each day for vital services throughout Connecticut.”