“While Kevin Johnston has had a long and by all accounts distinguished career in state government, any action the redistricting commission takes between now and its November 30 deadline will be tainted by Chris Donovan’s clear and obvious conflict of interest — and the pedigrees of the other eight commission members cannot overcome such a glaring flaw in the commission’s work.

In calling for Donovan to step down, the Hartford Courant asked “can manipulating the boundaries of a voting district help a candidate? Of course. Mr. Donovan is a candidate for Congress in the 5th District. He should not be in the room when the boundaries for the district are being drawn. Isn’t that obvious?”

Several other Connecticut newspapers have since editorialized the exact same concern.

The characterization of Kevin Johnston as a “fair and nonpartisan person” stands in sharp contrast with the actions of the ethically-challenged Chris Donovan who is apparently the only person in the state of Connecticut who fails to see the problem created by his refusal to resign from the commission.

The bottom line is they could have appointed Mother Teresa to the commission and it would not remove the stain of Chris Donovan’s conflict. If he refuses to step down – or at the very least recuse himself from any deliberations in the 5^th District – my campaign may have no choice but to legally challenge the Commission’s final results.

The redistricting commission — first comprised of eight career politicians and now comprised of nine career politicians — is conducting its work through a flawed process that the people of Connecticut are right to question.”