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Senator John McKinney, R-Fairfield, testified before the legislature’s
Government Administration & Elections (GAE) committee
today in support of his bill that would establish an Office
of Inspector General in Connecticut. According to Sen. McKinney,
the newly formed office is necessary to eliminate fraud and
abuse on all levels of government and to restore the public’s
trust on our local officials and institutions. Sen. McKinney
introduced a similar bill last year and believes that in light
of recent events on both the state and local levels the need
for the creation of such an office has never been more critical.
“The time has come for the establishment of an Inspector
General’s office in Connecticut,” said Sen.
McKinney. “Over the past few years Connecticut has
been home to some very high profile cases of alleged government
corruption. There is now a clear recognition that we as
a state must act to eliminate such corruption and put in
place a structure that will prevent it from happening again,”
said Sen. McKinney.
According to Sen. McKinney, the Office of Inspector General
would have broad authority to conduct audits and investigations
on all levels of government. The awarding of state contracts
would also fall under the purview of the office. In addition,
the Inspector General would receive and respond to complaints
from employees, whose confidentiality is to be protected.
Sen. McKinney said that the new office would be independent
from politics, have access to all records and have subpoena
power as well.
“This
is not a new concept. Inspectors General exist at the national,
state and even municipal levels of government,” said
Sen. McKinney who along with 4th District Congressman Christopher
Shays (R-CT) first proposed the idea last year. “While
in the past the focus of such an office might have been
aimed at local cases of fraud and abuse this bill focuses
on corruption wherever it is in Connecticut.”
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