HARTFORD, CT – A leading Republican contender for Connecticut governor, Erin Stewart, abruptly suspended her campaign on Thursday following the release of an investigative report that accused her of repeatedly using taxpayer-funded city credit cards for personal expenses during her time as Mayor of New Britain. The allegations have immediately reshaped the Republican primary just days before the party convention and have triggered calls for criminal investigations at both the state and federal levels.
"A published report from the Hartford Courant reveals former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart spent more than $200,000 of city funds on items including diapers, birthday dinners, and a private club membership while she was in office." — WFSB Channel 3, Twitter
The investigation, conducted by the Crumbie Law Group and commissioned by current New Britain Mayor Bobby Sanchez, concluded that Stewart allegedly engaged in a systematic bypassing of city purchasing rules. The report claims these actions benefited herself, members of her family, and political campaigns. Investigators reviewed over $207,000 in charges made between 2016 and 2025 and determined that most of the spending appeared unrelated to legitimate municipal business. According to CT Mirror, the report argued that this conduct could potentially violate laws related to fraud, embezzlement, wire fraud, false statements, and misuse of government property.
Investigators detailed numerous alleged personal uses of city-issued credit cards, including purchases tied to family birthday parties, clothing, maternity items, groceries, political fundraising, and private club expenses. The report specifically cited nearly $47,600 in Amazon purchases, over $19,000 at Costco, thousands more through Instacart deliveries, and more than $19,000 connected to memberships and spending at the Hartford Club, a private dining and social club in Hartford. NBC Connecticut reported that some expenses were allegedly disguised in city financial records as "office supplies" or administrative expenses.
One of the most damaging claims involved a fundraiser Stewart allegedly hosted at the Hartford Club during her 2017 mayoral re-election campaign, with investigators claiming city funds covered portions of these expenses without reimbursement from her campaign operation. The Connecticut Centinal noted that the report also cited social media photos allegedly matching purchases for a Peppa Pig-themed birthday party for Stewart’s daughter, alongside purchases for decorations, clothing, balloons, party favors, and household items that investigators argued were clearly personal in nature.
The investigative report further alleged that Stewart routinely failed to provide documentation for purchases, despite city policies requiring receipts and oversight. Approximately 59 percent of the charges reportedly lacked supporting documentation. Auditors had previously warned the city about weak oversight surrounding municipal credit cards, but investigators stated that Stewart’s purchasing privileges were never suspended despite repeated policy violations. The report also accused Stewart of declining interview requests from investigators after allegedly requesting prepared questions in advance.
Initially, Stewart had dismissed the probe as a politically motivated "witch hunt," asserting that the expenditures were budgeted and reviewed during annual audits. However, following the expanded report's release on Thursday, she announced the immediate suspension of her gubernatorial campaign and her intention to step back from public life. In a public statement, Stewart pledged to address the allegations directly and committed to making "full and complete restitution" for anything she might owe the city. She also endorsed State Sen. Ryan Fazio in the Republican primary.
The scandal has rapidly reshaped Connecticut’s Republican gubernatorial race. State Senator Ryan Fazio called for party unity moving forward, while fellow Republican candidate Betsy McCaughey stated that the focus should now shift back toward critical state economic issues. Connecticut Republican Party Chairman Ben Proto praised Stewart’s decision to suspend her campaign and emphasized the importance of party unity ahead of the general election.
Meanwhile, Democratic Governor Ned Lamont commented that the allegations were serious and supported allowing investigators to fully examine the matter before any conclusions are reached, as reported by WFSB. The Connecticut State Police confirmed on Thursday that an official investigation has been opened into the allegations. Additionally, Mayor Sanchez announced that the findings have been referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Connecticut’s Chief State’s Attorney for potential further action. City officials in New Britain have stated their intention to pursue all available legal avenues to recover taxpayer funds allegedly spent improperly during Stewart’s tenure in office.
