Business & Tech

Northeast Utilities CEO Asks Executives to Donate to Malloy Campaign

Nearly $47,000 in donations have been made by top NU employees to the "CT Democratic State Central Committee — Federal" account.

A request by Northeast Utilities CEO and chairman Thomas J. May to his subordinates to support Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in his re-election campaign has netted the governor nearly $47,000 in campaign donations, according to the Hartford Courant.

May sent out an e-mail to 48 senior NU executives throughout New England in mid-September calling for them to donate to Malloy’s re-election efforts, the Courant reported.

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In the e-mail, May said that the governor has had to respond to massive issues such as the Newtown shootings and “historic storms,” according to the Courant.

“Through it all, the Governor has shown decisive leadership, skillful collaboration and a keen ability to keep Connecticut moving forward," May wrote.

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The request actually calls for donations to be made to the “CT Democratic State Central Committee — Federal,” account which, according to an NU spokeswoman Caroline Pretyman, was to comply with campaign election laws.

The e-mail has resulted in $46,500 in donations from 20 NU executives, the Courant reported. Prior to the e-mail, NU employees had contributed $5,000 to the state party’s federal account, according to the Courant.

The support comes just more than two years after Malloy blasted Connecticut Light & Power, which is owned by NU, for its response to the October 2011 snowstorm that resulted in massive power outages in the state.

NU in 2012 merged with Boston-based utility NSTAR, a move that was supported by Malloy administration officials “after negotiations that they said will provide benefits for consumers,” the Courant reported.

Malloy is expected to face a tough battle for re-election. Fundraising efforts include breakfast with the governor on Wednesday at a hotel buffet at the Democratic Governors Association conference in Hartford in exchange for a $10,000 sponsorship or a corporate membership in the association for between $100,000 to $250,000, the CT Mirror reported.


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