SHARE

Candidate Looking To Challenge Blumenthal Rejects Former Staff Complaints

STAMFORD, Conn. -- A Stamford man seeking the Republican nomination to go up against Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal in the fall election has struck back at some former campaign workers.

August Wolf

August Wolf

Photo Credit: File

August Wolf's campaign has been hard hit by staff turnover, and he has lashed out at complaints by former campaign workers Matthew MacFarlane, Troy Meeker and Michael Napoli.

According to CT Mirror, MacFarlane, 22, doubled as campaign manager and treasurer but was fired in January. Meeker, 22, rose to co-manager after starting as communication director while Napoli, 21, was a field director. They have complained of a hostile work environment among other issues, according to the CT Mirror.

In a press release, Wolf accused the former staff of mismanaging his campaign. He said they only went public with their accusations after he initiated a voluntary internal audit of accounting systems and Federal Election Commission filings after bringing on a new staff. Once the former staff became aware of the audit, allegations of a hostile work environment surfaced.

“The moment I became concerned with Mr. MacFarlane’s performance managing the financial controls of the campaign, I took action. Mr. Napoli and Mr. MacFarlane so grossly mismanaged operations in the field that I am shocked Mr. Meeker had fallen in with them. Mr. Meeker and I did get along and I do wish him well,” he said in the press release issued Thursday.

After the former staff’s abrupt departure, the new staff was left to rectify the incomplete FEC filing and fix broken systems, Wolf said. 

“I will always be honest, open, and ethical. I will use facts to attack and defend against insinuations," Wolf said. "Mr. Meeker is not correct in his letter dated February 25, 2016; in fact, minute details are significant and exact words do matter. There were a lot of wheels-spinning under the former campaign management, but results were lacking. The absence of accountability fed a culture of irresponsibility amongst the former staff."

He said the campaign has nearly finished the internal audit and will meet its FEC filing obligations and defend itself against the accusations.

"The bottom line is that Mr. MacFarlane and Mr. Napoli’s termination had to do with their poor performance. It is unfortunate that Mr. Meeker’s departure has started a media circus," he said in the press release. 

to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE