CT elections commission investigating residency of Hartford city treasurer

A key state agency has launched an investigation into the Hartford city treasurer after a complaint was filed about her residency, officials said Tuesday.

The State Elections Enforcement Commission is looking into Treasurer Carmen I. Sierra after a complaint by longtime Hartford Democratic operative Matthew J. Hennessy, who is challenging Sierra in the November election.

Hennessy notes that Sierra has provided conflicting information on official documents on exactly where she lives.

When she filed paperwork as a candidate with the state elections commission in mid-February to run for election this year, Sierra signed an official document that she lived at 279 Princeton St. in Hartford. But when a Democratic Town Committee document was filed in late July with the Hartford city clerk’s office that included the party’s entire slate of candidates, it said Sierra lives at 200 Goodrich St.

The candidate document that she signed in February states, “Making a false statement on this form may subject you to criminal penalties, including, but not limited to, imprisonment for up to one year or a fine up to two thousand dollars, or both.”

Hennessy said the issue is straightforward and defined by legal, public documents.

“These are not slip of the tongue,” Hennessy said.

He added, “She doesn’t live at 200 Goodrich. It’s a single-family, two-bedroom house. She can say whatever she wants, but it’s completely bizarre that somebody whose signature can move millions and millions of dollars in city funds simply cannot – in legal documents – figure out where she lives.”

Sierra, 58, previously served for 10 years as assistant city treasurer before taking the top post last year when Treasurer Adam Cloud stepped down. The office, which has 18 employees, oversees the city’s $1 billion pension fund. The fund allocates $10 million each month for pension benefits that are sent to nearly 3,500 retirees and beneficiaries.

In a brief interview in July before the commission voted 3-0 to investigate, Sierra said the situation was related to taking care of her elderly parents. She did not return multiple phone messages seeking comment Tuesday, but her campaign manager, Trip Holtgrewe, released a statement.

“After failing to find enough support to qualify for the Democratic primary and receiving only one contribution from Hartford, Matt Hennessy’s latest attack reeks of continued desperation,” Holtgrewe said.

“The treasurer filled out her paperwork accurately while staying with her sister when relatives visited her parents earlier this year with an abundance of transparency,” Holtgrewe said. “She has since returned to the home she owns – where she pays taxes every year, is registered to vote, and helps her parents daily. Her campaign filed amended registration paperwork last month.”

Holtgrew continued, “Matt Hennessy is trying to buy the treasurer’s office by dumping more than $50,000 of his own money into the campaign, but voters know who he is … and know he will do anything to gain access to government dollars again.”

Public documents show that Hennessy had personally loaned $50,000 to the campaign as of the last public filing.

Joshua Foley, a spokesman for the elections commission, confirmed Tuesday that an investigation has started. But the commission does not comment on the merits of the case until the investigation has been concluded.

The commission is often flooded with complaints in September and October, and many of them have traditionally not been resolved before the November elections. Under state law, complaints must be resolved within one year from when they are filed, with the possibility of extensions.

Hennessy had been expected to challenge Sierra at the Democratic Town Committee convention on July 24, but he was not nominated from the floor. Sierra accepted the unanimous nomination that night, and Hennessy said he gained the necessary signatures to gain a place on the ballot in November.

Six adults are registered to vote at 200 Goodrich St., including four from the Sierra family.

The Hartford city charter states, “No person shall be eligible for nomination or election to Elective Office who is not an Elector of the City unless otherwise determined by Ordinance.”

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com