A360
Key Takeaways✦ Atlas AI
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Stewart suspended gubernatorial campaign.
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Report alleges $207,076 credit card misuse.
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Criminal investigation recommended by law firm.
Atlas AI
Erin Stewart, the former mayor of New Britain, Connecticut, has suspended her campaign for governor after an investigative report alleged she used a city-issued credit card for personal and political expenses. The report was commissioned by her Democratic successor, Mayor Bobby Sanchez, and released Thursday, May 14, 2026. StewaSources said she would step back from public life and make restitution.
The report concluded Stewart engaged in a “repeated and deliberate circumvention of the city’s purchase order system to benefit herself, members of her family, and her political campaigns.” It was prepared by the Crumbie Law Group, according to the article.
Investigators found the “great majority” of $207,076 charged to Stewart’s city credit card over nearly a decade was unrelated to city business. The law firm .
Sanchez said the city would refer the report to the U.S. Attorney and the Chief State’s Attorney. He also said the city intends to pursue legal avenues, including a lawsuit, to recover taxpayer funds.
Stewart’s response and endorsement
Stewart had previously described the inquiry as a “witch hunt” aimed at damaging her candidacy, but she did not dispute the authenticity of the credit-card records cited in the report. On Thursday, she issued a statement expressing contrition, saying she planned to suspend her campaign and address the questions raised.
She also immediately endorsed state Sen. Ryan Fazio for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
Impact on the Republican nominating contest
The suspension came days before the Republican nominating convention, where Stewart had been viewed as a leading contender. Under the party’s rules, a candidate needs 15% of delegate votes to qualify for a primary and become eligible for nearly $3 million in public financing, according to the article.
Officials have not announced any charging decision. Any next steps are expected to turn on referrals to prosecutors and the city’s efforts to seek recovery of funds.
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