Marc DiBella said the town committee is figuring out its options.
Hartford's town committee meets Monday to endorse its slate. And it's unclear how it will respond to the recent news regarding Treasurer Adam Cloud.
Federal securities investigators sought Cloud's campaign records last week. We don't know what they're looking for, necessarily. But we do know this: their interest has thrown the town committee process into turmoil. If Cloud was set to get the nomination, his path to reelection is suddenly less clear.
"It still remains to be seen what's exactly going to happen," said Marc DiBella, who chairs the Democratic Town Committee. "But, sure, there is an effect. So, we have 78 town committee members and to sit here and say that it has no effect on any of the members -- it would be silly to say that."
DiBella said the town committee is figuring out its options. It could endorse either Cloud or his challenger Marc Nelson. It could endorse neither. Or someone completely new could be nominated on the floor.
"It's nearly impossible to say what will happen," he said. "But there clearly are alternatives to making an endorsement of a candidate."
It's a delicate problem for the city's Democrats.
On the one hand, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not alleged that Cloud has done anything wrong.
On the other hand, this is the second time in the treasurer's tenure that he's been the subject of a federal subpoena. The first time involved troubled insurance broker Earl O'Garro, and his federal trial on making off with other people's money is still pending.
In an election in which the candidates are talking about strong leadership, neither Mayor Pedro Segarra nor Democratic challenger Luke Bronin will say whether the party should endorse Cloud. Nor will they say whether they want to run with him.
"As far as him running on a ticket with the mayor, as of right now, as it stands, we're only worried about one person and one person only," said Segarra campaign manager Michael Bland. "And that's Mayor Pedro Segarra."
Andrew Doba, a spokesman for Bronin, declined to comment.
