The Difference Between Malloy and Lamont? The Latter Wrote His Campaign a $1 Million Check Last Week. Malloy Claims Opponent is Trying to “Buy” Office, While Lamont Says Malloy Contributors Include Stamford Contractors Who Won No-Bid Work.

Throughout the primary season, Democrats and Republicans, to a lesser amount, have been coming to grips with the 2005 public-financing law that was supposed to make statewide politics an even playing field. Instead, it is pitting the haves, like Republican Tom Foley and Democrat Ned Lamont, against those committed to public financing: Dan Malloy and Lt. Gov. Mike Fedele.

Today, Malloy charged that Lamont is essentially trying to “buy” the governor’s office. The Blogster will spare gentle readers from the entire news release, which you can get on his website. But Malloy warns that by the August 10 primary, Lamont will have spent $8 million, while Malloy is eligible for about $2.5 million for participating in the voluntary state program. Lamont’s latest State Elections Enforcement Commission filing indicates a balance of $705,000, with $7.3 million raised, including a recent million-dollar check Lamont wrote to the campaign.

“I think that kind of behavior – most clearly on display on Wall Street during the financial meltdown of the past few years – is what got this country into this mess in the first place,” Malloy said today, lumping together Lamont, Foley and Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon. “These candidates dip into their personal fortunes, they supplement that money with special interest money raised in increments of $3,500 – much of that from Wall Street – and they say ‘elect me because I’ll run the state like a business.’  Well, I don’t think people want this state run like a business.  They don’t want someone who sold off parts of his company, reduced his workforce by 70%, paid himself over half a million dollars – and pronounces himself a success.  Maybe that’s how they define ‘success’ on Wall Street, but that’s not how government defines ‘success,’ and that’s not how a governor defines ‘success.’”

  Justine Sessions, Lamont’s communications director: “Instead of obsessing over how Ned funds his campaign, Dan should tell the voters how he funds his own.  He’s been running for governor for six years now — how many of his contributions came from Stamford city employees and city contractors that received no-bid contracts from his administration?”