By Associated Press - Friday, April 7, 2017

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim is asking state elections officials whether he can participate in Connecticut’s public financing program for statewide campaigns, given his past felony convictions for corruption.

In a statement released Friday, the Democrat said the Citizens’ Election Program “appears to ban anyone with a felony conviction related to their public office” from participation. Ganim notes his convictions date back 14 years.

Ganim surprised many when he won back his old job as mayor of Connecticut’s largest city in 2015. His victory came five years after he was released from prison for steering city contracts in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in expensive wine, custom clothes, cash and home improvements.

Ganim says he has not decided to seek statewide office, but acknowledges “it’s something I am considering.”

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