Hugh Keefe Confirms He’s Representing State’s Attorney John Connelly in Probe.

Well-known New Haven defense attorney Hugh Keefe is representing Waterbury State’s Attorney John Connelly in a federal investigation of law enforcement and justice in Waterbury.  Keefe confirmed for NBC Connecticut that he is representing Connelly in the probe, details of which began to emerge in public this week after months of private speculation and rumors.

Keefe, who paid tribute to his client’s public character in a written statement, says Connelly is not a target of the investigation.  Keefe added that he has spoken with federal authorities.

Members of the judiciary have become wary that the growing probe could inflict collateral damage on the branch of government that has been most isolated from the plague of corruption that’s been visited upon state and local political figures in the last 11 years.

The Courant has more details, including the revelation that the investigation is looking at trips Connelly and a friend took to Florida and Las Vegas with Waterbury lawyer Martin Minella. Story reports that sources say Minella paid for trips and Connelly claims to have reimbursed him in cash.