McKinney to Lead State Republican Finance Committee.

Former state Senator John McKinney will head the Republican party’s state finance committee, Daily Ructions has learned. McKinney fills a vacancy left by party favorite Leora Levy, of Greenwich. Levy resigned as the party’s chief fundraiser earlier this year to give new chair J.R. Romano a chance to shape the state party hierarchy.

McKinney served as the Senate Republican leader, giving up his seat to run for governor last year. He lost the nomination fight to former Ambassador Tom Foley who #threwitaway in his autumn rematch with incumbent Democrat Dannel P. Malloy. Malloy is at the center of an ominous state election campaign finance investigation of his 2014 campaign. The former New York prosecutor has refused to hand over emails the state’s election finance agency is seeking as storm clouds gather.