Gaffey, a Democrat, had been a state senator from Connecticut since 1995, but left office due to criminal violations on January 5, 2011.
[5] On May 6, 2009, the State Election Enforcement Commission announced that Gaffey and his campaign treasurer had agreed to a settlement over the double billing complaint.
[7] In 2006 Gaffey supported legislation spearheaded by fellow Democrat Donald Williams intended to address childhood obesity in Connecticut.
In March 2008 New Haven schools enforced this policy by suspending an eighth grader for selling a classmate skittles.
[11] In November 2007 Gaffey suggested that the state had to impose a more stringent school integration plan on suburbs in the Hartford region.
"The notion that we're going to get a better result by voluntary programs is ridiculous," said state Sen. Thomas Gaffey, D-Meriden, co-chairman of the legislature's education committee.
[15] On December 2, 2007, Hartford Courant columnist Kevin Rennie detailed Gaffey's efforts on behalf of a billion dollar bonding proposal from the Connecticut State University system; which he promoted while being romantically involved with the university administrator lobbying for the proposal.
[19] On December 7, the Hartford Courant's editorial page called on Gaffey to be censured for his role in this affair,[20] despite a letter from the Office of State Ethics refuting all conflict of interest allegations.
[21] Rennie's article alleged self-dealing by Gaffey, including getting Final Four basketball tickets from the university at a low price and using his political action committee to pay personal expenses.
[27] In June 2009 the State Election Enforcement Commission fined Gaffey for a double billing scandal involving his political action committee, the GAFPAC.
[7] He resolved the criminal charges by agreeing to plead guilty to a misdemeanor, with no jail time, resign his state senate seat effective January 5, 2011, and serve 100 hours of community service.