Former state Sen. Ernest E. Newton II of Bridgeport has agreed to a six-month ban on holding a state job or soliciting state contracts stemming from his 2005 conviction on federal corruption charges, the state’s ethics enforcement agency says.
Newton and the Office of State Ethics finalized the settlement Tuesday and the ban is effective from that date.
Newton pleaded guilty in September 2005 to accepting a $5,000 bribe in June 2004 to help a nonprofit get $100,000 in state money to finance one of its job programs. He also pleaded guilty to misusing campaign donations and evading federal taxes.
Newton resigned his seat in 2005 and later served three years in prison and six months in a halfway house for his crimes. He later paid $13,862 in restitution to the state Elections Enforcement Commission.
Newton also recently stipulated to a $20,000 judgment with the state attorney general that has yet to be paid, the ethics agency says.
If he ever returns to work as a public official or state employee, Newton agreed to file mandated annual statement of financial interests with the state.
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