HARTFORD—House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford) and Rep. Jay Case (R-Winchester), House Ranking Member of the Human Services Committee, released the following statement Tuesday in response to an independent audit conducted of New Opportunities Inc.:

"This forensic audit exposes mismanagement of public dollars at New Opportunities that is even worse than we feared when this crisis first broke earlier this year. Energy assistance funds meant to heat the homes of low-income families were diverted to cover operating losses, including a failing hydroponics venture that bled money year after year. Checks bounced. Negative cash balances were disguised on the books and hidden from the board.

We're glad this report has been referred to the Attorney General and the state’s attorney’s office. The audit rightly focuses on the former CEO and the current CFO, but we think the board of directors also has questions to answer. Management kept them in the dark, and that's inexcusable, but a board's job is to ask hard questions before a crisis, not after. Going forward, the state needs to know whether this board is up to the task of overseeing an organization entrusted with public funds.

We urge authorities to pursue a thorough investigation in a timely manner, both for the families who depend on these programs and for taxpayers already stretched thin by the cost of living in a state where government spending climbs year after year."