No one is saying any laws were broken...but Democratic State Senator Tom Gaffey of Meriden could come under the microscope because of his close personal relationship with a state employee.

Gaffey, who has chaired the Education Committee for over a decade, has a girl friend. No crime in that, Gaffey and the girlfriend are divorced. But the girlfriend is Jill Ferraiollo. She is legislative liason for the Connecticut State University System. The same state college system that just won nearly a billion dollars in state bonding for improvements to its four campuses.

The relationship was revealed in an opinion column in Sunday's Hartford Courant, authored by a part-time columnist who is also a former Republican State Senator.

Because of the recent resignation of Republican State Senator Lou DeLuca, who admitted breaking the law, some Republicans are calling for a closer look at the Gaffey-Ferraiolo relationship. Late today, the Democratic leader in the Senate, Don Williams, said "appearances may dictate that we should take a look at this."

Republican State Senator Andrew Roraback, who co-chaired the commitee that investigated DeLuca said, "Something may be legal but that doesn't mean that it is appropriate or that it serves the interests of the institution."

Gaffey checked with the Ethic Commission and was told there was no conflict because he had no personal financial gain. Says Gaffey, "It's a public project that benefited the public of the state of Connecticut. It's totally consistent with my voting record in improving public education and the Governor herself called the CSCU section of the bill the "Crown jewel of the Bonding Bill."

It passed the Senate on a unanimous vote...nearly unanimous in the House. Ferraiolo has not returned calls seeking comment.

What do you think is going on here??? Is it only fair that Gaffey be investigated after what happened to DeLuca?? Or are the matters different???