State Attorney General. In 2019, Lembo and a coalition of health care reform advocates, fought for the creation of a public health care option. The effort ultimately failed when Cigna, a major insurance carrier in the state, threatened to leave Connecticut if a public option became law, as revealed by Lembo to the Hartford Courant. Although Lembo and several allies continued to support the bill, other Democratic supporters abandoned the policy, leading to its demise in the legislature. Lembo was targeted by the anti-gay American Family Association in 2016 after removing them from a state-sponsored charitable giving campaign. The AFA responded by flooding the Comptroller's Office with phone calls and emails. On December 3, 2021, Lembo announced his resignation, effective December 31, due to a heart condition. Personal life and education Lembo is married to Charles Frey and lives in Guilford, Connecticut. They have three adult children. Lembo and Frey are also licensed foster parents. The adoption of the couple's oldest children resulted in a lawsuit against the state of New York after a judge denied the finalization of the adoption because Lembo and Frey were an unmarried same-sex couple. Lembo earned a B.A. at Charter Oak State College in 2002, and a Master's in Public Administration from California State University in 2004. Awards In 2004, Lembo was commissioned as a Kentucky colonel for his work as an advocate for children in foster care. For his work promoting open government, he received the Bice Clemow Award from the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information in 2013. Lembo earned the AARP Legislative Achievement Award in 2016 for his leadership of the Connecticut Retirement Security Board. GLAD gave Lembo its Social Justice Award in 2017. The Norwich, CT chapter of the NAACP honored Lembo with its 2019 Robertsine Duncan Memorial Award given to an individual or organization for outstanding efforts to ensure quality education for children while being an advocate on behalf of the community, city and state. Electoral history *Lembo was also listed on the Working Families Party line. *Lembo was also listed on the Working Families Party line; McLaughlin was also listed on the Independent Party line. *Lembo was also listed on the Working Families Party line. References External links Office of the State Comptroller Campaign website 1963 births 21st-century American politicians California State University alumni Charter Oak State College alumni Connecticut Comptrollers Connecticut Democrats Gay politicians American LGBT politicians