Thomas P. Gaffey (born January 10, 1958) is an American politician. Gaffey, a Democrat, had been a state senator from Connecticut since 1995, but left office due to criminal violations on January 5, 2011. Gaffey, a resident of Meriden, has represented the towns of Cheshire, Meriden, Middlefield and Middletown in the Connecticut Senate. Gaffey was born in Meriden and graduated from Southern Connecticut State University. He was appointed in the fall of 2005 to serve as Chief Deputy Majority Leader by Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney and Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams Jr., and previously served in the position. Gaffey also serves as an executive with the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority. In 2002, he was linked to meetings with failed energy firm Enron. He was also cited that year for spending over $10,000 in personal expenses on his authority expense account, and failing to make timely reimbursement, but later issued a CRRA check for more than $1,600 to repay amounts reimbursed in excess. In January 2009 the Hartford Courant announced state auditors were looking into other instances of improper reimbursement by Gaffey, including double billing of out of state travel to both the state government and his political action committee. On January 18, the Courant urged the State Senate to censure Gaffey for his ethical improprieties. 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. In one of the largest fines levied by the Commission, Gaffey agreed to a $6,000 fine and his treasurer agreed to a $3,000 fine. Gaffey also agreed to dissolve his political action committee and forfeit its $20,000 balance to the state. The commission's enforcement director called Gaffey's record keeping "disastrous". The charges later led to a criminal investigation and Gaffey's resignation. In 2006 Gaffey supported legislation spearheaded by fellow Democrat Donald Williams intended to address childhood obesity in Connecticut. The legislation was however derided by opponents as the "cupcake bill." As of August 2008, more than 63% of eligibile school districts have enrolled in the program. In March 2008 New Haven schools enforced this policy by suspending an eighth grader for selling a classmate skittles. In May 2008, a principal in Greenwich was suspended in a dispute over bringing cupcakes to school. In 2007 Gaffey proposed that the Governor's power to appoint the Commissioner of Education