Mark Connolly to address Plymouth Democrats

PLYMOUTH — Mark Connolly, former Deputy Secretary of state and Director of Securities Regulation for the state of New Hampshire, will be the featured speaker at the regular monthly meeting of the Plymouth Area Democrats on Wednesday, September 24, at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center on Depot Road in Plymouth. Connolly’s presentation will begin at 7 p.m. following a pot luck dinner and social hour at 5:30 p.m.

Connolly will focus on the growing need for political campaign finance reform in the state and nation and how special interests now dominate the American political and electoral landscape. There will be an opportunity for questions from the audience at the conclusion of his presentation. Connolly has over a decade of public service. He was awarded the Securities Enforcement Award of the Year in 2007 by his fellow state securities regulators for his efforts on behalf of investors in taking enforcement actions against a number of financial institutions. In an eight-year period, he oversaw securities enforcement actions that resulted in some $50 million dollars in fines and penalties. He also served on the transition teams of Governor Judd Gregg and John Lynch, and was appointed by Governor Gregg in 1992 to be part of a bi-partisan panel of business people to study state government operations and make recommendations to make state government more efficient.

Connolly has worked over twenty years in the private sector, and now owns New Castle Investment Advisors in Portsmouth, serving as a Registered Investment Advisor for individuals and not-for profit institutions. His work includes serving as an expert witness for securities fraud matters. In 2012 Connolly authored a book--“Cover-Up," about the largest Ponzi scheme in New Hampshire’s history and the inaction by government that allowed it to happen. In it, he also addressed the inaction by regulators in Washington and elsewhere that led to the near financial collapse of the global economy in 2007-2008, and offered solutions on how to improve transparency and make the financial system more secure and fair

In recent years Connolly has served on the advisory board of the New Hampshire Rebellion project, which since 2013 has mobilized hundreds of New Hampshire citizens of all political stripes in two marches to call attention to a campaign system growing increasingly out of control and out of touch with its citizens. The group's goal is to influence the 2016 New Hampshire Presidential candidates to address what they will do to roll back the increasing domination of special interests in our democracy.

For further information, please call 536-2856.