Brickbat: Bookkeeping Error

An audit has found that nearly $900,000 of about $1.13 million in COVID-19 relief funds received by the city of West Haven, Connecticut, were spent on ineligible items or lacked sufficient documentation. Auditors did not examine some $600,000 in COVID-19 funds received by the city that are the subject of a federal fraud prosecution. Former Democratic state Rep. Michael DiMassa, who was an administrative assistant to the city council, and his former business associate John Bernardo were charged with wire fraud in October. Prosecutors said they stole $600,000 in COVID-19 funds by submitting fraudulent invoices to the city through a company they formed.