State Auditor Rob Kane, former Republican state senator, dies unexpectedly at his home at 53

HARTFORD — Friends and colleagues were stunned Friday night to learn of the sudden death of State Auditor Rob Kane, a well-known former Republican state senator, at his Watertown home. He was 53.

As one of the two state auditors, Kane helped oversee a bipartisan office that conducts oversight of virtually every department in the state government. The office is known for its highly detailed reports and for its recommendations on improving operations of everything from the state transportation department to the state police.

Before becoming an auditor, Kane was known as an outspoken Republican state senator from Watertown for eight years. As the ranking senator on the appropriations committee, Kane was known for his detailed knowledge of the state budget and the inner financial workings of various agencies.

Kane’s cause of death was not immediately known, but Watertown police indicated there did not appear to be “any suspicious circumstances.” Detective Mark Conway said officers met family members at Kane’s home earlier Friday to check on him because he was not answering his phone and found him deceased inside. An autopsy was performed Saturday, but police said that the cause of death is pending further studies. A spokeswoman for the chief medical examiner’s office in Farmington declined comment Saturday.

Former eight-term state Rep. Brian Flaherty, a fellow Watertown Republican and longtime friend, said that his small town is stunned.

“Our world is standing still right now,” Flaherty said Friday night. “People in our town, by phone, are reaching out to one another. A lot of friends of his, in and out of politics, are reaching out to one another, trying to make sense of it all. … I will miss him dearly.”

Flaherty added, “This was a man who most of the time that you would see him lately had a smile on his face, and isn’t that what you’d want to wish for anyone?”

Flaherty first met Kane 30 years ago, and they lived less than a mile away from each other in Litchfield County.

“I bought my first car phone from him, and I mean car phone, in 1991,” Flaherty said. “He installed it in my car. He was a small business entrepreneur. He owned a company in Waterbury that was called KarTele. He was the car-phone guy.”

Flaherty was looking forward to serving on the Watertown library board of trustees with Kane, who had been appointed recently in their hometown. Kane had once served as chairman of the town council and chaired the charter revision commission.

“He loved his two children,’’ Flaherty said. “He was enjoying their growing up and particularly playing golf.”

Former Senate Republican leader Len Fasano of North Haven, a close friend, agreed that Kane was passionate about his children, golf, and his job.

“He loved his job as auditor, and he was good at it,’’ Fasano said in an interview Saturday. “I do understand that his father passed away when he was very young of a heart condition. Rob frequently talked about the fact that his father passed away very young.’’

Kane was a familiar presence in the state Capitol, working daily on the first-floor, across from Secretary of the State Denise Merrill and one floor below Gov. Ned Lamont. He enjoyed the daily banter with various colleagues in the building and in the adjacent tunnel leading to the Legislative Office Building, saying that he preferred the personal relationships instead of exclusively sitting in his office and reading audit reports.

Lamont also offered his condolences to Kane’s family, friends and colleagues and lauded him as a dedicated public servant.

In his heyday at the state Capitol, Kane often talked about his experiences as a small business owner during debates. He also often tangled with then-Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in sometimes-partisan clashes. As a senator, Kane charged that the state’s continuing budget deficits in 2013 had proved that Malloy’s tax increases had not solved all of the state’s fiscal problems.

“It didn’t work,” Kane said at the time of Malloy’s tax plan. “I think he’s incorrect. The budget didn’t do its job. I sure hope the rhetoric ends and we all work together. … It’s obvious it didn’t work.”

Kane represented the 32nd District, traditionally a Republican stronghold that includes Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Oxford, Roxbury, Southbury, Washington, Watertown and Woodbury, along with parts of Middlebury and Seymour. He represented the conservative district in a seat that was previously held by former Senate Republican leader Louis DeLuca and is now held by Sen. Eric Berthel of Watertown.

“Rob Kane was a champion for the people of Connecticut,” said Senate Republican leader Kevin Kelly of Stratford. “As a state senator, he served the people of the 32nd District with skill, style and compassion. Rob loved Connecticut, he loved public service, and he took great pride in helping people in need. He also loved his family and his children very much. We in the state Senate were proud to call him our friend and colleague. We will miss his smile, his laugh and his positive presence at the state Capitol.’’

Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney of New Haven, the highest-ranking senator, said, “He was a conscientious public servant in his near decadelong tenure as a legislator who always advocated for what he believed to be in the interests of his constituents and the state. On behalf of the entire Senate Democratic Caucus, I extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his children and his entire extended family.”

After winning reelection in 2016, Kane chose not to be sworn in when the legislature reconvened in January 2017 in order to accept the auditor’s position. He was nominated by Fasano to fill a vacant position that is reserved for the Republican chief auditor. This auditor works alongside the Democratic chief auditor atop a bipartisan office of about 100 career professionals, who compile audits on whether state agencies are operating properly and spending tax dollars wisely.

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Last fall, the auditors generated headlines by reporting that overtime was surging in the Connecticut state police as some troopers doubled and nearly tripled their salaries by working extra hours. The report warned about “overtired and inattentive” officers.

In an audit of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection over past two fiscal years, the bipartisan auditors found that 56% of troopers in the various barracks surveyed had earned more money in overtime than in their base salaries. The base salaries ranged as high as $83,000, and the amount of overtime ranged as high as $190,000 per year, the audit said. The overtime effectively equaled 100% to 244% of their base salaries, the report said.

A graduate of Central Connecticut State University, Kane also graduated in 2009 with a master’s degree in business administration from the University of New Haven.

A lifelong Boston Celtics fan, Kane had his picture taken in April 2018 at the state Capitol with former all-star Cornbread Maxwell. Maxwell was visiting state legislators and lobbying on behalf of sports betting, which was being discussed by the legislature but has not yet been approved.

Maxwell has his arms around both Kane and his fellow auditor, Democrat John Geragosian of New Britain, as all three are smiling.

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com.