Follow live coverage via Twitter of the Chris Donovan campaign press conference in Hartford today. The press conference came in the wake of the arrest of the campaign finance director on federal charges.

Dan Roberti calls for Chris Donovan to step as state speaker of the House in a press conference Friday. (New Haven Register Photo/Melanie Stengel)

4:00 pm: Dan Roberti holds a press conference after Swan wraps the Donovan campaign presser. Roberti criticizes Donovan; says these allegations are bad for the Democratic party. Calls for Donovan to step down as speaker and not vote in the special session.

3:48 pm: Secretary of the State Denise Merrill issued a statement saying, “I have known Chris Donovan for 20 years and know him to have none but the highest standards of integrity. The legal process we have all learned about in the last 24 hours must now be given a chance to follow its due course. However, the allegations contained in the federal affidavit are very troubling and raise serious doubts about the integrity of our legislative process in Connecticut. They also have a potentially damaging effect on the public’s confidence in our elections. Many of us have said for years that money has a corrosive influence in politics, and that is why it is imperative for those of us in government to continue to support clean elections and initiatives such as the Citizens Election Program that we pioneered in Connecticut. In the meantime, I applaud the speaker’s decision not to preside over the House of Representatives in the upcoming special session.”

Justin Bernier (Register Citizen Photo/Rick Thomason)

3:45 pm: Justin Bernier, Republican candidate for Congress in the 5th District, released a statement saying, “Chris Donovan should speak for himself whether or not he is guilty of corruption. Hiding behind staff shows a real lack of courage by this candidate. If Chris Donovan cannot answer questions about his own campaign and his own votes, then he has no business representing the people of the 5th District in Congress.”

Bernier added that the corruption allegations indicate a failure of one-party rule in Connecticut.

“If the allegations of public corruption are true, then it’s another sign that voters need to end the Democratic monopoly in Connecticut and go back to a two-party system.”

3:25 pm: Donovan will not act as speaker in special session, but will continue as Speaker of the House.

3:10 pm: Chris Donovan’s new campaign manager Tom Swan says Donovan will not be stepping down as Speaker of the State House and he will be continuing his campaign for the U.S. Congress 5th District seat.

Chris Donovan's campaign manager Tom Swan reacts to the press, saying Donovan will not step down as speaker because he did nothing wrong. (New Haven Register Photo/Melanie Stengel)