When COVID hit, Essex County won widespread praise for its quick rollout of an ambitious vaccination program that sought to get as many doses into as many arms as possible.
But behind the scenes, the multi-million-dollar campaign to do battle with the deadly virus also provided a windfall of opportunity for some, including the politically connected, and led to tens of thousands of dollars in spending without proper oversight, according to a highly critical report released Tuesday by the Office of the State Comptroller.