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Konstantinos "Kosta" Diamantis, a former state deputy budget director, is on trial accused of demanding bribes from construction firms in exchange for state contracts.

On Thursday, the seventh day of his trial, Diamantis took the stand and denied taking any bribes or using his office to get contractors work.

He told the jury he accepted payments from one contractor after setting up a meeting with a major construction company and researched the law before doing so. His defense attorney Norm Pattis said state and federal law allow for what Diamantis admitted to doing.

Pattis has former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin on his list of witnesses to call and Bronin filed a motion to quash that subpoena and said he doesn’t have any relevant testimony.

Diamantis will be back on the s

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