Lawmakers at the state Capitol have approved Gov. Lamont's controversial pick to head economic development.

David Lehman brings years of Wall Street experience to the job, but some state senators were concerned about his connections to the 2008 housing collapse.

Lehman, of Greenwich, was part of the Goldman Sachs team that shorted the housing market in 2008. Goldman made nearly $13 billion from AIG, a company that cost taxpayers $182 billion in bailouts.

In spite of initial concerns, the state Senate overwhelmingly approved Lehman, who insists he did not see the housing crisis coming. Gov. Lamont and Lehman both lobbied hard behind the scenes in an effort to secure the approval.

"He'll be an extraordinary leader to help bring jobs back to the state of Connecticut. A young guy, he's devoting his life to this," says Gov. Lamont.