HARTFORD, Conn. — House Speaker Chris Donovan, whose campaign for a U.S. House seat has been rocked by the arrest of a one-time finance manager, said Sunday that the hiring of the aide does not show he’s incompetent.

Donovan, appearing on WFSB-TV’s “Face the State,” was asked if he’s incompetent.

“I’m a very good manager,” he said. “There was a mistake in my campaign.”

When asked how many staff members his campaign employs, Donovan said he did not precisely know.

“I really don’t have that number right now,” adding that his campaign employs five to 10 paid staffers.

The speaker said he’s not directly responsible for the day-to-day management of the campaign, which is run by a campaign manager.

“My job is to go meet the people, talk to people. That’s my job,” he said.

Donovan said he trusted aides such as Robert Braddock Jr. who was charged with trying to hide the source of $20,000 for certain donations connected to an effort to kill legislation before the General Assembly that would have raised taxes and fees on “roll-your-own” smoke shop owners.

Donovan has fired Braddock, his former campaign manager and another person who handled campaign finances.

Braddock’s lawyer says his client is innocent.

Donovan, who is seeking the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Chris Murphy, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, said he relied on his aides. “As with any campaign they didn’t live up to my trust,” he said.

He also said he’s not at fault and blamed his aides.

“They had a job to do and they didn’t do it correctly,” he said.

The speaker refused to answer several questions, such as whether he has spoken with Braddock, saying he cannot comment on the investigation.

Federal authorities allege that Braddock conspired with others to hide the source of $20,000. The allegations involve so-called “conduit” campaign contributions, which are donations made by one person in the name of another.

Donovan, the endorsed Democratic candidate in the U.S. House race, faces a primary challenge on Aug. 14 from former state Rep. Elizabeth Esty and Daniel Roberti, a public affairs representative.

“I’ve done nothing wrong and we’ll leave it there,” the speaker said.

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No one knows exactly how many human brains are donated annually for study, but the Harvard “Brainbank” at McLean Hospital in Belmont is the world’s largest collection and storage center.

Each year, the Brain Tissue Resource Center, or Brainbank, receives about 270 donated brains, with 8,300 collected since 1978.

The vast majority of the brains were ravaged by diseases and disorders under examination by researchers, including schizophrenia, Parkinson’s and autism.

But each year, a small portion of the donations, 30 or so, constitute “normal” brains, brains used as control samples for comparison.

The Brainbank faces several hurdles: doctors and potential, future donors might not be aware of the program, grieving loved ones might not think of giving, or families might have reservations on religious grounds.

But the bank says brain donations mesh with most of the world’s major religions and are compatible with open-casket services.

Upon receiving a brain, staff freeze one hemisphere and chemically preserve the other in plastic bins that sit on row upon row of shelves. Samples are then sent out to qualified researchers across the nation and in 15 countries worldwide.

The Brainbank works with both the Autism Research Foundation and Autism Speaks.

For more information, call 800-272-4622.

(Michael Morton can be reached at 508-626-4338 or mmorton@wickedlocal.com.)

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The Martin family began donating much-needed items to an elementary school in the Philippines after their son’s death in September 2009. Staff Sgt. Jack Martin III died after his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb in the Philippines. Martin was working to resupply the school when the bombing happened.

Now the school bears his name.

The J. Martin C. Shaw Memorial Elementary School on Sulu Island was the school Martin was helping build.

Two and a half years later, Jack and Cheryl Martin can’t go a day without thinking about their son.

“His favorite song was ‘Simple Man,’ ” Jack Martin Jr. said. “Every time I hear it now, I tear up because it described him perfectly. He was a simple man.”

He had a simple hope to help people and to serve his country, his parents said.

So when Cheryl Martin heard about another family donating supplies to children at this school, the Martins decided it would be the perfect way to remember their son.

Jack Martin III’s parents, brother and sisters went shopping at thrift stores for things to donate to the children. They also got contributions from family, friends and community members.

They used collecting donations as a way to reminisce.

“I love talking about him and I like to cry,” Jack Martin Jr. said.

The family sent six large boxes stuffed with 65 pairs of shoes, books, kick balls, baseballs and basketballs — all with the name of their son printed on them. They sent the boxes in April. Jack and Cheryl Martin saw it as a birthday present to their late son, whose birthday was April 5.

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