Posted on 12/23/2004 5:59:17 AM PST by RaceBannon
Rowland Plea Deal Expected 8:26 AM EST,December 23, 2004 By JON LENDER, The Hartford Courant Former Gov. John G. Rowland, who resigned July 1 amid a scandal over his acceptance of gifts and favors from state contractors and others, is expected to appear today in U.S. District Court in New Haven to enter a guilty plea under an agreement that would send him to jail, the Courant has learned. The potential plea is the result of sensitive plea negotiations between Rowland and federal prosecutors who were gearing up to seek an indictment of the Republican former governor early next year on charges that could have included consipiracy and racketeering, sources said.
(Excerpt) Read more at ctnow.com ...
As governor, Rowland accepted gifts that rivaled NJ Governor that recently thumbed his nose at the world for his gifts.
The DEMS circled the wagons around their Dem governor, but the repubs in Ct are not strong enough to stick by their crook, so, we let him out to dry.
While Rowland deserved his fate, this was not done for the purpose of keeping politics clean in Connecticut, it was done as a coup, it was all politics, and many Dems have skeletons in their own closets and are hippocrites.
Rowland is a stain on CT Republicans.
Former Conn. Governor to Plead Guilty
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By Associated Press
December 23, 2004, 8:50 AM EST
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Former Gov. John G. Rowland will plead guilty Thursday to federal charges in U.S. District Court, the Associated Press has learned.
Rowland, who resigned on July 1 amid the federal corruption investigation and a legislative impeachment inquiry, is scheduled to appear in court in New Haven at 10 a.m., according a source familiar with the case.
He will plead guilty to unspecified charges to avoid indictment and end the two-year long investigation into corruption in his administration, the AP has learned.
Rowland's attorney, William Dow, had no comment.
His top deputy, Peter Ellef, and a top state contractor were indicted in September on charges of running a criminal enterprise out of the governor's office.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-rowland-plea,0,3962552.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines
http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-rowland-sg,1,3182634.storygallery?coll=hc-big-headlines-breaking
Articles on Rowland from the extreme left newspaper that lead the political coup against this RINO/COINO
Perhaps Pataki, but he's the only one that even approaches the failure that was Gov. Rowland's administration.
I'm no fan of Rowland, but what Rowland did was not even close to what McGreevey did.
Rowland accepted gifts from state contractors in the form of home improvements on his vacation home.
McGreevy appointed an unqualified gay lover as director of New Jersey's Homeland Security, thus putting thousands of people's lives at risk.
I will agree that this is a borderline coup though.
Santa Claus 'sez his little Ellef is getting a lump of coal this year.
So what's your point?
Rowland should NOT go to jail?
He should have never been elected, but the point is:
The dems here could care less about right and wrong. Rowland was heading for a 4th term and they knew it.
They did this as a coup, not as some concerned legislators cleaning house.
Our state has become so liberal, I would love to move out to a Red state.
You never answered the question.
Jail or not?
No, the one before McGreevy, who was that? He got watches and favors like that, too, just like Rowland.
BUt, the McGreevy episode is another example of the Dems circling the wagons to keep their bad boy in, while the repubs just let their boy go down in flames, fleeing like rats from a sinking ship...whether they should have or not.
Jail, no.
kicked out, yes, banished from public life, yes, but jail no.
We have pervert Dems who are forcing us to accept Gay marriage, and THEY should be jailed for that.
Rowland didnt steal, he just took favors that were return favors for political projects that benefitted the companies that did the favors, and that is almost normal, certainly unethical, but not CRIMINAL.
Rowland deserved to be booted out, ut not jailed.
This was a coup, and that is what offends me more, we already got used to having a liar RINO/COINO in office just to keep out the dems.
Thanks for the post. No "Get Out of Jail" card for this A$$HOLE!
Actually it is crimnal.
A landlord last month was sent to jail, not because he stole money from tenants, he "only" traded free rent for sex.
We can't have two sets of standards- one for Dems and one for Republicans.
I am angry about the coup, not Rowlands ethics issues and kickbacks, that is petty, impeachment worthy, but I dont think he deserves jail time.
Clinton deserved Jail Time.
Sandy Burger deserved Jail Time.
Rowland was an idiot who deserved to be shamed and removed from public office and banished, but not jailed.
But, I wont fight it. He made his bed.
But this was a coup, not a house cleaning, and THAT is what makes me so mad, the dems did this to get power, not justice!
Well, like I said, I dont think he deserved jail, just humiliation. I wont fight against Jail, I hated the guy! :)
But, sex for favors is a different class crime than boats for favors and floor refinishings for favors.
It depends on the type of boat. : )
Yeah Race, but excluding FReepers, there are like 3 "Republicans" in the entire state! Not much strength, especially with Aniskovich losing last election.
While he is crooked, I'm not thoroughly convinced he would have been found guilty. I do think instead of dragging this out he decided to bite the bullet, plead down and get this all behind him, a la Martha Stewart.
I did over 40 years ago and never regretted it. Even back then the liberal teachers wouldn't allow recruiters or ROTC in the High schools. I skipped school one day and the USAF recruiter came up to me and said son, "if I beat you at a game of pool, would you listen to my speel about the Air Force. He waxed me. I joined and made a career. I retired and spent 30 honorable years in the military. So to all those liberal teachers I succeeded in spite of you. The schools in the south who had ROTC got their first stripe on active duty months before other recruits. Even back then career counselers never did their job by advising all opportunities. Now I read in Connecticut where those liberal teachers are taking their 2nd graders and using them to protest companies in New York for their own agenda.
Also, to a certain extent, of the former governor of Alabama-preceding Fob James, don't recall his name, though-who was sent upriver.
These were essentially political scandals, not criminal ones.
Different not only in scope, but in the very details that are used to bring a criminal prosecution.
McGreevy, Toricelli, Buba, et. al., are the real criminals.
The modern Democratic Party is a refuge for political invalids.
Another difference between Rebublicans and Democraps- whe a Republican commits a crime we dont't let them get away with it becuase they are republicans.
Democraps will look the other way even from allegations of RAPE and MURDER by an impeached, lying, womanizing POS President
That was the Torch (D) and he got a slap on the hand from the Senate and bowed out of the race. I understand he's still working behind the scenes and getting richer by the day.
I'll agree with you. Rowland is probably doing this to avoid a long and messy trial in which he likely would have been found guilty. NBC30 has a "legal analyst" who just said that's what he did. Even if he won the case, he'd still have lost in public opinion.
I've been pleasantly surprised by Governor Rell. She may not be the most conservative, but IMO she's better than having a true liberal in office. Connecticut is so liberal overall that I doubt we could get a true conservative elected to begin with. She is appealing to people I know who are staunch libs...my sister-in-law is extremely liberal and says she will gladly vote for Rell if she chooses to run in 2006. Rell seems to be getting along well, but only time will tell if she can hold her own against the potential Democratic contenders.
Local news is reporting max sentence is 5 years in jail, 3years probation and $250K fine. Sentencing date March 11th.
Rowland was originally a conservative congressman, but he sold out his principles for the mess of pottage that only Hartford could once offer him.
Thanks! I was away from the TV and didn't see the details.
He's an example of a basically decent guy who let himself get caught up in the ethos (or lack thereof) of Hartford and the longstanding corruption that has pervaded the place for many years. He started out honest enough, but he wasn't wealthy and he was hungry. When someone offered to do something for him he knew wasn't right, he said 'yes' when he shouldn't have. Criminal? probably so, but hardly the kind of corruption that you see from the Democrats in this part of the world, not nearly on the scale of Ganim in Bridgeport, for example. So, on balance, I wouldn't jug Rowland, but I'd give him a pretty stiff home confinement/probation period. But, if he got a short sentence, I can't say I'd be too upset either.
It's an ugly irony, the only Connecticut governor in the past few decades who wasn't (widely alleged to be -- since I have no personal knowledge) corrupt was the otherwise despicable Lowell Weicker. Weicker, however, is independently wealthy as an heir to the Squibb pharmaceutical fortune. He did line his own nest with the state income tax (in putting in the income tax, the state eliminated a 10% dividends tax, so his taxes were cut by 60% on his inherited unearned income.)
Ande he should be hung out to dry. Is your position really that if you are a Republican, corruption is OK??? I'm glad to see him going to jail where he belongs!
I have explained my position on this thread about 4 times....
Yes, but will the US be able to reclaim the land he gave to the "Indians" as part of the fraud?
Race ... you tell it like it is.
" A landlord last month was sent to jail, not because he stole money from tenants, he "only" traded free rent for sex."
WHAT!
grey area ... does that make any couple that lives together and doesn't split the rent fifty-fifty, guilty of this offense?
Where does this road lead?
Our state has become so liberal, I would love to move out to a Red state.
You and me too! I moved out of that blue state to a more affordable blue state, but hopefully someday, will move to a red one.
We absolutely HATED Weiker! I am a Republican too. We haven't known a decent governor since Ella Grasso.
our guys go to jail over a few gifts.
The Dems sell pardons, and steal classified documents - and walk away scot free.
The extreme left newspaper that twice endorsed George W. Bush? Rowland's a simple crook, no more, no less.
I held my nose and voted for that asshole once but I couldn't do it twice.
fine, I accept that, I'm not defending the guy.
but how about Sandy Berger? How about Janet Reno? How about Toricelli?
my point is - its politics. and our politicos go to jail, while the Dems walk away even with more serious charges involved. what do we have to do to turn that around?
Don't hold your breath ocean.
but the short term problem is: the Dems can now say "we are clean", and use these examples of people like Rowland to say "see, look at those corrupt republicans, like Rowland", and some portion of independent voters buy it.
that cycle has to be broken.
My opinion is that Rowland is a skunk, a pathetic example of a politician who abused his given powers for private gain. I hope his example of jail serves as fair warning to all CT public employees & elected officials of what happens if you abuse the trust given you.
WDRC is doing a fine job pointing out the hipocricy in all this.
ALL congressmen get trips, only Rowland gets fired for this.
Rell made some harsh statements yesterday, but she was Lt Gov for 10 years, who does she think she is? She never knew??
Getting free house repairs is a major scandal? Only if it is a republican doing it, if it was a democrat, it is only business as usual.
I will stand by my original thoughts: THIS WAS A COUP, not justice, the dems could care less what he did, they only want power! They want to be elected, and since the dems run the house and Senate in Ct they are dong whatever they want because NO ONE will investigate them!
Case: Denise Rich gives more than $2 million to Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign and the Bill Clinton library fund in summer 2000, and Bill Clinton pardons her billionaire husband in Dec 2000 of multiple Federal felony convictions, including treasonous violation of Iranian export bans.
Result: 2 weeks of "inquiry" by a single Federal procesutor. No charges against either Clinton or Ms. Rich.
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