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In 1998, then-Gov. John G. Rowland boosted his re-election prospects by creating the Healthcare for UninSured Kids and Youth program. HUSKY was intended to provide no more than 90,000 impoverished children with the same access to medical care as state employees. But the issue was never about access, but who pays; ultimately, this "conservative Republican" chose the government solution. At HUSKY's inception, 6.7 percent of Connecticut's children were uninsured. Today, HUSKY enrollment is a robust 323,000, even though the services it provides have never come close to matching the political rhetoric. And despite the infusion of hundreds of millions in...

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - A state contractor and a top aide to imprisoned former Gov. John G. Rowland each pleaded guilty to two felonies Tuesday, ending a public corruption case that led to the one-time political star's downfall. Contractor William Tomasso and Peter Ellef, who was Rowland's co-chief of staff, pleaded guilty under a plea deal to conspiracy to commit tax fraud and bribery. Prosecutors said the men ran a criminal enterprise out of the governor's office, with Ellef steering multimillion dollar contracts to Tomasso in exchange for gold, cash, travel and gifts. Each faces a maximum of 10 years...

Hartford -- Connecticut's top prosecutor is seeking an arrest warrant for former Gov. John G. Rowland amid an investigation into ties between Rowland and state contractors, his attorney said Monday. Rowland has been in a federal prison in Pennsylvania since April after pleading guilty to a charge he conspired to trade his office for favors and to commit tax fraud. State prosecutors are looking into whether consulting work Rowland accepted after he relinquished the governorship last year violated Connecticut's "revolving door" laws. R. Bartley Halloran, Rowland's attorney, said he does not know the specific charges being sought by the state,...

LORETTO, Pa. - Former Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland arrived at a federal prison Friday morning to serve a yearlong sentence for corruption, coming through a back entrance to avoid reporters. Rowland was sentenced to one year and one day at the camp but will be eligible for release after 10 months. He must also serve four months of house arrest. Earlier in the day, the three-term Republican gave thanks for his family and supporters. "Throughout this whole ordeal, one thing has become abundantly clear: how blessed I am to have such a wonderful wife and loving children," Rowland, 47,...

It started with a faxed note to then-Gov. John G. Rowland's office, an invitation to prayer in the days following the December 2003 press conference in which he lied about improvements to his Litchfield cottage. "I just felt really bad for him. ...I hate to see anyone in the public eye under that kind of pressure," recalled the Rev. Will Marotti, pastor of the evangelical New Life Church in Meriden. "So I said, `If you're interested in getting together for prayer, I'm available.' No strings attached. No media. Wasn't looking for a photo op. Just prayer." Rowland accepted, and the...

A continental breakfast is offered daily. Monday's lunch featured beef tacos -- with a vegetarian, soy-based ''heart-healthy" alternative -- along with seasoned pinto beans and a choice of steamed or Spanish rice. Family visits at the minimum-security prison can last for hours. More summer camp than hard-core penitentiary, the federal camp at the former Fort Devens in Ayer where former Connecticut governor John G. Rowland is expected to begin a yearlong sentence next week is about as cushy as the big house gets. Inmates can lounge in front of the television until 2 a.m. on weekends and holidays. No one...

Charged for 1 year and 1 day in jail, for politcal corruption. Just flashed on FNC.

Conn. Republican pled guilty to accepting $100,000 in favors. Former Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland, seen in this 2003 photo, faces sentencing on a corruption charge on Friday. NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Once one of the nation’s brightest political stars, former Gov. John G. Rowland will try to convince a federal judge that he deserves leniency despite selling access to his office for personal gain. Rowland, 47, is expected to address the judge Friday before he is sentenced on a corruption charge. He pleaded guilty in December, admitting he accepted more than $100,000 in chartered trips to Las Vegas, Vermont...

"Former Gov. John G. Rowland, once the proud darling of Connecticut Republicans..."

In finally admitting guilt as a corrupted public servant, former Gov. John Rowland of Connecticut could not resist one more attempt at self-serving finesse, resorting to the passive impersonal in declaring, "Mistakes have been made." Facing stiff prison time, the onetime G.O.P. boy wonder did admit to "responsibility" for those mistakes. But Mr. Rowland hardly apologized for the deep betrayal and humiliation he put the state through in personally turning his administration into a thieves' mart for crooked contractors and cronies. Rather, Mr. Rowland asked voters to "understand what we have tried to do" in 25 years of public service,...

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...

(Hartford-AP/WTNH, July 1, 2004 Updated 12:38 PM ) _ M. Jodi Rell has been sworn in as the new governor of Connecticut. She took the oath of office at 12:09 p.m. with her family at her side. Rell, a 58-year-old a Republican, takes over from Governor Rowland, whose resignation amid a corruption scandal. "The time to heal has begun," Gov. Rell told the crowd. "Today we begin to restore faith honor and integrity to our government." "It is not a position I sought through the normal course of electoral politics, but little has seemed normal over the past several months,"...

HARTFORD, Conn. -- By all accounts, Robert Matthews prided himself on his list of friends. He hobnobbed with the political glitterati and celebrities. He dropped the biggest of names - Bill Clinton, Ted Kennedy, Billy Joel, Bob Graham - and opened his checkbook to both Democrats and Republicans. And now, the millionaire businessman from New Haven finds himself at the heart of a federal corruption investigation and has contributed to the downfall of his friend, Gov. John G. Rowland. Rowland's resignation, which goes into effect on Thursday, came amid increasing controversy about, among other things, secret real estate deals...

http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-rowlandresign0621-gb,1,1523635.graffitiboard?coll=hc-big-headlines-breaking

Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland will announce his resignation tonight, ending months of speculation and weeks of legislative hearings by the bipartisan House Select Committee. The governor is planning a live television address to the state at 6 p.m

CT Gov. John Rowland to Resign

HARTFORD, Conn. - Gov. John G. Rowland acknowledges it would be easier on his family if he were to step down amid a federal corruption investigation and the threat of impeachment, but he says he plans to stick it out. Although he admitted in December that he accepted gifts from state contractors, the three-term Republican steadfastly maintains he has not done anything wrong because he has not given anyone any state work in exchange for the presents. "People say, 'Oh, he's done things wrong. He's taken gifts.' OK, let's assume half of the stuff is true. I think the more...

Inquiry committee asks lawyer to draft letter of impeachment (Hartford-AP, Apr. 30, 2004 Updated 3:35 PM) _ Members of a special legislative committee that has been considering whether Gov. John G. Rowland should be impeached has asked its lawyer to draft an article of impeachment because he has not fully cooperated with their probe. The decision was prompted when a lawyer for Rowland refused to testify before the House Select Committee of Inquiry, which has been trying to obtain the personal financial records of the governor and his wife. Rowland has been under increasing pressure to resign since admitting in...

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - The attorney for the legislative committee investigating Gov. John G. Rowland said Friday that proof of criminal wrongdoing is not necessary to recommend his impeachment. In a brief to the House Select Committee of Inquiry, Special Counsel Steven Reich wrote that a Connecticut officeholder may be impeached for acts that injure his office or society. Those acts, he said, don't have to violate criminal law. Rowland's attorneys submitted a brief Monday saying impeachment should be reserved for the most grave official misconduct. Ross Garber, the governor's legal counsel, said Friday he believes both sides agree that...

Gov. John G. Rowland said Sunday that the country is witnessing an "explosion of faith," and praised Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ." "It is unbelievable. It is breathtaking," Rowland said at a groundbreaking ceremony for a Hartford church. "It shakes you to the core of your soul. "But it is the Gospel, and people need to recognize and realize that we need to reach out to faith. We need to reach out to each other and, most importantly, we need to reach out to the power above us." The movie, which grossed $23.6 million on its opening...

HARTFORD, Conn. - The wife of Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland has been subpoenaed by federal authorities investigating alleged corruption in her husband's administration, according to published reports. The subpoena requires Patricia Rowland to produce documents or records, but it does not compel her to appear before a grand jury, The Hartford Courant and the New Haven Register reported Saturday. Patricia Rowland's personal attorney, Robert M. Casale, told the Register the subpoena seeks documents relating to gifts she or the governor may have received. When reached by The Associated Press, the governor's chief counsel, Ross Garber, declined comment. The first...

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Gov. John G. Rowland is proposing higher taxes on cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, beer and wine to help cut a budget deficit, state officials said. Rowland is scheduled to announce details of his new budget proposal Wednesday during his State of the State address to the legislature. The governor is also recommending that the 6 percent sales tax on newspapers continue after the July 1 expiration date, and may also ask lawmakers to retain an increase in one of the state's two inheritance taxes. The tax increases are needed to prevent further cuts in the state budget,...

Gov. John G. Rowland is establishing a legal defense fund, a person close to the administration said yesterday. Last fall, Mr. Rowland hired a prominent criminal defense lawyer, William F. Dow III. The Connecticut governor's supporters are now exploring ways for donors to pay some of the expenses of his legal defense. But the person close to the administration acknowledged that the donations might be scrutinized, given a federal investigation looking into whether the governor received favors from people doing business with the state. In Hartford, more allegations of illegal state contract awards were raised on Friday when the attorney...

HARTFORD, Conn. -- They call themselves cowboys. This small band of about 10 conservative Republicans believe it's their job to round up the "cows" in their state party who've "strayed" and called on fellow Republican Gov. John G. Rowland to resign from office. In recent days, the two-year-old Connecticut Republican Assembly has sent out hundreds of letters and e-mails, asking state Republicans for help. They've also held a meeting to help organize support for the embattled GOP governor.Full article HERE

Gov. John G. Rowland said Tuesday that he is not swayed by the growing number of calls that he resign for accepting gifts from state employees and a state contractor and then lying about it. "I've made mistakes; I've apologized for those mistakes; I've taken responsibility for those mistakes. Now, it's time to govern to get back to work," Rowland said. He was in Cromwell to attend a conference on teen drug use. The governor's remarks came a day after Republican U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays added his voice to the growing chorus within Rowland's own party for Rowland's resignation. In...

State House Democrats met Thursday to discuss whether the House should look into impeaching Governor John Rowland, who has been criticized for accepting free renovations at his summer cottage and lying about it.

FBI, prosecutors investigate Rowland’s complicated car, boat transactions Associated Press 01/09/2004 HARTFORD — The state Department of Motor Vehicles has turned over transaction records on a car and two boats owned by Gov. John G. Rowland to federal authorities investigating corruption in the governor’s administration. The FBI and federal prosecutors are apparently interested in somewhat complex financial arrangements for the car and boats in transactions involving Vincent J. DeRosa, the state’s homeland security director and longtime Rowland friend, The Hartford Courant reported Thursday. The car, a rebuilt 1967 Ford Mustang convertible, was given to Rowland as a birthday present in...

Gov. John G. Rowland appealed to Connecticut voters for another chance to keep his job, even as state legislators prepared to launch a discussion on whether to begin impeachment proceedings against him. Rowland on Wednesday again apologized for accepting gifts at his summer cottage and lying about it, but he insisted he never provided any favors or took any actions in exchange for the gifts. "Tonight, I humbly ask for a renewed opportunity to earn back your trust, to redeem myself in your eyes and to continue to lead this state," Rowland said in a televised address. The three-term Republican,...

<p>Gov. John G. Rowland asked the state for the chance "to earn back your trust" Wednesday as he delivered a televised address that came amid growing pressure to resign for accepting gifts at his summer cottage and lying about it.</p>

KILLINGWORTH, CONN. - Embattled Connecticut Gov. John Rowland has so far insisted that he won't step down. But Kim Denison at the Killingworth True Value Hardware store is convinced it's only a matter of time. "He should resign," she says without missing a beat. "He's a liar, and I don't trust him. He should get out, because he's getting in deeper and deeper every time he opens his mouth." If there were ever a true third rail of American politics, it's lying - at least about things that reflect one's integrity and performance on the job. But Americans' judgments about...

Those of you who are up on Connecticut politics can just have fun - the rest are encouraged to click on the source link first.

Responding to questions for the first time since his admission that he accepted free work on his private cottage from companies doing business with the state, Gov. John G. Rowland said on Friday that he had no influence in the awarding of state contracts, had obeyed state laws and was determined to serve out his term. "This governor, I'm sure other governors in the past, do not call commissioners. We do not try to influence contracts," Mr. Rowland said during a news conference. "We have never done that. I have never done that. Period." At the heart of the controversy...

Dec 16, 2003 Connecticut Legislative Leaders Say Too Early to Talk of Impeaching Governor Over Cottage Work By Susan Haigh Associated Press Writer HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Democratic leaders say it's premature to talk of impeaching Republican Gov. John G. Rowland over revelations that friends and a politically connected contractor paid for work on his summer cottage, despite rank-and-file calls for such action. "Impeachment is a very serious step and I don't think anyone is looking at that step seriously right now," Senate President Pro Tem Kevin Sullivan said Monday. Sullivan spoke after the top four legislative leaders from both...

(Hartford-WTNH, Dec. 16, 2003 12:20 PM) _ This morning Congressman Christopher Shays spoke publicly for the first time about the controversy surrounding our governor. Last week the governor apologized for lying about who paid for improvements at his summer cottage in Litchfield. While some are calling for the governor to resign, the governor says he has no plans to do so. Watch the interview with Chief Capitol Correspondent Mark Davis (Sorry, transcript is not available.)

<p>HARTFORD, Connecticut (AP) -- Some Democratic legislators said Saturday they will pursue impeachment proceedings against Gov. John G. Rowland if he does not step aside.</p> <p>But a top aide said the Republican has no plans to leave office over his admission that a state contractor helped pay for work on his summer home.</p>

HARTFORD — Gov. John G. Rowland, 10 days after saying he paid for improvements at his Bantam Lake cottage, admitted Friday to accepting thousands of dollars in free work from a state contractor under federal investigation. He also received freebies from employees and friends. The work ranged from free gutter and drainage repair, a new ceiling, a free water heater and hot tub. Altogether, the work came from a company owned by the Tomasso family, whose firms have caught the eye of federal prosecutors, as well as from PJ Delahunty, a then-deputy commissioner of the state Department of Public Works....

NEW BRITAIN (AP) - Gov. John G. Rowland's stepson was arraigned Monday on a marijuana possession charge and applied for inclusion in a community service program. Ryan Largay, 18, appeared briefly in New Britain Superior Court. He answered "no" when asked whether he had ever been convicted of a drug offense. If Largay is accepted into the Community Service Labor Program for first-time offenders and successfully completes the program, the charge against him will be dismissed. Largay, was arrested Oct. 13 after officers broke up a party at a friend's home in Newington. He was charged with possession of less...

(Hartford-AP, Sept. 13, 2003 11:00 PM) _ Governor Rowland is putting his signature on a gay pride proclamation that for years, he wouldn't sign. The Hartford Courant reports he decided to sign the document after meeting with leaders and activists. The proclamation lauds the transgender, bisexual, gay, lesbian and intersex community for significant contributions towards the enhancement of the state's quality of life. Rowland has said in the past he wouldn't sign a document that mentioned transgender or bisexual people. The governor has signed a proclamation before recognizing Gay Pride Day. Activists are calling the governor's decision a milestone. Mike...

(New Haven-AP, June 10, 2003 8:30 PM) _ US Attorney General John Ashcroft will visit Connecticut tomorrow to meet with Governor Rowland, U-S Attorney Kevin O'Connor and members of the state's anti-terrorism task force. After the September Eleventh, 2001, terrorist attacks, Ashcroft set up 93 such task forces nationwide. Each is headed by a federal prosecutor. He's been visiting the states to discuss how agencies dealing with the terrorist threat are sharing information with each other. Connecticut Homeland Security Director Vincent DeRosa said he will use the meeting in New Haven City Hall to push for new federal standards that...

President George W. Bush has soared to a 64 -- 29 percent approval rating in Connecticut, a 15-point jump in six weeks, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released today. "After dropping to a record low job approval in March, President Bush has bounced back after the U.S. victory over Iraq. Bush enjoys a higher job approval than Connecticut Senators Joseph Lieberman and Christopher Dodd and Gov. John Rowland," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D. "Bush lost big in Connecticut in 2000, but now he beats all the leading Democratic contenders in head to head matchups, including the...

HAMDEN, Conn. -- A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that Gov. John G. Rowland's lead over Bill Curry has gone down, but he still has a 17 point lead a week before the election. The poll, released Tuesday, found that the Republican governor had a 55-38 percent lead over his Democratic challenge among likely voters. An Oct. 2 Quinnipiac poll had Rowland leading Curry 59-37 percent among likely voters. A University of Connecticut poll released Oct. 21 found Rowland had a 15 point lead among likely voters.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A University of Connecticut poll released Monday shows Republican Gov. John G. Rowland holding a 15 percentage point lead over Democrat challenger Bill Curry. Rowland's lead was down by three points from a UConn survey issued two weeks ago, but fell within that poll's sampling error margin. Forty-nine percent of likely voters surveyed said they plan to vote for Rowland on Nov. 5. Thirty-four percent said they support Curry. Fifteen percent said they were undecided. In the Oct. 9 poll, Rowland's margin over Curry was 49 percent to 31 percent with 18 percent undecided.

Undecided voters make up their minds as Rowland lead over Curry holds steady Associated Press October 19, 2002 HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut voters are making up their minds in the race for governor as Gov. John G. Rowland continues to hold a double-digit lead over Democratic challenger Bill Curry, a recent poll shows. The Republican incumbent leads his Democratic challenger 55 percent to 41 percent, nearly unchanged from two weeks ago, according to the poll commissioned by The Day of New London, the Journal Inquirer of Manchester and the Waterbury Republican-American. The three newspapers reported the poll results Saturday. Just...

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A new University of Connecticut poll gives Republican Gov. John G. Rowland a 18 percentage point lead over Democrat challenger Bill Curry among those likely to vote in November. This latest survey, released Wednesday, is a 4 point increase for Rowland from last week's UConn poll, just above the 3.5 percentage point margin for error. "We can see the effect that money is having on this race," Poll Director Ken Dautrich said. "The governor continues his strong positive ad campaign and Curry has little money for the expensive media buys.

The first Gubernatorial Debate between Gov. John Rowland (R) and Bill Curry (D) is on NOW (7-8PM) on Channel 30. Debate is being held at the Garde Arts Center in New London. It is being hosted by The New London Day and The League of Women Voters.

Poll: Rowland lead building The Associated Press 10/2/02 8:11 AM HAMDEN, Conn. (AP)-- A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that Gov. John G. Rowland is building up his lead over Democratic challenger Bill Curry. The poll, released Wednesday, found that Rowland had a 59 percent to 37 percent lead over Bill Curry among likely voters. Among registered voters, Rowland had 54 percent to Curry's 32 percent, similar to his 51 percent to 34 percent lead among registered voters in a Quinnipiac poll released July 31. "Governor Rowland has halted Curry's momentum. This is the first Quinnipiac University poll in which...

Republican Gov. John G. Rowland has a 17 percentage point lead over Democrat challenger Bill Curry, according to a poll of registered voters released today by the University of Connecticut. The school's Center for Survey Research and Analysis put the two-term governor's lead at 16-points among those who say they likely will vote in November. That represents a three-point increase from a poll released last week, within the margin of error. The telephone poll of 685 registered voters was taken between September 22 and September 24. It has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

HARTFORD -- For the first time this year, Republican Gov. John G. Rowland has widened his lead over Democrat challenger Bill Curry, according to a poll released today. Although the gain is small - 5 percentage points - it appears Rowland is managing to change the momentum of the race for governor, said Ken Dautrich, poll director at the University of Connecticut Center for Survey Research and Analysis. "Since January, every poll we did, there was more and more slippage," he said. "For the first time, we've noticed a stop in the slippage."

Curry closes gap on Rowland Register Staff September 07, 2002 HARTFORD - Republican Gov. John G. Rowland's lead over Democrat Bill Curry Jr. has slipped to 9 percentage points, according to a new poll released Friday, leading the Rowland camp to acknowledge the contest has become a horse race. "We knew it was going to get down to single digits," Rowland campaign spokeswoman Nuala Forde said. "It was a question of when. It's happened. The race is on." The two-term GOP incumbent leads Curry 40-31 percent in the latest Connecticut Poll — down from 45-30 percent in July and 58-27...

RNC asks Lieberman to weigh in on remarks critical of Rowland August 20, 2002, 7:27 PM EDT WASHINGTON -- Controversy over a Connecticut Democrat's characterization of Gov. John G. Rowland as a "snake" and the "Prince of Darkness" spilled into the national political arena Tuesday, with the Republican National Committee asking Sen. Joseph Lieberman to weigh in. "I hope that Senator Lieberman will join me in publicly rebuking these offensive statements," Racicot said. "This is a disservice to both the political process and religious expression." Lieberman responded with a brief statement in which he condemned the remarks as "offensive and...