A handful of governors have had it rough in 2003 due to scandals that have rocked their administrations and destroyed their public support. But Connecticut Gov. John Rowland is in a league of his own. He’s not only facing possible criminal charges, but the Connecticut Legislature in considering impeachment.
It started with a routine political problem. Rowland, like a handful of the state’s wealthiest families, has a beautiful lake-front cottage in an exclusive area of Connecticut. A few questions were raised when the cottage was suddenly refurbished with a new kitchen, a cathedral ceiling, and a hot tub with a water view.
Rowland, in his third term as governor, insisted that he paid for the home improvements himself and that any suggestions that he received special favors because of his position were unfounded. There was a flaw in his explanation: He was lying. Badly.
In fact, he didn’t pay for any of the improvements; they came from a prominent state contractor and were purchased by several government aides.
About a week after his categorical denial of wrongdoing, with irrefutable evidence mounting that he didn’t pay for his cottage’s improvements, Rowland came clean and admitted that he lied. He said the improvements to his home were actually “gifts.” He’s now under investigation by the U.S. attorney and the FBI.
Unfortunately for Rowland, his entire gubernatorial administration has been overwhelmed by scandal. In addition to the controversy surrounding his cottage:
* Rowland’s former deputy chief of staff has pleaded guilty to accepting cash and gold coins, which he buried in his backyard, in exchange for influencing state contracts. (The same guy helped pay for a water heater at Rowland’s cottage.)
* Rowland’s former commissioner of public works is under investigation for accepting gifts from people seeking state work.
* Rowland’s former co-chief of staff is being investigated in connection with contract awards.
* Rowland’s former state treasurer has pleaded guilty to racketeering and money laundering.
As for Rowland personally, he’s not only under fire for the cottage scandal, he’s also been forced to pay fines — twice — for violating state ethics codes after being caught improperly using a Republican Party credit card and receiving special favors from a state contractor who offered him dirt-cheap rent on vacation homes. Making matters even worse, the New York Times discovered that Rowland is a business partner in a private development group that has been awarded $1.3 million in state work during Rowland’s tenure, raising even more questions about ethics violations.
At this point, most of the state’s major newspapers, many of which have endorsed Rowland in the past, have called on the governor to resign. One recent poll showed Rowland’s approval rating at 30 percent, while a majority of state residents say they believe he should step down from his office.
For his part, Rowland insists that his transgressions were minor, he’s apologized, and he will not resign.
Whether he leaves voluntarily may be up to him, at least for now, but his fate may not be entirely in his own hands. Not only is he still under criminal investigation, but the Legislature has been taking steps to begin impeachment hearings. In case you’re wondering, Democrats enjoy a majority in the Connecticut Legislature and Rowland is a Republican.
Will Rowland meet the same fate as fellow Republican Governor George Ryan (Ill.), who was recently indicted on 22 counts of corruption? Time will tell.