Rowland May Get Three Years

By Av Harris

Hartford, CT – Rowland was a popular Republican Governor and a personal friend of
President Bush who was elected three times in this largely Democratic state. Just over a year ago, he admitted lying about renovations to his summer cottage paid for by firms who received over 150-million dollars in state contracts. He resigned last July facing impeachment, and pleadedguilty in December to a charge of conspiracy to defraud taxpayers of honest services. Federal prosecutors were recommending a prison term of 15 to 21 months for the ex-governor, but yesterday doubled that to three years. Government lawyers claim Rowland has continued a pattern of unethical behavior and tried to deceive them about his financial condition. Rowland's lawyer denies this and is asking for leniency. More than 100 Rowland supporters have also written the judge claiming he did much to revitalize Connecticut's struggling cities.