Court Affirms Corruption Conviction of Connecticut Ex-Gov. Rowland

June 20, 2016

A federal appeals court has upheld the political corruption conviction of former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland.

A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City on Friday rejected Rowland’s appeal.

Rowland, 59, a former insurance agent, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison last year for allegedly conspiring to disguise work he did on a failed 2012 congressional campaign and a 2010 campaign.

His attorney, Andrew Fish, argued the government withheld evidence that would have benefited the defense and misapplied a federal law.

But the appeals court ruled the evidence was properly disclosed. It also found that Rowland was properly convicted of creating documents that falsified his relationships with congressional candidates Lisa Wilson-Foley and Mark Greenberg, with “the intent to impede a possible future federal investigation.”

This was the second political conviction case for the once rising star in the Republican Party. He resigned as governor in 2004 amid a corruption scandal, eventually serving 10 months in prison for taking illegal gifts.

In this latest case, prosecutors successfully argued that Rowland was paid $35,000 to give political consulting to Wilson-Foley, who in 2012 was running for the 5th congressional district that Rowland once held. They say while Rowland claimed to have volunteered for the campaign, the payment was disguised in a contract between Rowland and Wilson-Foley’s husband, who owned a nursing home chain.

Rowland tried the same arrangement with Greenberg in the 2010 election cycle, but was rebuffed by the candidate, prosecutors charged.

U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton, who presided over Rowland’s 2014 trial, allowed him to remain free on bail while appealing.

It was not immediately clear whether Rowland would file further appeals. Fish didn’t immediately return messages Friday.

Topics Connecticut

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