John G. Rowland
Encyclopedia
John Grosvenor Rowland (born May 24, 1957 in Waterbury, Connecticut
) was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party
. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them. In 2004, Rowland resigned from office during a corruption investigation, and later pleaded guilty in federal court to a one-count indictment for conspiracy to commit honest services fraud
, mail fraud and tax fraud. He was the first Connecticut governor to be elected to three terms since 1784.
He served ten months in a federal prison until February 10, 2006, followed by four months house arrest
at his home in West Hartford, Connecticut
, until June 2006. His lieutenant governor, M. Jodi Rell
, replaced him as governor.
in the United States House of Representatives
and was reelected in 1986 and 1988.
After losing the 1990 gubernatorial race to Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.
, Rowland worked as a consultant for United Technologies Corp. He was later elected governor in 1994 at age 37 (the youngest governor in Connecticut history) and later defeated two Democratic opponents: former US Congresswoman Barbara Bailey Kennelly (63%–35%) in 1998 and former State Comptroller
Bill Curry
(56%–44%) in 2002.
Rowland was the only Republican re-elected Governor of Connecticut in a 50-year period. He was the first governor elected to a third, four-year term after the 1950 election. (Some previous governors did serve at least three terms; each term was one year until 1876, two years after.) His plurality over Kennelly in 1998 was among the largest recorded for any Connecticut politician.
Rowland resigned as Governor of Connecticut effective July 1, 2004. Lieutenant Governor M. Jodi Rell served out the remainder of his term. Rowland is the only Connecticut governor to have ever faced impeachment and he is the only Connecticut governor to have served prison time.
During those years, the state invested more than $2 billion to rebuild the University of Connecticut
. Major investments were also made in the Connecticut State University
and Community Technical College systems; enrollments as of 2004 were at an all-time high.
As of 2004, Connecticut students led the nation in performance, and the number of spaces in pre-school programs more than doubled during his term in office.
During his term, more than 455000 acres (1,841.3 km²) (700+ sq. miles) of open space were preserved for future generations and state parks were revitalized. Rowland also led an aggressive clean-up and protection effort for Long Island Sound.
The Adriaen’s Landing
project, the most ambitious capital city development project in decades in the state, continued to progress during Rowland's time in office. College campuses were moved, which brought thousands downtown in Hartford
, Stamford
, Bridgeport
and Waterbury
. New London
's waterfront was thriving as of 2004, with a new global research facility and rebuilt pier. Theaters and museums in all major cities were revitalized, from the Palace Theater in Waterbury to the New Britain
's Museum of American Art
.
In 1998, Rowland implemented the HUSKY Plan
(Healthcare for UninSured Kids and Youth) to provide health insurance
to uninsured Connecticut children. During his tenure, the budget for the Department of Children and Families
more than doubled. Rowland supported addition to government of the state’s first Child Advocate.
Rowland was a strong proponent of a tough stance against violent crime
as Governor. The prison population grew rapidly during his term, which caused the state to send inmates to prisons in Virginia
to deal with overcrowding
. Legislative opponents of this policy such as Representative Michael Lawlor urged more rapid release of nonviolent offenders. After Rowland left office the Virginia inmates were returned to Connecticut and more criminals were paroled. This approach was criticized after the 2007 Cheshire home invasion
murders committed by two "nonviolent" inmates paroled from Connecticut prison.
Before investigation into his conduct as governor started, Rowland was viewed as a rising star in the Republican Party, and was mentioned as a future presidential or vice-presidential candidate.
Shortly after being released from prison, he was offered a job as the city of Waterbury's economic development coordinator. Rowland was appointed to this office by long time friend and associate, Mayor Michael Jarjura
.
Rumors continued that the investigation was building a case against Rowland himself; Rowland publicly denied the allegations.
However, in December 2003, Rowland abruptly appeared on television and admitted that work had been done by contractors on his cottage at no charge, and that his earlier statements to the contrary were untrue
. Matters were exacerbated when his wife, Patty Rowland, wrote a satirical poem deriding the media for investigating her husband's admitted wrongdoing.
He claimed that, since the work was done, he had paid the contractors in full; but in January 2004 an official investigation began into charges of corruption and whether he should face impeachment
.
On June 18, the Connecticut Supreme Court
required Rowland to appear before the investigative panel seeking his testimony, which could have resulted in him giving evidence against impeachment in the ongoing criminal investigation. On June 21, Rowland's lawyers announced that he would resign. The resignation
went into effect at noon on July 1, 2004.
On December 23, 2004, Rowland pleaded guilty to depriving the public of honest service
. Rowland was sentenced on March 18, 2005, in New Haven, Connecticut
, to one year and one day in prison, four months house arrest, three years probation
and community service. On April 1, 2005, he entered Federal Correctional Institution, Loretto
, in Pennsylvania
. His federal inmate number was 15623-014.
.
On July 1, 2006, Rowland spoke to an association of scholar athletes in Kingston, Rhode Island
, about the lessons he learned.
A "sense of entitlement
" and the "arrogance of power
" were two of the biggest things that ended his political career, The Hartford Courant
quoted him as saying.
He warned that the arrogance
is very easy when you're put on a pedestal, and you "start to believe your own press releases. ... It [becomes] all about me. You start to block out what else is around you."
The Courant quoted Rowland as saying that "when you start to find yourself only concerned with yourself" that's the point when you need to find a "grounding force." That should be faith, ideally, he said, or at least "something within yourself" not just other people.
"I found in my career that a lot of people will tell you how great you are especially when you're the boss. But there will be that time when that career will be over ... and then it's down to the three F's faith, family and friends real faith, real family and real friends."
Rowland, now a resident of West Hartford, told the audience his future is still uncertain. He owes the Internal Revenue Service
more than $35,000 and another $40,000 in fines. He said he's a volunteer counselor and hoping to find a publisher for a book he wrote called Falling Into Grace.
In September 2006, local TV station WTNH
, reported that Patty Rowland had purchased a house in Middlebury, Connecticut
, and the Rowland family would be moving to that town.
Rowland discussed his life after politics in a Washington Post article published June 17, 2007. Rowland discussed his work on the lecture circuit and the factors leading to his political demise. He also expressed disappointment that his successor, Governor M. Jodi Rell
had "thrown him under the bus" and distanced herself from him after taking office. Rell declined to criticize Rowland over these remarks.
In January 2008 Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura
announced that he would hire Rowland as an economic development advisor for the city. Rowland began work in February and is receiving an annual salary of $95,000 as the city's economic development coordinator.
and by a state legislative committee concerning several separate possible improprieties by him and associates, ensued after Rowland's resignation:
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
) was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them. In 2004, Rowland resigned from office during a corruption investigation, and later pleaded guilty in federal court to a one-count indictment for conspiracy to commit honest services fraud
Honest services fraud
Honest services fraud refers to a 28-word sentence of , added by the United States Congress in 1988, which states: "For the purposes of this chapter, the term, scheme or artifice to defraud includes a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services."The statute...
, mail fraud and tax fraud. He was the first Connecticut governor to be elected to three terms since 1784.
He served ten months in a federal prison until February 10, 2006, followed by four months house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
at his home in West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford....
, until June 2006. His lieutenant governor, M. Jodi Rell
M. Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
, replaced him as governor.
Political career
Rowland's political career began in 1980 when, at age 23, he was elected to the Connecticut State House of Representatives. He held his seat until 1984, when he was elected to represent Connecticut's 5th congressional districtConnecticut's 5th congressional district
Connecticut's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in the northwestern part of the state, the district runs from...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and was reelected in 1986 and 1988.
After losing the 1990 gubernatorial race to Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.
Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.
Lowell Palmer Weicker, Jr. is an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the 85th Governor of Connecticut, and unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for President in 1980...
, Rowland worked as a consultant for United Technologies Corp. He was later elected governor in 1994 at age 37 (the youngest governor in Connecticut history) and later defeated two Democratic opponents: former US Congresswoman Barbara Bailey Kennelly (63%–35%) in 1998 and former State Comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
Bill Curry
Bill Curry (politician)
William E. Curry, Jr. has been a two-time Democratic nominee for Governor of Connecticut and a White House advisor in the administration of Bill Clinton.-Education and early political life:...
(56%–44%) in 2002.
Rowland was the only Republican re-elected Governor of Connecticut in a 50-year period. He was the first governor elected to a third, four-year term after the 1950 election. (Some previous governors did serve at least three terms; each term was one year until 1876, two years after.) His plurality over Kennelly in 1998 was among the largest recorded for any Connecticut politician.
Rowland resigned as Governor of Connecticut effective July 1, 2004. Lieutenant Governor M. Jodi Rell served out the remainder of his term. Rowland is the only Connecticut governor to have ever faced impeachment and he is the only Connecticut governor to have served prison time.
Accomplishment as Governor
During the years that Rowland was in office, the state enjoyed record-breaking surpluses, state spending increased only modestly, with real spending growth rates of just over 2 percent annually between 1995 and 2003. For the first time in state history, tax rebate checks were sent to taxpayers in 1998 and again in 1999. He adhered to a spending cap voters added to the state constitution in 1992.During those years, the state invested more than $2 billion to rebuild the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
. Major investments were also made in the Connecticut State University
Connecticut State University System
The Connecticut State University System is a public university system in Connecticut. CSUS consists of four comprehensive universities with more than 36,500 students and 180,000 alumni. It is the largest university system in the state. The system dates back to the founding Central Connecticut...
and Community Technical College systems; enrollments as of 2004 were at an all-time high.
As of 2004, Connecticut students led the nation in performance, and the number of spaces in pre-school programs more than doubled during his term in office.
During his term, more than 455000 acres (1,841.3 km²) (700+ sq. miles) of open space were preserved for future generations and state parks were revitalized. Rowland also led an aggressive clean-up and protection effort for Long Island Sound.
The Adriaen’s Landing
Connecticut Convention Center
The Connecticut Convention Center is a convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, United States, overlooking the Connecticut River....
project, the most ambitious capital city development project in decades in the state, continued to progress during Rowland's time in office. College campuses were moved, which brought thousands downtown in Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
and Waterbury
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
. New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
's waterfront was thriving as of 2004, with a new global research facility and rebuilt pier. Theaters and museums in all major cities were revitalized, from the Palace Theater in Waterbury to the New Britain
New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254....
's Museum of American Art
New Britain Museum of American Art
The New Britain Museum of American Art is an art museum in New Britain, Connecticut. Founded in 1903, it is the first museum in the country dedicated to American art....
.
In 1998, Rowland implemented the HUSKY Plan
Husky (disambiguation)
Husky is a general term for several breeds of dog used as sled dogs.Husky or huskie may also refer to:-Consumer products:* Husky , a handheld microcomputer issued in 1981* Husky toys, a line of small die-cast toy vehicles...
(Healthcare for UninSured Kids and Youth) to provide health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
to uninsured Connecticut children. During his tenure, the budget for the Department of Children and Families
Connecticut Department of Children and Families
The Connecticut Department of Children and Families is a state agency of Connecticut providing family services. Its headquarters are in Hartford.-Bureau of Juvenile Services:...
more than doubled. Rowland supported addition to government of the state’s first Child Advocate.
Rowland was a strong proponent of a tough stance against violent crime
Violent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
as Governor. The prison population grew rapidly during his term, which caused the state to send inmates to prisons in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
to deal with overcrowding
Private prison
A private prison, jail, or detention center is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned by a third party that is contracted by a government agency...
. Legislative opponents of this policy such as Representative Michael Lawlor urged more rapid release of nonviolent offenders. After Rowland left office the Virginia inmates were returned to Connecticut and more criminals were paroled. This approach was criticized after the 2007 Cheshire home invasion
Home invasion
Home invasion is the act of illegally burgling or entering a private and occupied dwelling for the purpose of committing a crime Home invasion is the act of illegally burgling or entering a private and occupied dwelling for the purpose of committing a crime Home invasion is the act of illegally...
murders committed by two "nonviolent" inmates paroled from Connecticut prison.
Before investigation into his conduct as governor started, Rowland was viewed as a rising star in the Republican Party, and was mentioned as a future presidential or vice-presidential candidate.
Shortly after being released from prison, he was offered a job as the city of Waterbury's economic development coordinator. Rowland was appointed to this office by long time friend and associate, Mayor Michael Jarjura
Michael Jarjura
Michael Jarjura is the Mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut.He was first elected in 2001 and reelected in 2003. In 2005, he was elected to a third term as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic primary...
.
Impeachment process and federal case
In the first year of Rowland's third term (2003), rumors began circulating that contractors doing business with the state paid for and made improvements to his weekend cottage, that he benefited improperly from the sale of a condominium in Washington, D.C. at an inflated price, that he took gifts from subordinates in state government, and that he took partial ownership in businesses immediately before they were granted state contracts. These eventually led to federal investigations and then indictments of some of Rowland's close aides, who then cooperated with federal investigators.Rumors continued that the investigation was building a case against Rowland himself; Rowland publicly denied the allegations.
However, in December 2003, Rowland abruptly appeared on television and admitted that work had been done by contractors on his cottage at no charge, and that his earlier statements to the contrary were untrue
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
. Matters were exacerbated when his wife, Patty Rowland, wrote a satirical poem deriding the media for investigating her husband's admitted wrongdoing.
He claimed that, since the work was done, he had paid the contractors in full; but in January 2004 an official investigation began into charges of corruption and whether he should face impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
.
On June 18, the Connecticut Supreme Court
Connecticut Supreme Court
The Connecticut Supreme Court, formerly known as the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, is the highest court in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. The seven justices sit in Hartford, across the street from the Connecticut State Capitol...
required Rowland to appear before the investigative panel seeking his testimony, which could have resulted in him giving evidence against impeachment in the ongoing criminal investigation. On June 21, Rowland's lawyers announced that he would resign. The resignation
Resignation
A resignation is the formal act of giving up or quitting one's office or position. It can also refer to the act of admitting defeat in a game like chess, indicated by the resigning player declaring "I resign", turning his king on its side, extending his hand, or stopping the chess clock...
went into effect at noon on July 1, 2004.
On December 23, 2004, Rowland pleaded guilty to depriving the public of honest service
Honest services fraud
Honest services fraud refers to a 28-word sentence of , added by the United States Congress in 1988, which states: "For the purposes of this chapter, the term, scheme or artifice to defraud includes a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services."The statute...
. Rowland was sentenced on March 18, 2005, in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, to one year and one day in prison, four months house arrest, three years probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
and community service. On April 1, 2005, he entered Federal Correctional Institution, Loretto
Federal Correctional Institution, Loretto
Federal Correctional Institution, Loretto is a U.S. federal prison near Loretto, Pennsylvania. It is a low-security facility housing male inmates. An adjacent satellite prison camp houses minimum-security male offenders....
, in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. His federal inmate number was 15623-014.
After prison
On February 10, 2006, Rowland was released from federal prison with the stipulation that he serve four months house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet monitorAnkle monitor
An ankle monitor is a device that individuals under house arrest are often required to wear. At timed intervals, the ankle monitor sends a radio frequency signal containing location and other information to a receiver. If an offender moves outside of an allowed range, the police will be notified...
.
On July 1, 2006, Rowland spoke to an association of scholar athletes in Kingston, Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island
Kingston is a village and a census-designated place in the town of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States, and the site of the main campus of the University of Rhode Island. Much of the village center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Kingston Village Historic...
, about the lessons he learned.
A "sense of entitlement
Entitlement
An entitlement is a guarantee of access to benefits based on established rights or by legislation. A "right" is itself an entitlement associated with a moral or social principle, such that an "entitlement" is a provision made in accordance with legal framework of a society...
" and the "arrogance of power
Hubris
Hubris , also hybris, means extreme haughtiness, pride or arrogance. Hubris often indicates a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence or capabilities, especially when the person exhibiting it is in a position of power....
" were two of the biggest things that ended his political career, The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is a morning newspaper for most of the state north of New Haven and east of Waterbury...
quoted him as saying.
He warned that the arrogance
Victory disease
Victory disease denotes when in military history, because of complacency and/or arrogance brought on by a victory or series of victories, an engagement ends disastrously for a commander and his forces....
is very easy when you're put on a pedestal, and you "start to believe your own press releases. ... It [becomes] all about me. You start to block out what else is around you."
The Courant quoted Rowland as saying that "when you start to find yourself only concerned with yourself" that's the point when you need to find a "grounding force." That should be faith, ideally, he said, or at least "something within yourself" not just other people.
"I found in my career that a lot of people will tell you how great you are especially when you're the boss. But there will be that time when that career will be over ... and then it's down to the three F's faith, family and friends real faith, real family and real friends."
Rowland, now a resident of West Hartford, told the audience his future is still uncertain. He owes the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
more than $35,000 and another $40,000 in fines. He said he's a volunteer counselor and hoping to find a publisher for a book he wrote called Falling Into Grace.
In September 2006, local TV station WTNH
WTNH
WTNH is the ABC-affiliated television station for the state of Connecticut that is licensed to New Haven. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Hamden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to MyNetworkTV affiliate WCTX and the two...
, reported that Patty Rowland had purchased a house in Middlebury, Connecticut
Middlebury, Connecticut
Middlebury is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,451 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, and the Rowland family would be moving to that town.
Rowland discussed his life after politics in a Washington Post article published June 17, 2007. Rowland discussed his work on the lecture circuit and the factors leading to his political demise. He also expressed disappointment that his successor, Governor M. Jodi Rell
M. Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
had "thrown him under the bus" and distanced herself from him after taking office. Rell declined to criticize Rowland over these remarks.
In January 2008 Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura
Michael Jarjura
Michael Jarjura is the Mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut.He was first elected in 2001 and reelected in 2003. In 2005, he was elected to a third term as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic primary...
announced that he would hire Rowland as an economic development advisor for the city. Rowland began work in February and is receiving an annual salary of $95,000 as the city's economic development coordinator.
Further investigations
Investigations by Connecticut Attorney General Richard BlumenthalRichard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal is the junior United States Senator from Connecticut and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he served as Attorney General of Connecticut....
and by a state legislative committee concerning several separate possible improprieties by him and associates, ensued after Rowland's resignation:
- Work he took between his resignation and imprisonment, as a consultant (and possibly an unregistered lobbyist), would clearly have been illegal if the state's revolving-doorRevolving doorA revolving door typically consists of three or four doors that hang on a center shaft and rotate around a vertical axis within a cylindrical enclosure. Revolving doors are energy efficient as they prevent drafts, thus preventing increases in the heating or cooling required for the building...
law explicitly included the governor as it does other state employees. On August 29, 2005, Rowland's attorney Bartley Halloran reported that Chief State's Attorney Christopher Morano would seek a state arrest warrantArrest warrantAn arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under the Criminal Code of Canada....
against Rowland. The prosecutor's request was subsequently denied.
- Three non-profit organizations closely associated with large contributors to his campaigns for public office are also mentioned by investigators:
- Michael Bolton Charities Inc., formerly called the Michael Bolton Foundation and established by his contributor, the musician Michael BoltonMichael BoltonMichael Bolton is an American singer and songwriter. Bolton originally performed in the hard rock and heavy metal genres from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, both on his early solo albums and those recorded as the frontman of the band Blackjack...
- National Science Center Foundation, a GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
-based vendor to the state and one of the controversial consulting clients - The Executive Residence Conservancy, Inc., which paid for expenses of the governor's mansion during Rowland's residence there
- Michael Bolton Charities Inc., formerly called the Michael Bolton Foundation and established by his contributor, the musician Michael Bolton