Connecticut politicians current and former continue to weigh in on President Donald Trump’s Wednesday pardon of twice-convicted former Gov. John Rowland.
Mike Lawlor is a former Democratic state lawmaker, who served on an impeachment committee during Rowland’s first corruption scandal in 2004. He said Rowland had left an “indelible stain” on Connecticut.
“People referred to our state, unfortunately, as ‘Corrupticut,’ and that grows out of the Rowland scandal,” Lawlor said.
Lawlor said the pardon is immaterial to the facts of the matter: that Rowland was found guilty and twice served time in federal prison.
“He seems to think he’s been exonerated, but the rest of us know what he did,” Lawlor said. “It’s public record. It’s well-documented. I don’t care whether he’s been pardoned or not, because we all know what he did.”
Rowland’s fellow Republican, former Congressman Chris Shays, called for Rowland’s resignation in 2004. Shays said he would not have pardoned Rowland were the decision up to him.
“You can’t pardon political corruption,” Shays said. “Political corruption is a threat to democracy, and we can never ever make a point that somehow you can pardon political corruption.”
“Now, having said that, I have always considered John my friend. I love the guy,” Shays said. “He did good things as a state representative, he did great things as a congressman, and I thought he did really good things as governor, but he still has that stain. And, frankly, getting a pardon from a corrupt president who has no respect for the integrity of the political system does not remove the stain that John has to live with.”
Rowland did not return requests for comment. In a statement to WTNH reported by the Associated Press, he said, “I am very humbled and deeply appreciative … This is a wonderful final resolution.”
Former FBI agent Charlie Urso, who worked on Rowland’s 2004 corruption case, responded to Rowland’s statement on Connecticut Public’s “All Things Considered.”
“He's a typical politician and of course he's going to say that, but underlining what he did, his conduct caused the state of Connecticut significant cost that continued for a long time,” Urso said. “Shame on him.”
The 2004 Rowland investigation demonstrated that the justice system can take on strong political figures and uphold the public’s right to know, according to Urso.
“We are pretty collectively, the investigative team, mystified as to what would cause this to happen,” Urso said. “Rowland was convicted of very serious offenses, not once, but twice. It's just hard to imagine why he was pardoned.”
Current leaders in the Connecticut House of Representatives, the body in which Rowland served before his time in Congress and the governor’s office, weighed in Thursday.
“At the end of the day, people serve their time and they move on with their lives,” said Democratic House Speaker Matt Ritter. “I’m happy that it sounds like he’s found, you know – he’s moved on with his life, too.”
Republican House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora shared similar sentiments.
“It was certainly fair to pardon him,” Candelora said. “Rowland has served his time.”
