John G. Rowland: to live in opulence and deal with federal prosecutors

Even after federal prosecutors labeled the office he once ran as a "racketeering enterprise," former Gov. John G. Rowland signaled every intention of digging in for a fight. But around 8 a.m. on Thursday, news organizations were alerted that Mr. Rowland was headed into federal court here, and at 10:26:05 a.m. - according to a large digital clock in the courtroom - he was signing an agreement to plead guilty to a federal &to= english.pravda.ru/mailbox/22/98/387/10521_Legal.html ' target=_blank>corruption charge. People involved in the case said the decision to end the fight came up only this week, and the deal was not sealed until late Wednesday. Mr. Rowland's main lawyer, William F. Dow III, would not say what led Mr. Rowland to change his mind - to admit what he had denied through two years of problems, an impeachment inquiry and the indictments of some of his associates, tells the NYTimes. According to Kansas City Star, former Gov. John Rowland pleaded guilty to a corruption charge Thursday. He admitted he traded his office for more than $100,000 in flights to Las Vegas, &to= english.pravda.ru/letters/2002/07/27/ ' target=_blank>Vermont vacations and repairs to his vacation cottage. Rowland, 47, probably will get 15 to 21 months in federal prison, lawyers said. The three-term Republican had maintained for months that the businessmen and cronies who lavished gifts on him had received nothing in exchange. With a single word Thursday, he changed all that: “Guilty,” he told the court. The plea ends a two-year federal investigation of the former politician, though he still could face state charges. Rowland had not been charged with a crime before Thursday. But he had been secretly negotiating with prosecutors for a couple of months. The guilty plea completed the downfall of a man who once was one of the GOP's rising young stars. He was elected to &to= english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/368/14672_Uribe.html ' target=_blank>Congress at age 27 and went on to serve 9½ years as governor. Under a deal with federal prosecutors, Rowland pleaded guilty to a single count: conspiracy to steal honest services — a combination of mail and tax fraud. By pleading guilty, Rowland escaped indictment in a racketeering case that had ensnared his former co-chief of staff, Peter N. Ellef, and state contractor William Tomasso.

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