John G. Rowland, the thrice-elected and twice-convicted former Republican governor of Connecticut, said he was “humbled and appreciative” Wednesday after learning he was the recipient of a pardon from President Donald J. Trump.
Politico was the first to report Rowland was among the latest recipients of pardons from Trump. The Connecticut Mirror was first to report a month ago that a discreet effort was underway exploring the possibility of clemency.
[RELATED: Effort underway to seek a pardon for former Gov. John G. Rowland]
“I am very humbled and appreciative,” Rowland said via email. “I have been blessed with a wonderful family and friends that have been through a great deal over the years. This is a wonderful final resolution.”
Retired FBI agents who investigated him begged to differ, as did a member of the bipartisan impeachment committee whose inquiry prompted his resignation as governor nearly 21 years ago.
“It’s a sad day for justice. Rowland deserved what he got,” said Charles Urso, a former FBI agent who worked on Rowland’s first case, which involved bid rigging. “It’s a misuse of pardons to let off politicians.”
Mike Clark, a retired FBI supervisor who later served as a Republican member of the Farmington town council, said news of the pardon ignited an angry and incredulous text chain.
“We don’t understand the rationale behind it,” said Clark, who worked on the first case and had a unique view of the second. “The public trust has to be upheld. When people stop believing in government, it starts to be a a big problem for government. Rowland betrayed that trust several times.”
Michael Lawlor, who was a Democratic member of the impeachment committee, said, “John Rowland left an indelible stain on our state and its government. Donald Trump is the least credible person in the country to remove it.”
Rowland was a rising star in Republican politics, elected to Congress at age 27 and governor at 37. But he went to prison at 47, and again at 57, after unrelated federal convictions. At 67, he sought the pardon.
Facing impeachment and a federal investigation into bid-rigging involving gifts and favors from state contractors, Rowland resigned July 1, 2004 at nearly the mid point of his third term. He pleaded guilty to a corruption charge on Dec. 23, 2004. Three months later, he was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, ultimately serving 10 months.
He was indicted a second time in 2014, accused of soliciting congressional candidates in 2010 and 2012 to secretly pay him as a consultant in campaigns for his old 5th Congressional District seat in violation of campaign finance laws. He was convicted and sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Clark, the former FBI agent, was one of the candidates for the Republican congressional nomination in 2012 when Rowland agreed to secretly promote and advise the candidacy of a rival, Lisa Wilson-Foley. At the time, Rowland was host of a popular evening drive-time show on WTIC-AM.
Rowland, who turned 68 this month, raised money for the Prison Fellowship after his second release. He was among the VIP mourners at the recent funeral of his former lieutenant and successor, M. Jodi Rell.
In response to the Rowland scandal, Rell negotiated with lawmakers a bill creating the Citizens’ Election Program, a voluntary system of publicly financing campaigns. The law barred contributions by state contractors and restricted the role of lobbyists in funding campaigns.
Roberto Alves, the Democratic state chair, said the pardon “defies logic and facts.”
“The former governor’s behavior was condemned by Democrats and Republicans who, in the wake of his arrest and conviction, passed landmark legislation to bring more accountability to elections and state contracting,” Alves said. “To erase our state’s reckoning with corruption is disrespectful of Connecticut law and a shameful misuse of pardon power.”
News of the pardon comes a day after a ceremony celebrated the 20th anniversary of the program and the 50th anniversary of the creation of the State Elections Enforcement Commission.