Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations

Gov. John G. Rowland should resign. He has disgraced himself, his office and the countless citizens of the state who trusted him and elected him three times.

The Day has no idea where the ongoing federal corruption investigation will lead. But Gov. Rowland's inability to distinguish right from wrong in merging his political life with financial matters in his personal life, and his deceitfulness about the facts mean he can't be trusted. Calling for his resignation is particularly painful for this newspaper, which endorsed him twice and admired his political skills and some of his leadership decisions that were courageous. But John Rowland has misled` the people of his state about matters of public trust, and he no longer has any credibility. His continued service would be a detriment to the state's integrity and the quality of its governance. The governor admitted Friday that some repairs to his Bantam Lake cottage were done by the Tomasso family business, a major Connecticut contractor doing business with the state and the subject of a federal grand jury investigation into bid-rigging on state contracts. The governor also admitted that Peter Ellef, a former co-chief of staff; P.J. Delahunty, a top official in the state Department of Public Works, and Lawrence Alibozek, a former deputy chief of staff for the governor, all paid for work on the cottage. Mr. Alibozek has pleaded guilty to federal charges of taking kickbacks in return for contracts. Mr. Ellef is under investigation by the FBI. The governor also said four others performed or coordinated work, including Jo McKenzie, who is executive director of the governor's residence, the chief coordinator of social events for the governor and a major fund-raiser. They also included Vinny DeRosa, now deputy commissioner of public safety in the Homeland Security Office.

The governor should resign because he lied to the people about material matters. Gov. Rowland told several different tales about the renovations to his cottage, none consistent with the admission he made Friday. He said he paid for some $30,000 in repairs to his cottage and for a hot tub spa. He subsequently acknowledged that a variety of people paid for some of the renovations and said that Christine Corey, his appointments secretary, and her husband, Paul Corey, provided the hot tub. Gov. Rowland appointed Mr. Corey the chairman of the board of the Connecticut Lottery Commission. The governor also misled people by denying that he had spoken with Kenneth Lay, the chairman of Enron Corp., and hadn't been involved with Enron's business with the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority. Yet Enron's own records showed that the governor in many instances had done what he was denying. The state subsequently lost $220 million it had loaned to Enron. Within days of that loan, Enron gave $60,000 to the Republican Governors Association, which Gov. Rowland headed. Was that donation just fortuitous circumstance or an expression of gratitude?

The governor should resign because he is still unable to acknowledge his own wrongdoing. Gov. Rowland is out of touch with reality. Although he apologized for the fact that others paid for work done to his cottage, the governor contended that the work was simply gifts from friends. He still doesn't get it � that taking personal gifts of major value from political connections is wrong. His attempt to call the transactions �gifts� is nothing more than a desperate effort to cover himself with technicalities contained in the state ethics code. Gov. Rowland has shown he still doesn't understand that it's wrong to take freebies from people who have major state contracts and other individuals who serve in appointed and salaried state government jobs at his pleasure. The governor said Friday, �None of the people mentioned above received any benefit from my office or the state in exchange for their assistance. Nor did they ask for any such benefit. I am sure they were trying to help my family and did not expect their assistance might someday embarrass them or me. I am grateful for their kindness, but I am sorry for any appearance of impropriety that was created.� The governor again misses the point. Many of these people worked at jobs paying significant salaries because he appointed them. Accepting major gifts from them was improper. They could have offered, but he should have refused. The fact that he thinks this is not improper speaks volumes about his mind-set`and his refusal to accept ordinary standards of ethical conduct.

The governor should resign because his admissions continue a pattern of cavalier behavior about ethics. Gov. Rowland has been called to task by the state Ethics Commission for using the vacations homes `of two individuals doing large business contracts with the state. The governor took a free vacation at the home of Robert Matthews in Palm, Beach, Fla. Mr. Matthews has a big office-rental contract with the state and was the intermediary for a Pennsylvania firm seeking state aid to relocate here. The governor also stayed for bargain rates at the vacation homes in Florida and Vermont of William Tomasso, whose firms do multi-millions in business with the state. And Gov. Rowland's wife, Patricia, stayed free of charge at the Florida home of a major fund-raiser who had a large office-space lease to state agencies. The state Elections Enforcement Commission similarly fined Gov. Rowland for using the state Republican Party credit card for private use at hotels and restaurants. Gov. Rowland was ordered to pay more than $16,000 in fines and reimbursements to the state watchdog agencies. It is a sad note that a political career as promising as Gov. Rowland's should be ended by his own acts of stupidity, arrogance and lies. Gov. Rowland had the opportunity to be an outstanding governor, but he squandered that moment with his inability to be forthright, truthful and scrupulous in his conduct.

This is a sad moment in the public life of Connecticut. Gov. Rowland has abused his authority and shown a callous disregard for the notion of public propriety. Gov. Rowland should resign now. Lt. Gov. Jodi Rell, who enjoys the public's confidence, then would ascend to the governor's office and Connecticut could begin to heal from its wounds.