Former Connecticut Governor Pleads Guilty

According to news accounts, former Connecticut Governor John Rowland pleaded guilty in December to federal charges related to ethics violations. Among other things, the news reports point out that the former governor had accepted improper gifts and gratuities, including work on his vacation home. Because of these and similar ethics charges, Rowland resigned from his office on July 1, 2004. One result of the Rowland debacle and other recent corruption scandals in the state is that the state legislature is considering tighter ethics rules for all government officials and employees.