Ex-Gov faces 3 year jail in election fraud

BY A STAFF WRITER

NEW HAVEN (CT) — Former Connecticut Governor John Rowland is days away from learning his punishment in an election fraud case.

Rowland is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7 in federal court in New Haven. He was convicted in September of election fraud, conspiracy and obstruction of justice for attempts to hide his work on two Republican congressional campaigns through phony business deals.

Prosecutors are asking the judge to sentence Rowland to more than three years in prison. Rowland’s lawyers are requesting leniency, saying he should serve no more than 18 months in prison.

Rowland resigned as governor in 2004 amid a corruption scandal that sent him to prison for 10 months for taking illegal gifts while in office.