colleen in the diaries noted "the American people are far, far more decent than republicans and DLC dems give us credit for" (referring to Iowans and how well they manage their caucuses). I guess many Nutmeggers are generous, too, lavishing our governor with all sorts of gifts out of the giving nature of their hearts.
link (subscription is free).
Hawaii Trip, Other Freebies Raise Question: When Is A Little Help From Friends Too Much?
January 11, 2004
By JON LENDER, DAVE ALTIMARI, And EDMUND H. MAHONY Courant Staff Writers
The mercury hovered just above freezing in Connecticut for much of March 2000 - a fine time to fly away to the sun-kissed Kohala Coast of the island of Hawaii, for a week at the spectacular oceanfront Mauna Kea Resort.
It was a dream vacation for Gov. John G. Rowland and his wife, Patricia, in a house that would rent for thousands of dollars a week. But their accommodations didn't cost them a dime - another case of friends and supporters picking up the Rowlands' tab.
Unlike some of the other freebies that Rowland and his wife have enjoyed, no part of the Hawaii getaway appears to have come via the courtesy of any state contractors - the kind of free benefits that have thrown the governor into political and legal jeopardy.
Despite the absence of a contractor connection, however, the Hawaii story illustrates a significant pattern of behavior by the governor: While drawing a middle-class paycheck for most of his years as governor, his lifestyle has been studded with the trappings of affluence - often through the kindness of others.
And it again raises what many view as a threshold ethics issue: Did Rowland receive special benefits simply by virtue of holding office?
So, how many stories like this will it take?
And maybe more importantly this from CT Political watch:
GOP Lawmakers Feeling The Rowland Backlash
It's getting hot in the kitchen for Republican lawmakers and some of them are beginning to wonder if the controversy surrounding the Rowland administration will rub off on them. "People don't vote, because they don't think they are empowered," Stonington State Representatives Diana Urban tells Manchester Journal Inquirerreporter Keith Phaneuf. "They don't think their vote counts. They think politicians are bought and bogus. This whole situation hurts us all." Ditto says Stafford Republican State Senator Tony Guglielmo. "In the end, it hurts everybody who serves in an elected office. Even if they serve on a local board of finance or board of education. And that's probably the most damaging part of all of this. It's hard enough to get people to participate in the system now."