WORK: Governor issues statement listing free cottage work
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Gov. John G. Rowland's statement Friday:
In 1997, my wife and I purchased a small cottage on Bantam Lake in Litchfield. We began repairs and renovations. This work was done by me and my family, by professional contractors and subcontractors, and by friends.
In the limited, spontaneous remarks I made about the cottage and repairs, I provided information that was incorrect and incomplete. I regret doing this and I am sorry I did it. I apologize to the Capitol press corps, which deserves forthright information. But more importantly, I apologize to the citizens of Connecticut, whose trust and respect I prize above all else. I intend to keep that trust through my continued hard work over the next three years.
By releasing this statement and the attached documents, it is my intention to set the record straight. The information I am providing is based on my knowledge and information gathered by my attorneys at my direction.
Attached are documents that reflect improvements made to the cottage, our payments for that work, and bank loans we obtained to help make those payments.
As reflected in these documents, we paid over $30,000 for improvements to the cottage. On my initiative, I have voluntarily provided all of these documents to the U.S. attorney's office.
In addition to the payments identified in the documents, I did not pay for certain work and services. Specifically:
In 1997 workers affiliated with a company owned by the Delahunty family of Southington helped to install a new ceiling in the cottage. P.J. Delahunty paid these workers.
In 1999 employees of a company owned by members of the Tomasso family performed exterior work at the cottage, including work on the gutters and drainage.
In 1999 Mr. and Mrs. Larry Alibozek and Mr. and Mrs. Peter Ellef paid for the installation of heating improvements and a water heater.
Peter Ellef provided a stepping stone for the front stoop of the cottage.
Other personal friends helped perform and/or coordinate work on the cottage. They are: Jo McKenzie, Vinny DeRosa, Ed Mikenas, and Maurice Fabiani.
In 2001, Christine and Paul Corey gave me a hot tub to use at the cottage as a birthday gift.
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 that their assistance might someday embarrass them or me. I am grateful for their kindness, but am sorry for any appearance of impropriety that was created.
I am continuing to cooperate with a review of the matter by the U.S. attorney's office. Therefore, I will have no further public comment on these issues.
Source: Governor's office
I'll call for it....
I'm sick of word games...Hang the bastard!