Posted by RaceBannon to Mia T; #1CTYankee; .303 Brit; Agamemnon; AGBRUHN; always vigilant; Anarchist; Andonius_99; ...
On News/Activism ^ 01/14/2004 5:56:08 AM EST #51 of 62 ^
Rowland Turns Up The Heat
Tells Lawmakers They Face Same Scrutiny
January 13, 2004
By JON LENDER, EDMUND H. MAHONY And ELIZABETH HAMILTON, Courant Staff Writers
Gov. John G. Rowland and his allies have been putting the heat on politicians of both parties to head off the governor's ouster, warning legislators that their own shortcomings could be made public, sources say.
...snip (excerpted)...
Whatever the truth is about Shepardson and his alleged request for the Simmons contributor list, the incident illustrates the turmoil that the Rowland crisis and possible impeachment have brought to the state Capitol.
Though not discussed publicly, worry about the potential consequences to themselves has been an undercurrent as legislators moved toward appointing a committee of investigation or impeachment.
Some Rowland supporters have vowed that the acceptance by the governor's critics of free meals, drinks and trips will not go unnoticed.
Both Democrats and Republicans were aware of such talk last week when the legislature decided to form a committee with the power to investigate and consider impeachment over the governor's acceptance of favors and gifts worth thousands of dollars from staff subordinates and state contractors.
The ominous talk weighed on the mind of Rep. Patricia M. Widlitz, D-Guilford, after she and a few other Democrats met with the governor at his residence. Sources have said since that Widlitz was uncomfortable with Rowland bringing up the topic of what happened when the press turned its attention to some of President Clinton's Republican accusers during that impeachment proceeding.
Reached Monday night, she was upset that someone revealed what was said in a private discussion. But, to clarify the issue, she said the governor "did bring up what happened in the Clinton process, and that after the press got bored beating up on Clinton it turned on the people asking the questions and scrutinized their records."
After the meeting, "I thought about it in retrospect, and I'm not sure I was happy with that being brought into the conversations. ...I can't say in any way that I felt threatened...but it made me uneasy. I guess he was trying to present his best argument for not wanting us to go through that [impeachment] process. He was cautioning - that would be a better word than `threaten' - that it could be uncomfortable for all of us, as well."
The point, she said, was that "the spotlight does turn on those asking questions, and sometimes they can't stand the scrutiny." She said she has no worries about such scrutiny being turned on her, and she supported the investigation-impeachment committee.
Courant Staff Writer Dave Altimari contributed to this story
http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-warn0113.artjan13,1,862347.story?coll=hc-aol-yahoo-nws-hed
As one who lived in Connecticut until four years ago, and who, as a conservative, despises Rowland as a turncoat on abortion and for reneging on his lying pledge to repeal the state income tax and on many other issues, I think this is just getting interesting since there are reports that Rowland's people are privately warning the Demonrats that the skeletons in their own closets will also be revealed. I hope that they all maintain their bravery to the bitter end and a pox on all their houses.
Tom Scott should start recruiting an entire slate of legislative candidates and underticket candidates for 2006 and build a coalition of conservatives and religious people and rank and file production workers and those unions that opposed the state income tax, go into ghetto and barrio now, and riop the throats out of the slime that runs both Connecticut parties. Tom Scott: He says What He Means and Means What he Says. Isn't It about Time WE had a Governor!
Let Rowland rot in federal prison.
Had dinner with someone close to Blumey tonite, who advised me that Blumey's running is years away.