Replies

I am an 8 year member of the Republican Town Committee of Redding, CT. I know Chris Shays personally. I have registered both official and personal pleasure and at times displeasure with his behavior as a congressman. Expressed displeasure includes a number of his positions during the Clinton years. It will now include his expressed cowardace in comments he made recently regarding terrorist fears ( and soon backed away from also) in Times Square at New Year's celebrations.

Over the weekend our RTC Chairman asked that we submit our views on the Rowland situation since he and other RTC Chairmen were to meet with Chris and with Rep State Senator, Judy Freeman to hear from the hustings.

This is what I wrote to them, and copied our Repub state reps and fellow RTC members. A number of fellow Redding RTC members who also have the privilege of knowing Rowland personally have endorsed what I have written as follows:

"Rowland needs to come clean with us...the footsoldiers who are sent out there to defend him.

I've heard all kinds of things, among them:

1. He beat his first wife

2. He's beat his current wife

3. He's fathered a child out of wedlock with the head of the Department of Children and families

4. And, now, he's admitted to lying about which contractors worked on his cabin (as though that should have mattered), and whether they did him any favors.

You know, I just hate it when Republicans choose to act like Democrats.

Some may recall when Paul Silvestri came to a Redding RTC meeting at the Mark Twain Library some years ago looking for support. He was Rowland's man. He's now cooling his heels in jail, Still, as a person, I trusted Rowland, and the bigger issue of tax-reduction that I hoped he'd lead on. Sadly, though I now questioned his judgement regarding who he'd choose to associate with.

We got no help from Rowland on the Connecticut Light & Power thing. Why? Because he chose his friends at CL&P over Redding's interests perhaps? Wanna bet he never had to worry about ever having 345 kV line running next to his lake cabin? Again, what's his judgement say about who he chooses to associate with?

So, now, he still wants my trust and support?

If I didn't think I knew better, I'd have concluded that Rowland has been taking his political hubris hints from Bill Clinton.

All that indiscretion on his part aside, can we finally have a Republican in office who is going to start acting like a Republican, and leading like a Republican for a change?

Is Rowland going to tell us all the truth, and give us confidence that he is in fact a standard bearer for us now in ways he hasn't been in recent memory? Do we have reason to believe that Jodi Rell is a better standard bearer, and will deliver on the things we thought we voted Rowland in there to do in the first place?

Let's be aware of one thing: for Democrats its only all about power. It's ONLY ever been about power.

To have scum on the opposite side of the aisle and in the press sitting in disingenuous judgement of you is bad enough, but he's handed his and thereby OUR collective heads on a platter to them. If Demos use Rowland's behavior to come into more power by default and to push Republican's into the wilderness where they can then proceed to rape CT citizenery of their wallets and freedoms for years following, we as CT citizens and Republicans have alot to fear.

Come clean, John Rowland. Are the Feds going to get you? If they are, don't force CT Republicans to wear Slivestri-style egg on our face. We don't need surprises. Just leave, and hopfully you won't pull us all down with you.

On the other hand, if all the accusations are false and Demos are pulling a power play, grow some balls for a change and FIGHT! Show the Demos you won't be rolled, and do it with leadership and some convincing hint of righteousness. Expose the Dems and the press for what they are, stew every last one of them all in their respective indescretions, and run them through.

If Rowland doesn't own it, MAKE Rell take the high ground and OWN it. Connecticut doesn't need RINOs (i.e., "Republicans In Name Only"). RINOs may themselves hold power for a time, but they will never own the high ground EVER.

Take the high ground if you still own it, John. If you own it I am behind you inspite of my disappointments with your leadership in other areas. If you don't own it, then for all of us, CT citizens and Republicans, step aside and have State Central find somebody who can.

Republican's must hold the high ground if we are to be successful for Connecticut in the long run."

I am conservative Republican to the core, but I am also not into self-righteous self-immolation which causes the good to be the victim of the perfect. I don't necessarily fault Chris or Judy here. They have heard what we have had to say. My only interest is that of Connecticut, where I live, and how best to stem the tide of liberalism in this state. CT will certainly go to hell should Democrats regain the Governor's mansion. The question now is how best to hold it. If Rowland is not the best standard bearer for this task and for conservatism in general, we need to identify who is.