Former Connecticut Governor John Rowland's state pension of nearly $53,000 a year will not be affected by his second felony conviction.
The New Haven Register reports that a spokeswoman for Attorney General George Jepsen, Jacklyn M. Falkowksi, said he has no legal basis to revoke or reduce the 57-year-old Rowland's pension, because he's a private citizen.
From the article:
Upset with public officials who were receiving a state pension and benefits, even when found guilty of wrongdoing, lawmakers in 2008 adopted legislation to prevent the payments in the future. But the law applies to people “convicted of crime relating to his or her state or municipal office,” according to a statement from Jaclyn M. Falkowski, head of communications for the state Office of the Attorney General. “Mr. Rowland was convicted of conduct undertaken in his private capacity, and his crimes do not, under the statute’s definitions, relate to his former public office. Therefore, under the terms of the revocation statute, there is no legal basis for the Office of the Attorney General to seek revocation or reduction of Mr. Rowland’s pension,” she wrote.
In less than ten years, the Register notes, Rowland will be eligible for Medicare, so he'll be a little less expensive to the state. For now, according to the state comptroller's office, the Register says Rowland's health care costs come to about $2,054 per month.
Rowland's first conviction was in 2004. He was unaffected by the new law, because it was not applied retroactively. He resigned.
Rowland was convicted on September 19 in federal court on charges that he conspired to be paid for work on political campaigns while disguising the payments in business deals. His sentencing date was moved to January 7.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.
