A federal grand jury in New Haven indicted former Gov John. G. Rowland Thursday, charging him for attempts to conceal his involvement in two federal election campaigns, the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut announced.
The indictment alleges that Rowland helped former U.S. Congressional candidate Lisa Wilson-Foley to conceal from regulators and the public a paid consulting arrangement between Rowland and the campaign during the 2011-2012 election cycle.
Rowland devised a scheme for the campaign to pay him for his services through a fictitious contract with an attorney for Wilson-Foley’s husband, Brian Foley, who owns a nursing home and real estate business, the indictment alleges. Foley paid Rowland a total of $35,000, which constituted campaign contributions, according to the U.S. Attorney.
Wilson-Foley and her husband pled guilty late last month to conspiring to violate campaign tax laws.
The indictment also accuses Rowland of approaching a former candidate for the same seat with a similar scheme in the 2009-2010 election cycle, according to the Associated Press. The candidate, which the AP identified as Mark Greenberg, rebuffed the proposal.
Rowland faces two counts of falsification of federal records in a federal investigation, one count of conspiracy, two counts of causing false statements to be made to the Federal Elections Commission, and two counts of causing illegal campaign contributions.
Rowland is expected to be arraigned this afternoon, the U.S. Attorney said.
