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A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL

Listen to the GOPHOTW HERE.

Let's pass over, for the moment, ALL of the accusations of corruption that have been swirling around the office of the Republican Governor of Connecticut, John Rowland.

Let's just focus on the recent events, like Rowland getting caught lying.

Recently, Rowland repeatedly assured the public that firms who had contracts with the state -- and currently under federal investigation -- had not -- and we repeat -- had not performed free work on a home he owns. Then, after lying, he admitted the truth. Then, he said he wouldn't resign and that he was asking "the people of Connecticut for forgiveness, not their sympathy."

Sympathy for a lying hypocrite?

As the New York Times put it:

"The controversy surrounding Mr. Rowland intensified on Dec. 12, when he admitted that employees of a company owned by members of the Tomasso family, one of the state's largest construction firms, had worked on his private Bantam Lake cottage in the picturesque Litchfield Hills region of the state in 1999.

Tomasso family companies, based in New Britain, are under federal investigation in connection with the awarding of multimillion dollar state contracts, law enforcement officials have said.

Earlier this year, Mr. Rowland paid a State Ethics Commission fine for paying less than market value for vacations at home owned by people who did business with the state.

The federal inquiry involves three more people handpicked by the governor to lead state agencies.

Theodore Anson, Mr. Rowland's former commissioner of public works, is being investigated and is accused of accepting gifts from people seeking state work.

Lawrence E. Alibozek, his former deputy chief of staff, pleaded guilty to accepting cash and gold coins in exchange for influencing state contracts.

And Peter Ellef, a former co-chief of staff to Mr. Rowland, is being investigated in connection with contract awards.

Mr. Rowland admitted on Dec. 12 that Mr. Alibozek and Mr. Ellef paid for some cottage renovations. Ten days earlier he issued blustery denials about that and other questions related to work at the cottage."

Thank you, New York Times.

Then of course there is the apparent GOP Mole, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, who appears to be more sorry for Rowland than concerned about the Governor's lying, hypocrisy and apparent violation of Connecticut state ethics laws.

Joe never lets lying and corruption get in the way of sanctimonious "forgiveness." Of course, Joe has a curious double standard. He forgives Republicans and provides excuses for them, while he self-righteously stood before the Senate, during the Republican Impeachment frame-up, and condemned Clinton.

Referring to Lieberman, the executive director of Common Cause in Connecticut asked: "He was one of the most vocal critics of President Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal, and where is he now? His governor has broken the law, and I want to say, "Senator, wake up!"'

BuzzFlash adds that Lieberman was eager to let Enron and Halliburton off the hook when he chaired a senate committee empowered with "investigating" the corrupt firms during the brief period when the Democrats were in the Senate majority. His so-called "investigation" was a token one at best.

But, back to Mr. Rowland.

According to the New York Times: "A University of Connecticut poll released this week showed that 55 percent of Connecticut residents thought the governor should resign. Four newspapers called for him to step aside and some lawmakers have even talked about the possibility of impeachment."

Governor Rowland can feel reassured, however. Joe Lieberman is giving him the sympathy he didn't ask for -- and probably the forgiveness he seeks. Joe is always a good one for excusing and enabling Republican hypocrites, including this week's BuzzFlash Hypocrite of the Week, Connecticut Governor John Rowland.

Until next week, this is BuzzFlash.com signing off with our motto:

So many Republican hypocrites, so little time.

A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL

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