CT Governor Rowland - latest scandal

[NewJeffCT]

The scandal of the week for our esteemed governor John Rowland - a daughter of a friend of Rowland stayed at Rowland's condo in Washington DC and paid at least triple the market rate for rent to Rowland... but, maybe they had a hot tub and that justified $1,750 a month instead of the normal $375 to $575?

Rent Arrangement For Rowland Condo Scrutinized
Businessman Deposited Payments In Niece's Account

March 17, 2004
By JON LENDER, EDMUND H. MAHONY, And DAVE ALTIMARI Courant Staff Writers

A millionaire businessman friend of Gov. John G. Rowland directly subsidized his niece's rent payments on the governor's Washington, D.C., condo at a level triple the market rate, sources familiar with a federal investigation say.

Businessman Robert V. Matthews' arrangement with his niece, Kelly Deal, amounted to a pass-through of monthly payments of $1,750 to Rowland, according to multiple sources - far in excess of the $375 to $575 comparable apartment units were renting for at the time.

http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-rowland0317.artmar17,1,3432164.story?coll=hc-headlines-newsat3

[Kathy in Cambridge]

1. Are they going to impeach him or what?

He really is a scumbag.

[Wickerman]

2. wow, you can get a condo in DC for $575 a month!

I can't do that here in rural Minnesota.

It sounds pretty sleazy, but I do think they might be undervaluing the DC housing market a tad. Anyone?

[yellowcanine]

4. No you can't, not that I know of.

I don't think this is a fruitful line of inquiry on the guv. They have plenty on him to justify impeachment without making stuff up.

On edit - it is hard to tell if $1750 is a fair price or not. It depends a lot on where it is, number of bedroms, etc. But there are plenty of condos which rent for that - and more in the DC area.

[Wickerman]

5. that was my thought

this kind of bullshit undermines the serious issues.

[NewJeffCT]

7. well...

Not sure, but the article did say that $375-575 was the most optmistic market assessment and there is mention of a DC area real estate slump in the late 90s in regards to the condo in question.

And, he did sell the condo to a friend for $27,000 over the current market value and the friend later sold the condo for a $31,000 loss.

[mstrsplinter326]

3. 375-575 is normal in DC?

That's low in the suburbs of Indy or average in mid-western college towns. DC property has got to be more than that right??? That just doesn't make any sense.

[skippysmom]

6. When is CT going to get rid of this asshole?

I am ashamed to say I grew up there.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

8. Wow John - You're a class act. That's creative financing!

I'm so proud to live here.