Hartford - In the first years of the now-concluding decade, it wasn't crazy to think Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland could one day set his sights on the White House. The polished and charismatic Republican, a former state legislator and congressman, would soon become the first Connecticut governor in modern history to win a third term. He was by turns charming and aggressive, a wily adversary for the legislative Democrats and a capable wit well-versed in warming up crowds and winning admirers.

The polished and charismatic Republican, a former state legislator and congressman, would soon become the first Connecticut governor in modern history to win a third term. He was by turns charming and aggressive, a wily adversary for the legislative Democrats and a capable wit well-versed in warming up crowds and winning admirers.Rowland was also a criminal, federal prosecutors said.

Rowland was also a criminal, federal prosecutors said.The man who had seemed likely to become the state's longest-serving chief executive was instead hounded from office in 2004, after the revelations that he had taken gifts and services from state contractors and his own political appointees. The former governor's name and the image of an illicitly donated hot tub have been inextricable ever since.

The man who had seemed likely to become the state's longest-serving chief executive was instead hounded from office in 2004, after the revelations that he had taken gifts and services from state contractors and his own political appointees. The former governor's name and the image of an illicitly donated hot tub have been inextricable ever since.Rowland avoided impeachment by quitting his office, but couldn't avoid federal prosecutors, who secured a guilty plea to a single corruption count: theft of honest services by a public official. The former governor would serve 10 months in a federal prison in Pennsylvania.

Rowland avoided impeachment by quitting his office, but couldn't avoid federal prosecutors, who secured a guilty plea to a single corruption count: theft of honest services by a public official. The former governor would serve 10 months in a federal prison in Pennsylvania.The departure of Rowland lifted to prominence a previously obscure lieutenant governor, M. Jodi Rell, whose five-and-a-half years in office have seen her coast on record levels of approval from Connecticut voters, as Rell has cultivated a public persona as everything that Rowland was not.

The departure of Rowland lifted to prominence a previously obscure lieutenant governor, M. Jodi Rell, whose five-and-a-half years in office have seen her coast on record levels of approval from Connecticut voters, as Rell has cultivated a public persona as everything that Rowland was not."Definitely, I think that was Rell's biggest strength," said Douglas Schwartz, the polling director at Quinnipiac University, which routinely surveys voter attitudes throughout Connecticut. "They felt that she was honest and trustworthy, and they felt relieved that Rowland was gone."

"Definitely, I think that was Rell's biggest strength," said Douglas Schwartz, the polling director at Quinnipiac University, which routinely surveys voter attitudes throughout Connecticut. "They felt that she was honest and trustworthy, and they felt relieved that Rowland was gone."Rowland, meanwhile, found himself lumped in with a broad array of Connecticut politicians who left office and went directly to prison for separate incidents of political corruption. They included a fellow Republican, state Treasurer Paul J. Silvester, and prominent Democrats like Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim and state Sen. Ernest E. Newton II, D-Bridgeport.

Rowland, meanwhile, found himself lumped in with a broad array of Connecticut politicians who left office and went directly to prison for separate incidents of political corruption. They included a fellow Republican, state Treasurer Paul J. Silvester, and prominent Democrats like Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim and state Sen. Ernest E. Newton II, D-Bridgeport.The irascible state Senate Minority Leader, Louis C. DeLuca, R-Woodbury, was forced to resign after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of threatening, which occurred after he was caught on a wiretap accepting an offer from an allegedly mob-connected trash-hauling magnate to confront his granddaughter's boyfriend. The magnate, James Galante, later pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in the sprawling probe.

The irascible state Senate Minority Leader, Louis C. DeLuca, R-Woodbury, was forced to resign after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of threatening, which occurred after he was caught on a wiretap accepting an offer from an allegedly mob-connected trash-hauling magnate to confront his granddaughter's boyfriend. The magnate, James Galante, later pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in the sprawling probe.DeLuca, who was not charged by federal authorities, was approached by a federal agent offering him a bribe during the course of the investigation. DeLuca turned it down.

DeLuca, who was not charged by federal authorities, was approached by a federal agent offering him a bribe during the course of the investigation. DeLuca turned it down.In Waterbury, Rowland's hometown and a continuing base of support, a federal corruption probe of Republican Mayor Philip Giordano, once promising enough to have been tapped to challenge Sen. Joseph Lieberman, turned up far worse. Phone taps revealed Giordano setting up liaisons with an underage girl; he was convicted of child rape, and isn't scheduled for release from federal prison until 2033.

In Waterbury, Rowland's hometown and a continuing base of support, a federal corruption probe of Republican Mayor Philip Giordano, once promising enough to have been tapped to challenge Sen. Joseph Lieberman, turned up far worse. Phone taps revealed Giordano setting up liaisons with an underage girl; he was convicted of child rape, and isn't scheduled for release from federal prison until 2033.(Silvester got out of prison in 2005. Ganim and Newton are slated for release this summer.)

(Silvester got out of prison in 2005. Ganim and Newton are slated for release this summer.)Rell won't seek re-election

Rell won't seek re-electionFor Rell, ethics and good government were central messages. The governor's inaugural speech on taking office in 2004 denounced Connecticut's "culture of corruption." Her first executive order created an ethics czar position within her administration to enforce firm standards against misuse of public resources.

For Rell, ethics and good government were central messages. The governor's inaugural speech on taking office in 2004 denounced Connecticut's "culture of corruption." Her first executive order created an ethics czar position within her administration to enforce firm standards against misuse of public resources.Voters responded positively, though Schwartz said they were less interested in the policies implemented to add new state controls than they were in Rell herself.

Voters responded positively, though Schwartz said they were less interested in the policies implemented to add new state controls than they were in Rell herself."I don't think that people necessarily were very focused on ways to fix the state systems," he said. "It was more about how much they liked her personally."

"I don't think that people necessarily were very focused on ways to fix the state systems," he said. "It was more about how much they liked her personally."In the ensuing years, economic concerns have overtaken those about good government as pre-eminent in voter polls. And the Rell administration, while untouched by corruption scandals like those that brought down her predecessor, has not always lived comfortably within the boundaries the governor set.

In the ensuing years, economic concerns have overtaken those about good government as pre-eminent in voter polls. And the Rell administration, while untouched by corruption scandals like those that brought down her predecessor, has not always lived comfortably within the boundaries the governor set.The ethics czar, Rachel Rubin, clashed with Rell's chief of staff, Lisa Moody, and eventually transferred back to the University of Connecticut. In one memorable episode, Moody was disciplined for distributing invitations to a Rell political fundraiser to state commissioners while on state time. On the invitation she sent to Rubin, the chief of staff wrote, "Pony up, czarina," a line with which Democrats in the legislature had a brief field day.

The ethics czar, Rachel Rubin, clashed with Rell's chief of staff, Lisa Moody, and eventually transferred back to the University of Connecticut. In one memorable episode, Moody was disciplined for distributing invitations to a Rell political fundraiser to state commissioners while on state time. On the invitation she sent to Rubin, the chief of staff wrote, "Pony up, czarina," a line with which Democrats in the legislature had a brief field day.And Moody's reliance on a publicly paid University of Connecticut pollster to provide political advice for the governor has landed the administration under scrutiny once again. The state Auditors of Public Accounts and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal are investigating whether the administration's use of UConn professor Ken Dautrich's services represented an improper mingling of public and political business. The State Elections Enforcement Commission is reviewing whether the governor's political committee broke campaign finance rules. (The commission voted to issue an investigative subpoena for relevant records earlier this month.)

And Moody's reliance on a publicly paid University of Connecticut pollster to provide political advice for the governor has landed the administration under scrutiny once again. The state Auditors of Public Accounts and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal are investigating whether the administration's use of UConn professor Ken Dautrich's services represented an improper mingling of public and political business. The State Elections Enforcement Commission is reviewing whether the governor's political committee broke campaign finance rules. (The commission voted to issue an investigative subpoena for relevant records earlier this month.)And UConn's internal Office of Audit Compliance is reviewing Dautrich's conduct.

And UConn's internal Office of Audit Compliance is reviewing Dautrich's conduct.Rell recently announced that she would not seek another term in 2010, a decision that she and her aides have said is personal, not related to any of those inquiries.

Rell recently announced that she would not seek another term in 2010, a decision that she and her aides have said is personal, not related to any of those inquiries.Rowland returns to work

Rowland returns to workMeanwhile, some have landed on their feet. Not least is the biggest figure of all.

Meanwhile, some have landed on their feet. Not least is the biggest figure of all.John Rowland emerged from prison in 2005 proclaiming himself a changed man. In speeches since his release, he has spoken of the humility he regained in the collapse of his political career, and plugged an as-yet unpublished memoir on the topic, to be called "Falling Into Grace." But he also complained to a reporter for the Washington Post that Rell "threw me under the bus," and explained his post-release speaking fees by saying he and his family were living "hand-to-mouth."

John Rowland emerged from prison in 2005 proclaiming himself a changed man. In speeches since his release, he has spoken of the humility he regained in the collapse of his political career, and plugged an as-yet unpublished memoir on the topic, to be called "Falling Into Grace." But he also complained to a reporter for the Washington Post that Rell "threw me under the bus," and explained his post-release speaking fees by saying he and his family were living "hand-to-mouth."Rowland and his wife, Patty, live on Leonard Road in Middlebury. Their house, according to Zillow.com, is worth about $500,000.

Rowland and his wife, Patty, live on Leonard Road in Middlebury. Their house, according to Zillow.com, is worth about $500,000.And Rowland is in public life again, sort of, serving as economic development coordinator in Waterbury, a position whose salary is split between the city government and the local chamber of commerce. Rowland, who has explained his willingness to accept improper gratuities in part by a lifestyle that soared above his means, now makes $95,000 a year.

And Rowland is in public life again, sort of, serving as economic development coordinator in Waterbury, a position whose salary is split between the city government and the local chamber of commerce. Rowland, who has explained his willingness to accept improper gratuities in part by a lifestyle that soared above his means, now makes $95,000 a year.The former governor has not responded to repeated requests in recent months to discuss various aspects of his career and legacy.

The former governor has not responded to repeated requests in recent months to discuss various aspects of his career and legacy.