Gov. M. Jodi Rell made a tightly scripted, highly anticipated appearance before a legislative committee Wednesday to urge passage of ethics and campaign finance reforms.

Connecticut governors rarely appear before legislative committees, but Rell's testimony was calculated to generate momentum for what she hopes will be the signal achievement of her first year as chief executive.

Rell, who became governor in July after an impeachment inquiry and federal corruption investigation forced the resignation of John G. Rowland, told lawmakers they must embrace reform in 2005.

"I can tell you the public is ready for change. The public is demanding that we give them confidence again in their state government," Rell said. "You never thought you would be responsible for that, but you truly are."

The Republican governor and the Democratic legislature agree on the broad goal of getting special-interest money out of Connecticut politics. Their approaches are different, and both sides maneuvered for advantage Wednesday.

Rell has proposed a half-dozen bills, including a ban on campaign contributions from state contractors and lobbyists, lower limits on other contributions, restrictions on political action committees, new state contracting rules and a restructured ethics commission.

Democratic legislative leaders favor the public financing of campaigns as the only sure way to limit the influence of special interests. Rell is opposed to public financing, though in remarks to reporters she signaled a willingness to compromise.

"My position hasn't changed," she said, "but I've also been around this building long enough to know that you never know how a bill's packaged and whether it includes other provisions that I may support - whether the language is changed to, perhaps, say something like a pilot program."

New Jersey is experimenting with a pilot program involving the public financing of campaigns in a limited number of legislative districts, a Rell spokesman said.

Her testimony before the government administration and elections committee Wednesday made for less than engaging political theater.

Rell closely followed a prepared text. Unlike other witnesses to testify at legislative hearings, she left without taking questions from committee members, who listened politely as Rell read a statement for nearly 20 minutes.

"I have to say with some disappointment that we would have loved the opportunity to be able to question you personally," the committee's co-chairman, Rep. Christopher Caruso, D-Bridgeport, told Rell.

Rell did not respond.

Her refusal to field questions derailed plans by at least one committee member, Rep. David D. McCluskey, D-West Hartford, to grill Rell about what he calls her newfound advocacy for reform after 9½ years as the lieutenant to a corrupt governor.

"Apparently, the governor has been cryogenically frozen for the last 10 years, because all of a sudden these are new initiatives," said McCluskey, who says the Republican governor is recycling many Democratic proposals.

McCluskey said he resented Rell's call during her State of the State address Jan. 5 for the legislature to pass her reform package in 30 days. "I'm frustrated," McCluskey said. "I don't want her to capitalize on this."

Other longtime proponents of campaign finance reform were more sanguine, including Caruso and his co-chairman, Sen. Donald DeFronzo, D-New Britain, as well as good-government activists.

"Any time the state's highest elected official talks about the need for comprehensive campaign finance reform, we're all on board with that," said Andy Sauer of Common Cause. "We realize her plan is different from our plan, but she's always kept an open mind. And she's always asked us to keep an open mind."

Rowland vetoed a campaign finance reform bill in 2001.

A cornerstone of Rell's proposal is a ban on campaign contributions from state contractors and lobbyists, which she says would end the state's "pay to play" system of contracting.

But Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, said Rell's approach was open to legal challenge. New Jersey was forced to drop its ban on campaign contributions from contractors under pressure from the Federal Highway Administration, which threatened to withhold federal highway funds.

Federal officials said a gubernatorial executive order implementing the New Jersey ban could disqualify low bidders from federal road work.

"I think it's potentially a huge problem," Williams said.

Rich Harris, a spokesman for Rell, said the New Jersey rule banned donors from bidding.

"The governor's proposal is the inverse. If you have a state contract, you can't give" to candidates, he said.

Williams said then if that is true, then Rell's proposal would allow contractors to give until they get a contract.

"How does that end pay to play?" he asked.

On Monday, Gov. M. Jodi Rell's task force on contract reform started hearing testimony on improving the system. It wasn't lost on anyone that one of the principal speakers was state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, a possible opponent of Gov. Rell in the 2006 election.

It's a good thing that Gov. Rell has taken the lead in reforming the system so manipulated in the administration of Gov. John G. Rowland. Gov. Rell wasn't involved in the types of decisions that led to ethical and legal violations, but as former Gov. Rowland's running mate, she can't do enough to distance herself from the nefarious practices that brought down the governor and disgraced state government. But the actions of Gov. Rell and Attorney General Blumenthal won't matter much if the Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly don't buy into the idea.

In this venture, Gov. Rell is committed and sincere. With every action she has taken and appointments she has made, she has signaled her determination to take the sleaze out of state government.

Attorney General Blumenthal testified earlier to the legislature about ethical reforms needed to make the state more corruptionproof and he echoed many of those ideas Monday. Nevertheless, there are some strong suggestions and they bear repeating:

Some of the most important are:

Create a new and permanent oversight board to consider all major state contracts. This is especially important because of the wheeling and dealing that has taken place in the Department of Transportation and Public Works involving major donors to past gubernatorial campaigns.

Strengthen the State Properties Review Board so that it can supervise all state leases and changes in land ownership.

Require state officials to sign affidavits that they have not received any gifts from people doing business with the state and make the state Ethics Commission the enforcement agency for violatioNS.

There's another reform that needs to be done, too. And it is overarching in scope. Give Chief State's Attorney Christopher Morano the subpoena power to investigate reports of wrongdoing. This change would tend to expose corruption early in the process. At present, the absence of authority in the chief state's attorney's office to issue investigative subpoenas effectively means that major crimes get investigated by the federal government. But federal involvement tends to happen after a series of crimes have been committed.

Gov. Rell and Attorney General Blumenthal are staking their reputations on championing effective reforms to stem corruption in state government. Both deserve credit. What they deserve more is the support of their parties in the legislature to make the ideas into law.

Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy has been traveling around the state talking to Democrats and raising money as he seeks his party's nomination for the 2006 gubernatorial election, but his campaigning has led to criticism at home.

Some city Republicans said they believe those giving to his campaign, which has raised about $830,000, may be more interested in influencing what happens in Stamford than in Hartford.

At the top of their list is Haven Healthcare Management LLC, which held a Middletown fund-raiser for Malloy on May 17. Employees of Haven Healthcare and its related companies, such as Lighthouse Medical Services, gave about $19,000 during the week of the fund-raiser.

Haven Healthcare oversees the management of Smith House, the city-owned nursing home, and is seeking a long-term contract to continue and increase its involvement in the facility.

"The message is if you want to do business with the city of Stamford, you have to come up with the cash," Republican Board of Finance member Joseph Tarzia said. "Here is a company that has a direct interest. Dollars to doughnuts they are going to get that contract."

The Haven Healthcare fund-raiser did not violate campaign finance regulations, according to the secretary of the state's office and the state Elections Enforcement Commission. There are regulations to prevent city contractors from giving to candidates for city office, but local and state laws do not address city officials seeking statewide office.

Malloy said campaign finance laws in Connecticut are strict enough to prevent corruption.

"This is a very clean process," Malloy said. "We are living by the regulations."

Malloy said Haven and other health-care companies may be supporting him because he believes nursing homes and other facilities deserve a higher rate of payment from the state and federal governments so they don't go bankrupt.

But Republican Town Committee Chairman Daniel McCabe said the fund-raiser did not pass "the smell test."

"It is disturbing," McCabe said.

The immense amount of money needed to run a campaign, and the donations candidates must accept to be viable, have made McCabe begin to reconsider his opposition to public financing, he said.

"The more money needed, the more chances for people to do things that are close to the line," he said. "It is getting worse and worse every year."

Democratic City Committee Chairwoman Ellen Camhi said if everybody who has even an appearance of conflict of interest is not allowed to donate, it would very difficult to run a campaign.

"It's almost impossible because a lot of people just don't give to political candidates, so how do you run a campaign?" she said.

"I think as long as the mayor has nothing to do with the contract I think it would be appropriate," she said. "I am certain that, especially in this climate, he was meticulous."

Malloy said he does not control which of the four bidders who are seeking the management contract for Smith House will win, Malloy said.

A panel -- including members of the Smith House board, members of the Malloy administration, city civil servants and members of the Board of Representatives -- is studying what to do with the facility.

"I think that the diversity of views we have there speaks for itself," said Director of Administration Ben Barnes, a member of the panel. "The mayor is not directly involved in the selection. We would like to have, and it is our intention, that this process be very open."

What to do with Smith House is a pressing concern. City-owned Smith House lost $1.16 million in fiscal year 2003-04, Barnes said.

One option is to privatize Smith House. Another is to sell or close the facility.

"The decision to close it would not be taken lightly. We really need to explore all sorts of other options before we get to that point," Barnes said.

But city Rep. Robert "Gabe" DeLuca, R-14, a member of the group studying the nursing home, said though Malloy does not sit on the committee, at least two of the 10 people who do -- including Barnes -- report directly to the mayor.

"In my judgment, Haven Healthcare should excuse themselves from being considered for it," DeLuca said. "People are always going to wonder if he had any influence on the decision. That would eliminate any doubt."

Haven Healthcare did not return calls Friday or yesterday seeking comment.

The city entered into a two-year contract with Haven Healthcare to manage Smith House in 2001 for roughly $320,000 a year. The city has extended that contract twice since it expired, as it has studied what to do with the facility.

Barnes said he wasn't sure why Haven Healthcare or any other company would want to take over a nursing home that recently has consistently lost money.

But he said perhaps they see the nursing home's potential if the state and federal government increase Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements.

Malloy said he has argued for higher reimbursements to pay for the care of nursing home patients.

"I think one of the major issues facing the state of Connecticut is that we are putting our nursing homes out of business," he said. "I am very much on the side of people who say we have to reimburse hospitals and nursing homes and doctors in a way so they can make a reasonable profit. Are people going to support me because I understand that issue? Yes."

Tarzia disagreed.

"These people put their money where their financial interests are," he said.

"That is not why you get elected to public office -- to go around and take care of your personal, financial and political ambitions," Tarzia said. "It may be legal, but it is definitely not ethical."

Republicans also are questioning how much time Malloy is spending on the campaign trail.

"Raising the amount of money he has raised in the amount of time he has raised it is a full-time job," said Republican Board of Finance member James Rubino. "It can't help but diminish his effectiveness as mayor."

Malloy has given nine talks to members of local Democratic groups from Killingly to Darien, and 15 fund-raisers for him have been held from Boston to Greenwich this year.

Friday, Malloy said discussion of his absences has been "vastly overblown." He is traveling less now than when he first took office almost a decade ago when he was involved in more national organizations, Malloy said.

And many of the talks and fund-raisers he has held have been close by, in towns such as Norwalk and Darien, as well as in Stamford.

"Might it get more complicated in the future? Sure," Malloy said.

Though Malloy leads the pack, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz has raised about $716,00, and New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. has about $678,000.

Bysiewicz has formed an exploratory committee, which limits her campaign donations to $250 per person, while Malloy and DeStefano can collect up to $2,500.

"My contributors are from virtually every town in the state," said Bysiewicz, who added that she is close to deciding whether she will run for governor. "I want to asses the level and scope of support before I make a final decision," she said.

Plainfield — Director of Economic Development Michael A. Saad will soon leave his position for a job at Lowe's, the home improvement company he helped bring to Plainfield.

Saad gave notice of his resignation, effective after Aug. 6, in a letter to the selectmen on Tuesday. After leaving his current position, he will begin work in the Lowe's operations department following a weeklong vacation, he said.

A search for Saad's replacement will begin this weekend, with advertisements for the position to run in local newspapers, said First Selectman Donald F. Gladding. The Board of Selectmen will review applications and ultimately hire a new economic development director, who, Gladding hopes, will be in place before Saad's departure.

Saad said he offered in his resignation letter to help with the transition.

Saad has been the town's economic development director for almost five years. As such, he played a key role in bringing to town the Lowe's regional distribution center set to open next year and was instrumental in starting up the Industrial Park project. He served on the Board of Selectmen from 1989 to 1995 and has also served on the town's Board of Assessment Appeals.

“He'll be greatly missed,” said Selectman David Allard. “He's been involved with town government on both sides of the fence. ... He's been an asset to the town.”

Saad said he has been contemplating a move out of government since convicted of knowingly violating the Clean Air Act when he authorized the demolition of the former InterRoyal Mill in 2000. He pleaded innocent to the federal charge but was convicted of a felony in April.

Saad continued work as economic development director after the Board of Selectmen unanimously voted not to take disciplinary action against him.

“The trial thing really took a lot out of me personally,” he said. “I just don't want to put my family or myself in that position ever again. The InterRoyal situation ... really upset me and jaded me as to how I looked at working for government.”

Saad said he is unsure about the outcome of his sentencing, scheduled for September, but is “confident that something will work out.” His job switch is unrelated to either the upcoming sentencing or his work in bringing the Lowe's distribution center to Plainfield, he said, and is rather a result of wanting to resume a “normal life.”

Saad submitted his résumé to Lowe's about a month ago and accepted the job offer last week after mulling two other offers, he said. “It was a good fit for me professionally,” he added.

His new job will involve warehouse management, distribution-center operations and purchasing, duties in which Saad said he has experience from a previous job at a national distribution company in Massachusetts.

It is unclear whether Saad will work in the Lowe's regional distribution center in town or elsewhere, but he plans to stay in Plainfield for the time being, he said.

By far the biggest development project in Plainfield during Saad's tenure, the $80 million, 1.36 million-square-foot Lowe's distribution center is slated to start receiving inventory in January and to begin shipping in February.

“We needed to have that high-impact business come to town. They represent several hundred jobs and a clear addition to the tax base in a small community that struggles with budgets,” Saad said.

But some residents who live near the Lowe's site on Tarbox Road have long opposed its presence, including Christine Bernier. “We are all so sick” of the project, she said, adding that to her, Saad's acceptance of a Lowe's position has “the appearance of impropriety.”

“I'm very disappointed, but not surprised,” Bernier said.

Lowe's spokeswoman Jennifer Smith at the company's Mooresville, N.C., office confirmed that the company has hired Saad but declined further comment.

July 15, 2004
By OSHRAT CARMIEL, Courant Staff Writer

Barnaby Horton, a former Hartford state legislator accused of inducing elderly residents to cast absentee ballots for him, has agreed to pay one of the largest fines ever imposed by the state Elections Enforcement Commission.

Under a written agreement between Horton and the commission, Horton agreed to pay $10,000 and to not run for public office for two years. He also promised never again to solicit, distribute or assist with absentee ballots.

Though he signed the agreement with the commission, Horton specified that he did not concur with its findings - namely, that, as a candidate, he had gone from room to room at a home for low-income, elderly residents, circulating absentee ballots and encouraging tenants to check off his name.

The fine came as a Superior Court judge placed Horton on two years' probation and ordered him to perform 1,000 hours of community service for felony charges of ballot fraud.

The penalty and the probation resolve the civil and criminal charges that have been filed against Horton in connection with his failed 2002 race for re-election to the House.

Horton, 35, declined to comment on the specifics of the agreement with the elections commission and on the terms of his probation. He did say that the community service component of the probation was fair.

"Public service to me has been a deep public commitment," Horton said Wednesday. "I am happy to serve the public by my own choice or by the judge's order. I have been blessed with a second chance and I will not let the people of the state of Connecticut or the judge down."

Horton, now of West Hartford, will perform part of his community service at a Hartford soup kitchen and another part at a city high school, said his friend and former political adviser Shawn Fisher.

Fisher stressed that the $10,000 was not a penalty, but a negotiated settlement worked out between Horton and the commission as a way of finally putting the matter to rest.

"This is to say, `This is the end,'" Fisher said of the agreement with the commission, whose director he characterized as overzealous.

Horton's brush with the law began in 2002. A state representative in his second term, he was forced into an acrimonious primary battle against another incumbent, four-term Democratic state Rep. Kenneth Green, after redistricting merged Horton's and Green's legislative districts into a single 1st House District.

During that race, Green complained to the commission that Horton had personally collected absentee ballots from residents at the Betty Knox housing complex on Woodland Street - a violation of state elections law. After investigating the complaints, the commission found them to be valid.

Jeffrey B. Garfield, executive director of the Elections Enforcement Commission, said the $10,000 that Horton agreed to pay reflects the severity of the charges against him, and the seriousness with which the commission treats ballot fraud.

"Not only were the violations egregious, but Mr. Horton obviously was a lawmaker at the time," Garfield said. "He was a member of the government administration and elections committee, he had a particularized knowledge of absentee voting laws, and he, of course, was an attorney."

Garfield had said that Horton, as a state legislator, had been instrumental in toughening the state's absentee ballot laws, which he then violated.

The case also resulted in criminal charges. Last year Horton was criminally charged with seven felony counts of unlawful possession of another person's absentee ballot and three counts of being present, as a candidate, when absentee ballots were completed.

Horton's terms of probation are part of an accelerated rehabilitation program for first-time, nonviolent criminal offenders in which Horton is participating. Horton has never admitted to any wrongdoing, nor has he had to as part of his accelerated rehabilitation program. 

10:42 AM EDT,July 2, 2004
Associated Press

WATERFORD, Conn. -- A lawmaker who served as co-chairwoman of the legislature's Energy and Technology Committee is going to work for Dominion Inc., the operator of the Millstone nuclear power station.

Sen. Melodie Peters, a six-term Democrat who is not seeking re-election, may work for Dominion as long as she does not lobby for the company through 2005, the State Ethics Commission said.

Peters, who lives in Old Lyme, will work through the end of the year as a public relations consultant for Millstone's license renewal.

Brenda M. Bergeron, a State Ethics Commission staff attorney, said it is not a conflict of interest for the lawmaker to work for Dominion on a federal action such as license renewal, as long as she does not represent the firm before state agencies. Peters also must not take any official action on Dominion's behalf that "would have a direct and unique financial effect on her contract" with the company, Bergeron wrote.

Peters will be working exclusively with public interest groups, not state agencies, Dominion said. Her hire is a standard corporate approach that helps the company assess its public image, said Dominion spokesman Pete Hyde.

"Melodie is a respected figure in the state and she has a good understanding of the issues," Hyde said. "We're asking her to be sort of a seismograph in the community and discern how people are thinking and feeling about license renewal."

Dominion applied in January to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for 20-year license extensions that would keep the Millstone 2 and 3 reactors running through 2035 and 2045, respectively. The licensing process typically takes two years or more.

Peters said Wednesday that the consultant's work has nothing to do with her job as a lawmaker or the state energy committee.

Peters led passage of the state's 1998 energy deregulation law, which required Northeast Utilities to sell the Millstone plants and set up a system for electric customers to continue pay off NU's nuclear-related debts. The law also subsidizes tax revenue Waterford lost because of the sale. Dominion bought the plants in 2001.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell ousted seven top state employees Friday - all recently controversial or closely tied to former Gov. John G. Rowland.

Placing her stamp on the new administration, Rell called for a sweeping change in leadership in departments overseeing public safety, environmental protection, gambling regulation, and computer technology, among others.  Rell and her press secretary offered no explanations for accepting the resignations, but some departures had long been expected inside the state Capitol.

"I may ultimately decide that additional changes are required," Rell said. "But at this point, I have addressed the most immediate needs."  The least surprising replacement was Public Safety Commissioner Arthur Spada, whose chief of staff was arrested last week on felony fraud charges.

After meeting privately Friday with Rell, Spada pulled away from the governor's mansion in a chauffeur-driven car and told reporters that he had no major concerns.  Other highly placed Rowland appointees being replaced include:
 

     Arthur Diedrick, the state's economic development czar who was involved in a controversial meeting involving state funds awarded to a close
     Rowland friend, Robert Matthews. The meeting became the subject of Rowland's recent impeachment hearings, but Diedrick testified that he
     could not recall any details about the meeting.
     Gregg "Rock" Regan, the head of the state's computer operations who was once described by now-Lt. Gov. Kevin Sullivan as a Rowland
     "crony" from Waterbury.
     James A. Adams, deputy transportation commissioner and the brother-in-law of lobbyist and former Rowland confidant Jay Malcynsky.
     Louis S. Cutillo, deputy transportation commissioner. He served in the state Senate with Democrat Bill Curry and endorsed Rowland over Curry
     in the 2002 gubernatorial election - a high-profile move touted by Rowland's campaign.
     Susan Townsley, the state's top gambling regulator whose critics say had no background in gambling, no management experience in running
     the state lottery and little success in stemming the grievances and morale problems in her agency.  Townsley was seen by some as doing too
     little to prevent underage gambling, and she was criticized last year when the state lottery was preparing to introduce an animated computer
     game called "treasure tower." Critics said the game was a blatant ploy to lure children into gambling and violated state laws, but Townsley
     said it was "just another lottery game."  She declined comment Friday.

While Rell accepted the resignations of the department heads, she also accepted the October retirement of Arthur Rocque Jr., a 33-year veteran at
the Department of Environmental Protection and its commissioner for the past seven years.  Only last week, Rocque had said that he wanted to
remain in his job, but he changed course in his retirement letter released Friday.

"They say timing is everything, and it is time," Rocque told Rell in the letter. "Writing the letter of resignation that you required of all commissioners
was truly a liberating experience in that it coincided with my annual visit to [Stonington, Maine]. ... I am confident that you will select someone
with the skills necessary to manage this complex, historically and chronically under-funded and under-staffed agency - an agency, as I know well,
that has the potential to be on the front page every day."

"If you or your new commissioner seek my advice [in the future], I will give it freely, but no more trips back from Stonington," Rocque wrote.

While reserving the right to make future changes, Rell's office said that all other commissioners and agency heads will be staying. That includes
budget director Marc Ryan, who had unsuccessfully sought a future job at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford.  Ryan, Rocque, and
Diedrick were among the final top supervisors who met with Rell Friday at the governor's mansion. As the new governor, she had sought
one-on-one sessions throughout the week with more than 25 commissioners and high-level executives, many of whom operate massive agencies
with thousands of employees.

Adams was the DOT liaison in charge of awarding the construction contract for a parking garage at Bradley International Airport to The Tomasso
Group, a well-known New Britain construction business. Federal authorities have identified that project as one of three state jobs given to Tomasso
entities that are under investigation for possible bid-rigging. The contract was controversial because Tomasso and its partner, APCOA of Ohio, were

given a share of the profits in the garage for a 25-year period as part of the agreement.  Adams is married to the sister of lobbyist Malcynsky.

Adams' name also surfaced when federal authorities started looking into gifts that Rowland has accepted from state employees, contractors and
others. Adams had a wine bin next to Rowland's at the Carmen Anthony's Restaurant in Wethersfield.  Among the controversial figures from the
Rowland era, Spada was the one who generated the most attention recently.  Rowland always had backed the former judge, and sometimes had
joked about the issues surrounding his public safety commissioner, including a time when Spada personally pulled over a speeder.

But Rell apparently considered Spada's antics to be no laughing matter. She suspended his chief of staff, Maj. Gregory Senick, even before meeting
with commissioners last Friday in one of her first official acts as governor.  Senick was arrested that day on felony charges of fraudulently charging
the state for thousands of dollars in improvements to a house he was renting from the state.

One of the perplexing changes - at least to employees in the Department of Information Technology - was the replacement of Chief Information
Officer Gregg "Rock" Regan, who was always seen as close to Rowland.  Regan's supporters say that he ran an agency without controversy and
helped the chief state's attorney to recently bring a case against an East Hartford computer company owner for allegedly bilking the state out of
$300,000.  He could not be reached for comment Friday.

Besides accepting the resignations of the seven employees, Rell also reassigned two supervisors in the Department of Children and Families, one of
the state's most troubled agencies.  One of those supervisors was Brett Rayford, 47, a former behavioral health specialist with the state epartment
of Correction before being hired as acting superintendent of the troubled Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown. The school has been
criticized as being little more than a prison for children.

Credited initially with improving conditions at the training school, Rayford was named head of juvenile justice in the department last July.  Officials
said no details were available on what Rayford and deputy commissioner James Carr would be doing in the future.  With two decades of experience,
Rell personally knew many of the commissioners whose careers she held in her hands this week.

"She has a close working relationship with her chief of staff [Lisa Moody]," House Republican leader Robert Ward said. "It is my belief she is
consulting with her and her deputy chief on appointments. ... I'm certain she's had the opportunity to contemplate assuming the office of
governor and therefore doesn't need lots of consultation, because she's had lots of time to privately think about it." 

Maj. Gregory Senick, who has served as chief of staff to Spada for four years, has for months been under investigation for a rental agreement that allowed him to live on state-owned property for $1 a year.  Senick was expected to be charged with fraud today, police said. Rell called for the disciplinary actions to take effect as soon as Senick is formally charged.

After meeting with her commissioners for the first time today, Rell said she told Spada to order Senick to turn in his gun, badge and car. Senick should also leave his home within 30 days, she said.  "I encourage Maj. Senick to cooperate fully with authorities," Rell said. "I have faith that the justice system will sort through these issues. In the meantime, I believe these steps are both appropriate and responsible."

Sgt. J. Paul Vance, a state police spokesman, said Spada would follow the governor's instructions.  "I have no doubt he will be vindicated," Spada told The Hartford Courant, which first reported news of Senick's impending arrest. "I have found his integrity to be impeccable. I am shocked just like everybody else at department headquarters."

Senick, 47, was expected to turn himself in today to answer charges that he billed the state for thousands of dollars in snow removal, plumbing and other bills while living in a 2,000-square-foot house on the property of the former Altobello School in Meriden, the newspaper reported.  Rell was sworn in Thursday after former Gov. John G.
Rowland resigned from office amid a federal investigation into alleged bid-rigging. She has pledged to hold her administration to the highest ethical standards.

"Certainly it is a sad day for Mr. Senick and a disappointment to me personally," Rell said. Senick signed the $1-a-year rent deal with the Public Works Department in 1999, and the agreement drew the attention of state prosecutors.  John M. Bailey, when he was the chief state's attorney in 2001, decided against pursing possible fraud charges
after Spada wrote a letter on Senick's behalf that promised a new lease agreement was in the works.

Public Works officials later set up a new 10-year deal that increased the rent to $150 a month. In exchange, he was to conduct security checks of the property and file
quarterly reports with DPW officials. 

The newspaper reports that the State Ethics Commission wants to suspend its executive director, Alan Plofsky, for two weeks without pay and issue a written reprimand.

Plofsky has hired a prominent labor lawyer to contest the discipline. The lawyer, Gregg Adler, says Plofsky has been denied his due process rights in the matter.

Plofsky declined to comment.

He played a key role in interpreting ethics laws during the six months of scandal that led to Rowland's resignation.  During a speech to the League of Women Voters in Litchfield last month, Plofsky predicted Rowland would not be in office much longer. He also said Rowland had lied and deliberately violated ethics laws since 1997.

The Ethics Commission may take up the proposed discipline of Plofsky at its meeting on Friday.