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AP:
Rowland Witnesses Under Surveillance
By
Matt Apuzzo and John Christoffersen, Associated Press Writers
September 8, 2004
HARTFORD, Conn. --Federal agents investigating corruption in former Gov.
John G. Rowland's administration have begun scrutinizing a private
detective working for the contractor at the center of the probe, The
Associated Press has learned.
The Tomasso Group, while acknowledging it has hired investigators to look
into witnesses in the case, denies the investigators have done anything
that could construed as harassment.
With the threat of indictments looming, "we're having some of the
potential witnesses checked out in terms of background, essentially what
their characters are," attorney Jack Fornaciari said.
The FBI stopped an investigator Friday night, seizing documents, notes and
possibly a camera, Fornaciari said.
The stop followed complaints from at least two key witnesses in the
contract-steering probe, who reported they had been under surveillance for
several weeks, said a source close to the investigation, speaking on
condition of anonymity.
The surveillance came as targets of the probe braced for indictments.
Federal prosecutors have told company president William Tomasso and
Rowland's former co-chief of staff, Peter N. Ellef, to expect indictments
soon.
Rowland's attorney, William F. Dow III, said he was unaware of the
surveillance. Rowland resigned July 1 amid the federal probe and a
legislative impeachment inquiry.
Tomasso received millions of dollars in state contracts under Rowland and
is among the contractors who provided free work on the governor's cottage
in Litchfield.
Private detectives are generally allowed to investigate witnesses in
criminal cases but they cannot harass or intimidate them.
"There's been nothing done that smacks of harassment, other than what
the FBI has done," Fornaciari said. An FBI spokeswoman declined
comment.
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