NEWS
The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 19, 2004 - 5
Conn. faces governor scandal
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - An antiques deal-
er who bought a condominium from Gov. John
Rowland at an above-market price pleaded guilty
to a tax charge yesterday. A source told The
Associated Press that the dealer agreed to coop-
erate with authorities in a federal probe of the
governor's administration.
Wayne Pratt, an expert on New England furni-
ture and a regular contributor to the PBS program
"Antiques Roadshow," could help prosecutors
establish whether the Republican governor had
crooked dealings with state contractors.
Pratt bought the Washington condo from Row-
land for $68,500 in 1997, at a time when similar
condos in the same building went for $20,000 to
$30,000.
Pratt said he met Rowland once briefly at a
party, but never discussed the sale of the condo
with him and never saw it before he bought it.
He said he bought it for someone else, identi-
fied in court papers as "Associate A." Prosecu-
tors said "Associate A" paid for the condo and
purchased it through Pratt because he did not
want to be listed as the buyer.
Pratt's attorneys have said that "Associate A"
is businessman and state contractor Robert
Matthews, a friend of both Pratt and Rowland
who arranged the sale.
A source involved in the case told the AP on con-
dition of anonymity that Pratt
has agreed to cooperate with "Every dayi
the federal investigation into
Rowland's administration. drip, drip. W
Pratt faces a maximum developmen
penalty of a year in prison
and a $100,000 fine, but is like Niagara
expected to receive probation.. "
"I am sorry for the mis- Coming ngh
take I made by failing to
file a completely accurate
tax return," Pratt said. "I Conne
look forward to putting this
situation behind me and
focusing on my antiques business."
Lawmakers said yesterday's news could be .
damaging to Rowland.
"Every day it's a drip, drip, drip. With this
development, I think it's like Niagara Falls is com-
i
c
ing right at us," said House Speaker Moira Lyons.
William Dow III, Rowland's attorney, down-
played the plea.
"Wayne Pratt cannot truthfully make any claim
that John Rowland engaged in any improper or ille-
gal activity," Dow said.
t's a drip Matthews has received
'Tmillions of dollars in
[ith thus state-backed loans for
t, I think it's manufacturing companies
he owns. A building he
Falls is owns in New Haven is
Sat ' filled with state offices.
aUS. Federal prosecutors have
been trying to determine
- Moira Lyons whether there was a quid pro
ticut House Speaker quo agreement between
Rowland and state contrac-
tors. Rowland has acknowl-
edged receiving gifts from employees and contractors,
but said he did not provide anything in return.
A legislative committee is also investigating
Rowland, and will decide whether to recommend
his impeachment.
AP PHOTO
Attorneys Andrew Holding, left, and Thomas Dwyer talk to reporters after antiques dealer
Wayne Pratt pleaded guilty to a federal tax violation in Hartford, Conn. yesterday.
HOUSE VOTE
Continued from Page 1
-islature. "When the legislature puts
something on the ballot, it's more of a
recommendation than a question," he
said. He added that a referendum exerts
undue influence on voters and goes
against the principle of representative
democracy. "The legislature's paid to
make policy decisions and they should."
Julian defended his proposal as
democratic, but Lipsey and other
opponents of the amendment have said
supporters of efforts to rescind Michi-
gan's 158-year ban on executions can
bring the amendment toa statewide
vote if they collect enough signatures.
Lipsey said the proposal's defeat
would silence supporters in the state
legislature for the time being. "I don't
think it's an issue that's going to come
up again soon," he said.
Julian did not reject the possibility
that the amendment could again see
the light of day in the Michigan legis-
lature. "I don't think this issue will go
away," he said. Julian's crusade may
have to be taken up by another law-
maker after he leaves the House at the
end of this year due to term limits.
He introduced his proposal just days
after two Detroit police officers were
shot to death during a routine traffic
stop last month.
"I believe it is the proper punish-
ment for first-degree murder and I will
always believe that," he said.
HOLOCAUST
Continued from Page 1
Business School senior Roman
Ginzburg, co-chair for the confer-
ence, agreed with Berenbaum about
the importance of remembering the
Holocaust.
"The Holocaust happened six
decades ago and it's going further and
further into the past, so remembering
is all we have," said Ginzburg.
Bernstein, the man for whom the
lecture is named, was a University
alum and the assistant deputy director
of the Office of Special Investigations
at the U.S. Department of Justice. This
office is responsible for finding, denat-
uralizing and deporting those who par-
ticipated in Nazi atrocities during
World War II. Bernstein was killed on
the 1988 Pan Am flight 103 where a
bomb was planted by terrorists.
Berenbaum's lecture marked the
25th anniversary of the Holocaust
Conference. Events included a speech
by English Prof. Ralph Williams and
readings of names on the Diag.
i I i i r_ -M
TUITION
Continued from Page 1
$20 million of this deficit.
Although the University typically
strives for autonomy from the state gov-
ernment, Coleman is not concerned that
subjecting University tuition discretion
to legislative decision will set an unfa-
vorable precedent of Lansing dictating
policy."I would not have done this if I
thought that was the case," she said.
In response to the decisions, some
students were upset that tuition would
be raised at all, even though increases
will most likely be modest.
Out-of-state students, whose
tuition does not fall within
Granholm's proposal, expressed
even more resentment toward the
administration.
"I think they should learn how to
work with the money they have and cut
some programs that might not be nec-
essary," said LSA freshman Chris
van't Hof, who is from Minnesota.
"I think they spend a little too much."
But some students supported to
Coleman's decision.
"I'm glad that she's working for the
benefit of the students. Increasing
tuition much further could deter valu-
able students from coming to Michi-
gan," LSA junior Dan King said.
In April, Coleman will unveil new
ideas for the University to keep it on
the "cutting edge" of research and aca-
demic services. She added that "we
can't just stop dead in our tracks" in
the face of budget cuts.
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