Back in February, I called on three-term Connecticut Governor John Rowland to resign. But the career politician refused to step down, not even after it was shown that he had accepted gifts a new kitchen, a hot tub, Cuban cigars, and a Mustang convertible from special interests doing business with the state. Gifts he originally lied about receiving. Not even after polls showed only about one in ten voters still trusted the governor.

But now, after dragging the state through six months of turmoil, Mr. Rowland has resigned. It’s not that he wanted to save the people of Connecticut from this scandal. Fat chance. Rather, Rowland felt the heat the heat of a state impeachment trial as well as a federal probe into his corrupt practices. Rowland never apologized. Not for his crimes, not for his immoralities.

When the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that the governor would have to testify before the legislative impeachment hearings, Rowland is said to have feared that his statements could then be used as evidence against him on federal corruption charges. As Arthur Paulson, a professor of political science at Southern Connecticut State University, put it, “The political problem for the governor is that he had to think about himself as a federal defendant rather than a sitting governor.” He added, “His decision to resign didn’t have a tinker’s damn to do with the good of the state.”

Well, at least Rowland’s decisions are consistent. Most states do not allow any person to serve three terms. Maybe Governor Rowland is really a victim a victim of not having term limits.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.