Ex-Connecticut Gov. John Rowland Asks Court To Overturn Campaign Fraud Conviction

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland has asked a federal appeals court to overturn his political corruption conviction.

Rowland and his wife left the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City without commenting Friday.

Rowland was sentenced to a 2 1/2-year prison term last year following his conviction on a charge of conspiring to disguise work he did on a failed 2012 congressional campaign. He is free on bail.

His attorney, Andrew Fish, argued before the three judge panel that the government withheld evidence that would have benefited the defense and misapplied a federal law to criminalize a contract Rowland pitched to congressional candidate Mark Greenberg.

Fish argued it could not be the basis for the crime Rowland was convicted of because it never became a valid document, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.

Prosecutors have denied those charges and argued the conviction should stand.

A decision by the appeals panel could take weeks or months.

Rowland resigned from office in 2004 amid a corruption scandal and served 10 months in prison for taking illegal gifts.

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