Little Pink House_ A True Story of Defiance and Courage - Jeff Benedict [48]
Another memo to Claire had one of Rowland’s officials asking the NLDC to prepare another bond commission request for funding. The governor chaired the state’s bond commission. Rowland’s deputy told the NLDC to emphasize Pfizer’s additional property needs as the driving force in the additional funding request.
Von Winkle also found a hand-drawn “Cash Flow Diagram” showing tens of millions of dollars going from the state through the NLDC to various properties and initiatives. It appeared to have been drawn by Percy and used at a private meeting he attended with officials representing Milne and the governor in March 1998.
Many of Percy’s letters had to do with money. In a handwritten letter to Jay Levin in March 1998, Percy asked him for help with fund-raising for the NLDC. “We will need whatever funding assistance you can help us get from DECD,” Percy said. “Nice to be working with you, as always, my friend.”
Overall, the documents established a series of direct links between the governor’s office, Pfizer, and the NLDC. Claire seemed to serve two functions. For Pfizer, she was a go-to person willing to charge hard for the corporation’s interests; for the governor, she appeared to function both as a funnel and a shield. By piping money through Claire’s organization for property acquisition on behalf of Pfizer, the state was using the NLDC as a layer of insulation between it and Pfizer.
Von Winkle brought plastic garbage bags full of documents to the basement of one of his buildings, where he hid them away for safekeeping. Recognizing the Dumpster as a gold mine of intelligence, he started making regular visits after hours.
Attorney Tom Londregan had finished law school in 1969 and joined a Connecticut unit of the National Guard, where he had served with another young law graduate, Christopher Dodd. Before the Vietnam War ended, Londregan and Dodd started practicing law in New London. While Dodd quickly transitioned to politics, Tom Londregan joined his brother Frank’s law firm, Conway and Londregan, in New London. After Frank became mayor of New London, Tom became the city’s attorney.
Few people had better legal and political connections than Tom Londregan. Near sixty with gray hair and old suits, Londregan hadn’t always appeared to be a powerful lawyer. But over a thirty-year career he had handled hundreds of cases and established himself as one of the most polished, accomplished lawyers in the city. Few things happened in New London political circles without Londregan’s knowledge. And the mayor and city council took no significant steps without first securing Londregan’s legal opinion.
Londregan strongly supported the Pfizer plan and the clearing of the peninsula. From the beginning he had been carefully examining each step in the process for the city council and the mayor. He knew it was only a matter of time before eminent domain would be used by the city, and he’d be busy defending it.
December 1998
Working at his desk, Tom Londregan got buzzed by his secretary. Claire Gaudiani was on the line. Londregan knew Claire well. Her husband, David Burnett, was Londregan’s tennis partner. Londregan picked up the phone.
“I’m very disappointed in you,” she snapped.
“For what?” Londregan snapped back.
“You refused to cooperate and be helpful to my attorney.”
“When was this?”
Claire had retained Hartford lawyer Peter Hirschl to advise the NLDC. At Claire’s request, Hirschl had called on Londregan for assistance in drafting a resolution on behalf of the city that would expand the NLDC’s power. Londregan had explained that as the city’s attorney he didn’t draft resolutions for the NLDC. The NLDC had its own lawyers.
Claire told Londregan she didn’t appreciate his refusal to help.
Londregan countered by saying he didn’t appreciate that a Hartford lawyer making double what he made basically expected Londregan to do his work for him.
The conversation became ugly.
December