Former Connecticut Governor John Rowland filed a motion seeking to dismiss charges that he broke federal election laws in his roles with two congressional campaigns.
Rowland's attorneys, in the motion filed Tuesday, say the government is trying to criminalize "conduct that is simply not illegal."
Rowland faces seven counts related to trying to hide his role as a paid consultant in two campaigns for U.S. House in 2010 and 2012 by receiving payment from businesses owned by the candidates' families. In the motion, Rowland argues that in one case, he never worked for the candidate, and in the other, the government cannot show that he did anything illegal.
Rowland resigned as governor ten years ago, and spent ten months in prison on unrelated corruption charges.
