The story of John G. Rowland is one of much promise squandered by a man who let relatively petty greed destroy his career not once, but twice.

On Friday, a jury in U.S. District court in New Haven convicted the former Connecticut governor on all seven counts in a scheme in which he sought and received money to advise political campaigns, while disguising the political work as unrelated consulting help.

Unless he wins an appeal, the ex-governor, 57, could be going away for a substantial amount of time. Sentencing is set for Dec. 12. He is now a repeat felon.

In 2004, he resigned from office and spent 10 months in prison for accepting bribes from business executives seeking state contracts or tax breaks. That time, Mr. Rowland agreed to a plea bargain. This time, he rejected an offer to plead guilty to two misdemeanors and return to prison for a short time.

Mr. Rowland emerged from that 2004 disgrace to make a decent and public life for himself, talking politics during the popular drive-time period on a Hartford radio station. Then he threw it all away, again.

The government made its case to the jury that Mr. Rowland drafted a phony contract with Mark Greenberg in 2010, when Mr. Greenberg was running in the 5th Congressional District, a seat Mr. Rowland once held, first winning it at the age of 27. Mr. Greenberg testified that he ultimately rejected the offer.

Two years later, Mr. Rowland was at it again. He entered into a $35,000 consulting agreement with Brian Foley to supposedly provide policy advice concerning Mr. Foley's chain of nursing homes. In reality, Mr. Foley testified that he put Mr. Rowland on the payroll so that he could work on the campaign of his wife, Lisa Wilson-Foley, who was running for the 5th District seat that year.

Prior to the Rowland indictment, both the Foleys pleaded guilty to conspiring with Mr. Rowland. In return for their cooperation, the government will recommend leniency at their sentencings, not yet scheduled.

Because of the former governor's record of corruption, none of the candidates wanted to acknowledge Mr. Rowland's help or list the payments on federal disclosure forms, as required by law. There was also the ethical issue involved with Mr. Rowland offering radio commentary while secretly helping one of the candidates - Ms. Foley.

Once a rising political star with national ambitions, Mr. Rowland is now nothing but an ex- and future con.