Trolls waste no time.
On WTIC's afternoon drive show, Pastor Will Marotti shied away from the scandal facing his predecessor, former Governor John Rowland.
Marotti started off the show by talking about UConn basketball and the low attendance at a Hartford Wolf Pack game. Marotti asked his listeners to call in and talk hockey. The first caller didn't get very far.
Caller "John" started his call the same way many of Rowland's callers started.
"Hey guv!" he said. Marotti chuckled, and corrected him. Listen below:
"I thought this was 'Church and State'," exclaimed John. "You're back in town, baby!" After a few moments, Marotti realized what was happening, and hung up.
"I've actually been on the air for the last four years, the last two as a fill-in host," Marotti explained. He said he's been on WTIC a lot over the last two years, often filling in for morning host Jim Vicevich. "I'm sorry if you didn't listen, [or] didn't tune in, but I'll let you know what the schedule is," he told listeners.
In 2004, Rowland resigned as governor and later served ten months in prison on a federal corruption charge. Marotti was a "spiritual advisor" to Rowland. Here's the Record-Journal's account of their relationship:
The relationship with Rowland started in 2003 when Rowland appointed Marotti to serve on a council to oversee faith-based uses of government funds. During the heat of the Rowland scandal, Marotti became one of Rowland’s staunchest supporters even calling for a public show of support on the steps of the state Capitol. During Rowland’s 10 months in federal prison, he remained in contact with Marotti.
Last week, Rowland announced he was leaving his 3:00 to 6:00 pm time slot on WTIC-AM "to take care of some personal issues," after it was revealed that he was being investigated for his role in Lisa Wilson-Foley's failed 2012 congressional campaign.
Rowland's replacement was his former radio co-host, Pastor Will Marotti. After serving 10 months in federal prison for a corruption conviction, Rowland later became an afternoon radio talk show host with Marotti for a show called "State and Church." Marotti left the show in 2012 and Rowland continued by himself.
WTIC's program schedule currently lists the 3:00 to 6:00 pm time slot as "WTIC Afternoon Drive Programming."
