NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton says he wants to return $750 in contributions to his exploratory committee in his bid for the Republican nomination for governor from Lisa Wilson-Foley and her husband, Brian Foley. He says the money has already been spent.

The couple pleaded guilty March 31 to conspiring to make illegal campaign contributions through a scheme that hid the consulting role prosecutors say former Gov. John Rowland played h her 2012 campaign. Prosecutors say Wilson-Foley wanted Rowland to work on her primary campaign but believed that because he had been convicted of a felony his involvement would attract negative publicity to her candidacy.

The New Haven Register reports (http://bit.ly/1h30A4Y ) that Boughton said if there were a way to return the money, he would.

The Foleys each contributed $375 to the committee last fall.