THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

But the Toledo Blade article today includes this interesting revelation.

Since 2001, it has been illegal for state employees to accept free golf games from people doing business with their agencies.

Mr. Taft has refused to say how many outings he failed to disclose or whether they involved Mr. Noe.

It is clear, though, that Mr. Taft knew it was improper to accept free golf. He said that himself last month in a speech at an ethics symposium at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

“Public servants must pay if they want to play,” the governor told the group.

“Public employees can enjoy entertainment, such as golf or dining out with persons working for a regulated company or one doing business with that state ONLY if they fully pay their own way.

Entertainment falls under the same category as gifts,” he said during the May 11 speech.

“Finally, ask before you act,” Mr. Taft said. “The Ohio Ethics Commission is a great resource for you if you have any uncertainties or questions about your interaction with public servants. Take advantage of their expertise and keep yourself out of trouble.”

The next day, May 12, Mr. Taft went to the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to give another talk on ethics. In it, he offered a strong opinion of his administration’s stance on the issue.

“We simply will not tolerate unethical behavior in this administration,” he said.

“Unfortunately, not everyone has received that message. A number of your former colleagues are no longer with us or no longer working for the state either because they didn’t understand the laws, they didn’t take the laws seriously, or they may have just looked the other way,” the governor said.

The governor ought to remember this simple rule of cooking, "What is sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander."