Monday, August 22, 2005
Coin-Gate and Bob Taft - Perfect together.
Now that Bob Taft has been convicted of four charges, let's let the Toledo Blade bring us up to date.
But wait, you say. Aren't these merely innocent golf outings with a few chums?
The list of Mr. Taft's undisclosed golfing partners included dozens of businessmen who had lucrative state contracts or faced state regulation as well as campaign contributors, who, along with members of their companies, gave more than $230,000 to the governor's campaigns, a Blade investigation showed.Yessirree Bob! $4K and an written apology should stop this behavior in its tracks.
The governor's golfing partners also included lobbyists who have represented dozens of companies seeking state money, deregulation, or policy change.
Last week, Mr. Taft pleaded no contest to four first-degree misdemeanor ethics violations for failing to disclose dozens of gifts on his state-mandated financial disclosure forms. A judge ordered him to pay a $4,000 fine and issue a written apology to all Ohioans.
But wait, you say. Aren't these merely innocent golf outings with a few chums?
The report lists several sections of relevant ethics laws, including the prohibition on public officials accepting anything of value "that is of such a character as to manifest a substantial and improper influence upon the public official or employee with respect to that person's duties."Chum,as in fishing, is a good word to use.
Later in the report, in a section that lists those who paid for Mr. Taft's golf outings that he did not include on his ethics form, the Ethics Commission states: "Some of these individual sources, as well as persons who were present during the events, were persons doing, seeking to do business with, regulated by, or otherwise interested in matters before the state of Ohio."
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