Gifts that Gov. Bob Taft failed to disclose

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1125028740180990.xml&storylist=cleveland

8/25/2005, 11:52 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

(AP) — Gifts that Gov. Bob Taft's administration says the governor inadvertently failed to disclose from 1999-2004 and now are being provided to the Ohio Ethics Commission:

• Dec. 8, 1999: the Richard E. Jacobs Group, box of steaks ($100)

• March 24, 1999: Youngstown/Warren Regional, portfolio ($26); shirt ($22.50); jersey ($65); hat ($6)

• Jan. 19, 2000: then-Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, book ($25)...

[barbaraann]

1. Maybe he didn't want to disclose them because he "regifted" them.

:D

[Algorem]

2. That Tom Ridge book would be a real thriller of a gift.

"Gee...thanks...Bob(throws up in mouth a little)."

[barbaraann]

3. It would make a great doorstop!

Or maybe a sleep aid. LOL

[NYC]

4. Those are pretty cheap gifts.

Especially the book from Tom Ridge.

[WCGreen]

5. The best is he recieved a $5000 donation from Art Modell

right before the Browns were moved to Baltimore...

And I suggested to the man running for governor in 1998 that he print up Ravens Football Schedules with Modells pic and Bob Tafts pic on them and pass them out at Indians games....

Oh that's too nasty, I was told....

Guess what, the Nice guy finished last.....

[knitter4democracy]

20. That wouldn't have been nasty

It would've been true.

*sigh* I voted for Nice Guy . . . That was a hard election to take, as it was my first one in Ohio after having been to college there and all.

[ThoughtCriminal]

6. Did he eBay Tom's book?

[formercia]

7. Starting at $0.01

LOL

[Maeve]

8. Y'all see...this is why we don't impeach him!

The goodies just keep coming! :bounce:

The Other Paper, Columbus' alternative newspaper, writes that Bob is so used to life on a silver spoon that he really doesn't think there is anything unusual in people just giving him stuff and sure, why would they expect anything in return? :eyes: He's toast--it's just a matter of how long he'll stay on the griddle...

[salin]

9. but while this sounds worse - the other story today is the big one

this is about small value gifts - lets the public discount it and shrug their shoulders and yawn.

The BIG story (though I had to go through 3 pages on news.google to find it) is that the SEC sent a letter to the BWC warning about several of the investment groups and their excessive fees - one of the warnings went directly to Petro - who denied any problem and did nothing. One of the investments is linked to MDL that lost 250million. In the story - it is long - but one of those one MUST keep for later reference - the same names recur - and at least one is now in charge of another big $ pile (Cowan/Cowman? I think is now in charge of the teacher retirement fund?)

THAT is the story to keep kicked and to call attention to - that is the one that makes you GASP. AND it isn't being broken by the BLade - which means a few of the other big Ohio papers are starting to try to DIG rather than just repeat (or in Cincinatti just to down play) the stories run by the Blade.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1728985

edited to add link to other thread/story

[Maeve]

10. Agreed--Taft isn't the real target in the mess we've got here in Ohio

There are far worse and they keep coming.

Personally, I think Taft is an empty suit, another cog in the machine. I suspect he's actually more honest than most, but he's oblivious to much of what goes on around him; not important and he's not really in charge, anyway--he just plays the role. If he wasn't a Taft, he wouldn't be elected dogcatcher.

[mtnester]

11. Exactly...Tom Noe is going to take everyone with him

I have seen this over and over and over again.

Here in our county of Ohio, a corrupt Sheriff is STILL behind bars because his underlings narc'd him out to spare their asses, even though they were just as complicit as he was. NONE of them spent any jail time, while the Sheriff does 6 years. If you want a little background on this one, read up here http://www.ethics.ohio.gov/PressReleases/01182002.html

Noe has already started to squeal...he better have bodyguards, cause he ain't done talking yet. He will name names, dates, provide documentation, and perhaps even some tape recordings before this is all through I betcha. And who knows WHAT ELSE is lurking. Snowball Effect rules could apply.

And as an Ohioan, we want Taft to stay right where he is....as a big fat whiny pathetic reminder of how corrupt Ohio government has become. Him staying HELPS us in 2006 and eventually in 2008.

That is EXACTLY why the Ohio statehouse Dems backed off impeachment...the strategists were SCREAMING "NO, leave him RIGHT where he is!" I bet some of those screams came straight from the DNC as well.

Taft has become the poster boy for corruption in this state and this nation (to some degree). Why remove the target?

[salin]

12. I agree - let the wheel's come off for the whole party

mind you with Noe, the investments began before Taft. Though the part of this story that is not widely repeated - is that there was a planned third 25 million investment this spring (for Noe) - that was only stopped because of the Blade's reporting.

Once I started following this very closely (july) - I became captivated - it is such a classic playbook of pay-to-play and payola and slush fund politics that I believe is active much higher up in the party (DeLay). Sadly the most serious items are not getting much play (like this story) while the surface and not so damaging stuff is getting trumpeted.

[mtnester]

13. I think all the dirt will come out next spring during

what I believe will be the dirtiest, nastiest, most expensive gubernatorial Republic primary this country has ever seen.

[salin]

14. Blackwell's new theme: "Not Taft"

not a good sign for taft - and I hope it backfires on Blackwell (esp if connections between him and the scandal appear - which in a small way already have per Noe's wife's activities as a gop chair in the 2004 elections)

[Maeve]

15. Oh, yeah--this is going to be one to watch!

:popcorn:

I'd like to see Ohio have at least TWO state-wide political parties again!

[OzarkDem]

18. Allegations have already surfaced

that Blackwell can't account for millions in HAVA funds and that many consulting contracts were given to political donors. Same old tricks, but with a different source of revenue.

[OzarkDem]

17. Unless the candidates are under indictment

GOP is going to have to go deep into their reserves for candidates. Petro, Montgomery and Blackwell are up to their eyeballs in this mess.

[salin]

21. sorta leaves the GOP in a pickle

looks more and more like Illinois.

[OzarkDem]

16. We need a Coingate Commission

These crooks and their media accomplices are trying to sweep this mess under the rug as quickly as possible, but revelations like these keep bubbling to the surface.

These problems first surfaced back in 2002 when Joe Deters ran for office. If they hadn't been covered up then, we wouldn't have the mess we have today. Its beyond ridiculous that their "reform" committee, chaired by GOP hack Tom Hayes, supposedly concluded its meetings and made its "recommendations" before the SEC news revealed another GOP tool for milking taxpayers.

The cover ups have to stop and Petro needs to resign.

[Algorem]

19. Story-"Taft's search overlooked 8 more gifts"-+ new: MoveOnTaft.org

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1125048621292520.xml&coll=2

Ethics panel to look into new information

Friday, August 26, 2005
Sandy Theis and T.C. Brown
Plain Dealer Bureau
Columbus

-- One week after his conviction for failing to disclose gifts -- most of them free golf games -- Gov. Bob Taft announced that his self-described "exhaustive search" failed to turn up eight other items.

The admission quickly shifted the debate from Taft's ethics to his competence, and it came just hours after an unusual alliance debuted a new interactive Web site, MoveOnTaft.org, to try to force the governor from office 16 months before his term expires.

"It looks like the governor is going back to court," said Ohio Roundtable President David Zanotti, whose group is sponsoring the Web site with Ohio Citizen Action.

A Franklin County judge found Taft guilty of four charges for failing to report gifts from some of the state's most influential lobbyists and business leaders. One of his golf partners was tainted coin-dealer Tom Noe, who invested $50 million of Bureau of Workers' Compensation money and is accused of misappropriating millions...