New Noe News (Coingate in Ohio)

[salin]

Noe asks to liquidate portion of his holdings
Real estate, coin store, biotech firm, other assets on list


By JOSHUA BOAK
BLADE STAFF WRITER


COLUMBUS - Lawyers for Tom Noe have asked a Franklin County court to allow their client to liquidate investments in real estate, his coin store, a biotechnology firm, a high-speed Internet provider, a telecommunications company, and a Florida powerboat retailer.

Under investigation for a myriad of alleged crimes that include stealing from Ohio's $50 million rare coin funds and laundering donations to President Bush's 2004 re-election campaign, Mr. Noe is by court order currently unable to sell assets valued at more than $15,000.

Mr. Noe could receive $662,500 from liquidating seven business partnerships, according to the motion filed at the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.

"He's got expenses that any other human being would have, and he's got no job," said Jud Scheaf, an attorney for Mr. Noe.

more: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050812/NEWS24/508120384


Wives found ways to share wealth, coin records show
Petro says Noe's spouse billed firm


By JOSHUA BOAK
BLADE STAFF WRITER


COLUMBUS — Records show that Bernadette Noe belonged to the state coin funds’ wives club, an unofficial cadre of spouses who found employment with the $50 million investment that their husbands managed for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

Mrs. Noe is married to former Toledo-area coin dealer Tom Noe, who is under criminal investigation and is being sued by the state because of his management of two state rare-coin investment funds.

more: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050812/NEWS24/50812003

salin's comment on the second story - the importance, according to Petro, of this finding is that the Noes are claiming that their assets shouldn't be frozen because she had her own income and did not do business with the coin funds ergo the state's claim that assets had to be frozen because it is possible that said assets were purchased with state money (and thus ought to belong to the state). Thus this finding - gives more leverage to Petro to freeze the assets.

Petro's whole role in this is interesting as well. He has aspirations to be governor. But he was previously state auditor, and he worked on political issues/committee(s?) with Mrs. Noe. He stalled taking action - but now appears to be going after it hard - as if doing so will make him look like the good guy. Interesting political drama and staging in all of this.

Meanwhile GOP stock in Ohio keeps falling. Taft had low approval ratings (17% or so) before the story came tumbling out. Can only venture to guess what it is looking like these days.

[salin]

1. Case in point - item in the Dayton Paper:

Taft could make history in unwanted way — a conviction

By William Hershey

Dayton Daily News

COLUMBUS | If the investigation into his unreported golf outings results in charges that end in a criminal conviction, Gov. Bob Taft could become the first governor in Ohio's 202-year history to be convicted of a crime while in office.

In addition, Taft, 63, would join a list of about a dozen other governors convicted of crimes in the post World War II political era, a dubious distinction for the great grandson of a president and the grandson and son of U.S. senators.

"I'm personally not aware of any Ohio governor being convicted of any crime while in office," said historian George Knepper, distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Akron and author of Ohio and Its People.

Political scientist Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia, who has written extensively about governors, echoed Knepper, although Sabato said that his research focused on governors in office since World War II.

Taft, a Republican, triggered the current investigation with a June 14 letter to the Ohio Ethics Commission in which he acknowledged failing to disclose free golf outings on the financial disclosure forms he must file each year with the commission. He is required to report gifts worth more than $75 on the forms, including golf outings.

Taft retained William Meeks, a Columbus criminal lawyer, to represent him.

more: http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0812history.html

[Supersedeas]

7. thanks for the links guys--finally some are tying to Bush campaign

[Hubert Flottz]

2. GOP "MORALITY" in action!!!!!

Why do the "Godly" GOPers always steal from the people in need of help the worst?(Workers’ Compensation)

"He's got expenses that any other human being would have, and he's got no job,"! People hurt on the job have expenses also! It's not anyone's fault but Mr. Noe's that he is unemployed. Mr. Noe-it-all made his own bed! So let him sleep in it!

[liberalnurse]

3. It is time to take out the garbage!

Oh, the stench in my state is horrendous! :grr:

I just hope this gets moving fast....The Toledo Blade has been magnificent in honorably reporting all of these republican crimes. Makes me want to take another shower.

[mod mom]

4. Bernadette Noe used Petro connections to gain work for law firm.

Mr. Petro has also acknowledged that Tom Noe's wife, Bernadette, may have contacted his office and successfully directed special counsel work to the law firm where she worked. He also considered the Noes to be friends.

//www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050605/NEWS24/506050367

[salin]

5. good catch.

I can't wait to see the work of Mr. Tipps (former dem party official and lobbyist who recently announced leaving lobbying to head a group focused on uncovering corruption and Columbus pay to play activities) in the future. He has suggested there are a few other big pots of public money that have been notoriously misused. I think the long oppressive heat of summer is going to continue long into the fall and winter for the Ohio republican party.

[cmd]

6. kicking

And wishing the Gov a speedy trial and long sentence