Blue Buckeye Blog

Ney, "The Fat Man", and the $75,000 bribe

or, Zack Space, the citizens of the 18th District, and an Ethics Pledge.

The difference between Zack Space and Bob Ney is night and day.  Ney, who entered a guilty plea for public corruption charges, accepted $75,000 in casino chips as a bribe to try to relax sancations on Iran so Fouad al-Zayat a Syrian-born criminal could sell airline parts to the Middle East nation. (Newsweek)

Zack Space signed an ethics pledge stating he will not accept free trips, gifts and meals from lobbyists.  Zack Space also pledged to put the interests of the citizens of the 18th Congressional District first.  Who did Ney put first:  Foreign criminals who want to do business with Iran.

Night and day.

(HypoSpeak)

PD reports Ney will plead guilty

Here we go again - another post using the Rich Mr. Pennybags image, our unofficial mascot of Republican corruption.

The Plain Dealer is reporting that the King of Republican corruption, Bob Ney, will plead guilty to at least one criminal charge in a deal with the Justice Department.  Ney's plea is expected to be in relation to his involvement with dirty GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff.  Three other lobbyists, including Ney's former chief of staff, have plead guilty to criminal charges in the case.  Ney is accused of favoring legislation in exchange for political contributions - and a swanky trip to Scotland to play golf.

It has been a stellar year for Republican corruption, with the conviction of Republican Gov. Bob Taft on corruption charges.  But Taft isn't the only Republican who has appeared before a judge this year - we've seen a whole host of Republican elected officials end up on the wrong side of the law. 

Noe gets 2 year prison term for GOP corruption

Like Rich Uncle Pennybags here, Tom Noe is headed to the slammer.  Noe, a GOP-fundraiser and former Lucas County Republican Party Chair, was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison for illegally funneling money into President Bush's re-election efforts.

Noe used two-dozen friends and associates - including several current and former Republican elected officials - to bypass federal contribution limits in donating to Bush's campaign.

Noe's scheme wasn't grand - he simply transferred money from his $50 million dollar coin-fund "investments" (which Betty Montgomery failed to audit) into his personal checking account.  He then wrote his Republican friends checks from his account, and they in turn wrote checks - bearing the same amount - to Bush's re-election campaign.

Noe still will face trial beginning on October 10th for 48 felony counts relating to the millions of dollars he allegedly stole from the $50 million dollars from the BWC he "invested" in rare coins and Beanie Babies (which Betty Motgomery failed to audit).

It'd be funny if it wasn't so true...

Bye Bye Larry!

Larry Householder, the man who gives corruption a bad name, has decided to drop out of the Perry County Auditor's race.  His decision to drop, according to GOP sources, was because he was going to get beaten badly come November.

Householder joins Rep. Bob Ney as the second high-ranking GOP official to quit their re-election bid in as many weeks.

Householder is currently under investigation by the State Auditor's office because of an alleged plan to use Perry County workers, working on county time, to rehab a bar he planned to open in Zanesville.

Householder's decision to drop out ensures that we won't see newspaper headlines like the gems he's given us in the past: (Larry is so popular he has a special section of the Plain Dealer website devoted to his corruption!)

• Even lobbyists are gagging on Ohio's sleaze,
• The speaker's bad judgement,
• Householder probe seizes computers,
• Householder associates part of probe,
• House speaker Householder exits under cloud, goals unmet,
• Speaker accused of missuing war chest.

Another Republican accused of running afoul of the law

We've been waiting on this one for awhile, and prosecutors finally filed charges this week against Republican Morrow County Commissioner Jean McClintock for forging a prescription for painkillers.

McClintock stands accused of altering the prescription so she could receive more Vicodin.  She makes the bizarre claim the prescription was intercepted and altered in the mail by an unknown person.

McClintock joins a laundry list of current and former Republican Party officials who have run afoul of the law in the past six or so years:

1. Delaware County Coroner David Rath - resigned after being found guilty to stealing a bottle of Morphine from the scene of a death.  Rath later disclosed he was addicted to the pain medication.
2. Fayette County Auditor Penny Johnson - guilty of misuuse of public funds, for her habit of taking cash from county coffers and replacing it with IOUs.  Running for re-election.
3. Fairfield County Judge Don McAuliffe - resigned after being found guilty of burning down his house to collect insurance money.
4. Fairfield County Sherrif Gary DeMastry -  DeMastry was forced to resign after pleading guilty to 32 counts including theft in office, tampering with evidence and obstructing justice.
5. Franklin County Clerk of Courts Mike Pirik - found guilty of theft in office after he paid a special employee for time she didn't work.
6. Franklin County Clerk of Courts Jessi Oddi - resigned and found guilty of stealing over $190,000 in traffic fines.
7. Henry County Commissioner Steve Baden - resigned after a no contest plea to charges he stalked a 14-year old girl through a Toledo neighborhood and tried to lure her into his car.
8. Ohio Governor Bob Taft - pleaded no contest to charges of failing to report gifts and golf outings.
9. Ohio Republican House Caucus Attorney Stephen Linnen - sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of jumping out of bushes naked and photographing his victims' reactions.
10. Lucas County Republican Party Chair Tom Noe - pled guilty to violating federal campaign finance law, sentence pending
11. Donna Owens, Sally Perz, Betty Schultz, Maggie Thurber - Toledo-area Republicans who all pled no contest to failing to report gifts of more than $75 dollars.
12. Richland County Commissioner David Swartz - resigned and pled guilty to charges he molested two girls under the age of 11.

Ney's staffers quit, get subpoenaed, indictment next?

Rumor has it that after Bob Ney held an emergency meeting with members of his campaign staff today he then made a visit to his campaign office.

Seriously though, you know the ship is going down when the rats are jumping off.  BSB brings us news that Ney's Liar in Chief, Brian Walsh, has left Ney's office, as well as Will Heaton, Ney's Chief of Staff and Chris Otillo, Ney's Legislative Director.

Roll Call brings word that Matt Parker, district director in Ney's St. Clairsville office has been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury as part of the Abramoff probe.

The news keeps getting worse for Ney....

"Noe's Angels" to be charged with breaking state ethics laws

Word from the Toledo Blade today that four Toledo Republicans are expected to be charged with crimes related to money they took from coin dealer Tom Noe. 

The GOP officials:  Lucas County Commissioner Maggie Thurber, Toledo City Councilwoman Betty Schultz, former Toledo Mayor Donna Owens and former State Rep. Sally Perz face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

"Noe's Angels" prove that Ohio Republicans are allergic to ethics, honesty and integrity.

Ney is still National Journal's 3rd most vulnerable House race

Bob Ney's vulnerability continues, says the National Journal. Ney is currently listed as the 3rd most vulnerable House seat.  Why?  Ney's Blackberry incident.

We have a hard time taking the pulse of this district. That said, Ney appeared thin-skinned with his recent Blackberry remarks to a Copley News reporter. Clearly, the bad press is getting to him, and that’s never a good sign for a targeted incumbent.

"Buzzards seem to be circling" Ney

"I am sure this is a very uncomfortable day for Bob Ney because it means his indictment is that much closer."

With guily pleas from Bob Ney's favorite lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former Ney Chief of Staff Neil Volz, and the conviction of a top government official associated with Ney, the speculation continues to build - when will Bob Ney be indicted?

"All the associates around Bob Ney seem to be convicted in court on a regular basis," said Ohio Democratic Party spokesman Brian Rothenberg. "The buzzards seem to be circling."