Ah, the whiff o'scandal in the air. The coin of the realm scandal (puh-leeze, not coingate) has been getting betr-n-betr in OH-IO as republican luminaries are deserting Toledo Republican Fat Cat and Coin Broker Tom Noe like rats from a sinking ship. If the Ohio Democratic Party (Calling Denny White) can't get into this with both feet, they never deserve to win an election again. Ever.
But this week, Mr. Noe's lawyers said that as much as $13 million of the state's $50 million investment in his two funds could not be accounted for. Mr. Noe, meanwhile, has become the focus of at least six investigations or audits involving either his handling of the coin investments or his campaign fund-raising. Federal investigators are also looking into his contributions to President Bush's 2004 campaign as a "Pioneer," raising more than $100,000.
And suddenly, Republicans who once stood staunchly at Mr. Noe's side, and at his fund-raising parties, cannot seem to run from him fast enough.
Why just recently, Republican Rumpsniffer Kenneth Blackwell was pooh-poohing the missing coins as being essentially inconsequential in the grand scheme of the state budget (cue: Carl Sagan -- billions and billions). I suspect that the impact could be far and wide if the Ohio Dems keep this issue front and center as 2006 approaches. After all, weren't the Ohio "Values Voters" so highly regarded? Looks like they got theirs for just over Thirty Pieces of Silver Gold.
Meanwhile, for a third consecutive day, Mr. Noe yesterday refused to show state fraud investigators who visited his headquarters any of the rare coins he says were purchased with $50 million in state money.
An official from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation - the agency which gave him the money - said if Mr. Noe does not cooperate by 8 this morning, the bureau has asked the attorney general’s office to take legal action so the “bureau can have access to its assets.”
Hmmm, Gubernor Bob, wanna trade a Ty Cobb card for a few pieces of eight? Arrr, me hearties it's just a bit more republican piracy while no one's watchin' cept other republicans.
I love how the crooked bastards are fleeing from Noe like they are all pure as the driven snow virgins protecting their honor. There are few, if any, among them who haven't taken cash and plenty of it from Noe and his wife in the years leading up to this.
posted by Jo Fish on 05.31.05 at 08:49 PM
Comments:
"...But this week, Mr. Noe's lawyers said that as much as $13 million of the state's $50 million investment in his two funds could not be accounted for..."
Maybe the various Attorneys General and Assistant Attorneys of the US should ask Mr. Blackwell what offshore bank that missing $13 million is parked in.
Of course, it was probably only parked there because Cayman Island banks pay better interest rates than FDIC-insured institutions.
Of course.
I believe that. Don't you?
posted by: Lurch on 06.01.05 at 06:12 AM [permalink]
Lots of shady stuff going on with the Ohio GOP these days.
* Former Speaker Householder's guys were caught in a fund-raising scandal.
* Wasn't one of Taft's guys in something like that as well?
* there was Blackwell's voter suppression effort, saying he'd only take voter registration forms on 30 lb paper.
* The Stark County GOP challenged any new voters who didn't respond to their registered letter, accusing them of not being real voters.
Denny, are you taking notes on this? If they're going to be the party of morality, they're going to have to start hiring some moral people.
posted by: Tony Goins on 06.01.05 at 03:57 PM [permalink]
But, in Ohio they're so full of morals their eyes are brown!
Today there's a new story about putting voter registration info (propaganda) in church pews: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/6/1/171415/3286
