This morning, the Toledo Blade revealed yet another investigation going on in the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. Here is part of the article from today's paper:
The law-enforcement task force investigating Tom Noe is conducting a far broader probe of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, having interviewed hundreds of witnesses in what could result in a series of public corruption cases.
Investigators have uncovered other, previously undisclosed questionable deals with a variety of companies and people who invested money for the state agency.
Yesterday, Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates — a member of the task force — said she would not confirm any specifics of the group’s work.
“There is a wide web of possible criminal involvement that needs to be scrupulously and meticulously investigated, analyzed, and explored,” Ms. Bates said.
“Their job is far from over.”
Documents released last week in Columbus as part of the investigative reports leading to the conviction of two former aides to Gov. Bob Taft revealed allegations about Terrence Gasper, former chief financial officer of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
One of the former Taft aides, Doug Moormann, said in a sworn statement that he had been told that Mr. Gasper had vacationed at Mr. Noe’s home in the Florida Keys. Mr. Gasper made key decisions regarding the agency’s $50 million investment in Mr. Noe’s rare-coin funds and in a failed $215 million investment in an off-shore hedge fund.
Law enforcement sources confirmed they are looking into allegations that Mr. Gasper spent time at one of the waterfront homes that Mr. Noe owned in the Keys.....
We have another fascinating story out of Delaware County, Ohio. The Dispatch tells the events of how Susan Hollenbach was wrongly fired by Republican, David Yost. Here is an excerpt:
The conflict began in 2003 when Hollenbach refused to use $40,000 in federal and state grant money to pay the salaries of assistant prosecutors who no longer handled child-support cases, she said.
"She didn’t want to sign the checks," said Hollenbach’s attorney, Fred Gittes. Yost "ordered her to sign the checks."
Tensions continued even after the Child Support Enforcement Agency became free-standing under the county administrator, she said.
After a Nov. 10, 2003, private meeting with Yost, commissioners put Hollenbach on paid administrative leave. Also that week, Sheriff Al Myers opened a theft-in-office investigation at Yost’s request and a local judge appointed a special prosecutor to assist.
On Feb. 12, 2004, commissioners fired Hollenbach. At the time, they said they made the decision because of uncertainty about how long the investigation would last.
An audit by Ohio Auditor Betty D. Montgomery’s office later showed that Hollenbach managed the agency’s finances within the law....
Ann Fisher also has a commentary about how Hollenbach was mistreated and Delaware County's David Yost abused his power. Hollenbach won and settled out of court, but Delaware County is still stuck with Yost.