Gov. Taft facing misdemeanors

[tinman64]

These misdemeanors aren't earth-shattering - small potatoes, actually... but any news like this doesn't help the Ohio GOP next year...

Ohio's Taft to Be Charged With Criminal Misdemeanors, AP Says

Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Ohio Governor Bob Taft will be charged with four criminal misdemeanors for failing to disclose on state forms that he accepted free golf outings, local prosecutors said today, the Associated Press reported.

Taft, a Republican who is the son and grandson of U.S. senators and the great-grandson of the 27th U.S. President, William H. Taft, becomes the first governor in Ohio history to face criminal charges while in office, AP said.

It is a first-degree misdemeanor in Ohio to knowingly file a false financial disclosure form to the state ethics commission, with a maximum penalty for each misdemeanor count of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, AP said. Taft spokesman Mark Rickel told Bloomberg News the governor won't resign, and that he will make a statement tomorrow. Rickel declined additional comment.

Taft, 63, announced in June that he hadn't properly disclosed golf outings he played in, and began turning over information about the events to the ethics commission.

The commission, which consists of six members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate, yesterday delivered a report of its investigation to Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien, also a Republican, and Columbus City Attorney Rick Pfeiffer, a Democrat. The prosecutors met earlier today to determine whether to file charges, according to O'Brien spokeswoman Christy McCreary.
 

 

[Cashcow]

I'm sure this will boost his top-notch approval rating.

[Keystone Phil]

I wonder if his approval will ever slip into the single digits.

[Virginian87]

More good news for Strickland that he can captialize on.

[Gabu]

Hahahaha, this is getting more and more like a comedy show every day.

I apologize to Ohioans, but your governor is so hopelessly inept and bad that I find it hilarious.

[Jake]

Pennsylvania calls you

[RJ]

He'd be wise to just plead, pay the fine, and move on. Taft's governorship(right terminology?) reminds me of a football or baseball team suffering through a horrible season and is playing like they just want to get the season over with.

I apologize to Ohioans, but your governor is so hopelessly inept and bad that I find it hilarious.

If I didn't whole heartedly agree with you, I'd say something.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Yes, the 'gang of three' (Taft, Voinovich and DeWine) have done considerable damage to the state GOP.

The sooner they get the hook and are driven into retirement, the better both for the state, and the Republicans there.

[RJ]

Yes, the 'gang of three' (Taft, Voinovich and DeWine) have done considerable damage to the state GOP.

The sooner they get the hook and are driven into retirement, the better both for the state, and the Republicans there.

Geez, I thought Voinovich wasn't all that bad of a character. He got reelected last year easily; the Dems didn't go after him at all.

Dewine is vulnerable in this statre but I'd venture to say at this point, Voinovich is untouchable. Taft is...well, Taft.

[Jake]

All three are, to quote walter mitty, "horrible, horrible people". We've never needed three heart attacks more in this nation.

[Virginian87]

All three are, to quote walter mitty, "horrible, horrible people". We've never needed three heart attacks more in this nation.

I think, given the right candidate, DeWine is certainly beatable.

[DarthKosh]

All three are, to quote walter mitty, "horrible, horrible people". We've never needed three heart attacks more in this nation.

I think, given the right candidate, DeWine is certainly beatable.

Next year it will be a bloodbath for Ohio republicans.

[tinman64]

UPDATE: Taft has pleaded "no contest." He was found guilty and fined $4,000.  I like the part below where the judge ordered him to apologize.

Ohio Governor Enter No Contest Plea

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS

Last updated: Thursday, Aug 18, 2005 - 09:05:30 am PDT
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Gov. Bob Taft pleaded no contest Thursday to charges that he broke state ethics law by failing to report golf outings and other gifts. A judge found him guilty and fined him $4,000.

Taft told Franklin County Municipal Judge Mark Froehlich he chose not to plead guilty but was taking responsibility for ethics lapses. His no-contest plea wraps up the case less than 24 hours after Taft became the first Ohio governor charged with a crime.

He was fined the maximum $1,000 for each of four misdemeanor counts. As expected, no jail time was ordered. The charges had carried a maximum sentence of six months on each count.

Taft nodded his head as the charges were read, and his wife, Hope, sat behind him showing no emotion.

The second-term Republican said that as governor he had expected all state workers to follow state ethics laws, adding, "In this instance I have failed to live up to the those high expectations."

The judge ordered him to apologize.

"From the shores of Lake Erie to the banks of the Ohio River, I want them to know that you are sorry for what you have done," Froehlich said.

Taft's voice cracked as he spoke later at a news conference.

"There are no words to express the deep remorse that I feel over the embarrassment that I have caused for my administration and the people of the state of Ohio," Taft said. The governor has fired others over ethics violations. But he said Thursday he would not resign, saying he still can be an effective governor and has much he wants to accomplish.

A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt but means the defendant will not fight the charges. After Taft entered the plea, Froehlich found him guilty, a routine step in Ohio in no-contest pleas.

Defense attorney William Meeks said Taft has repaid people for the gifts.

Taft was charged Wednesday with failing to report 52 gifts worth nearly $6,000, including dinners, golf games and professional hockey tickets over four years. Taft earlier had revealed that he failed to report some outings but said the omissions were accidental.

Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said the gifts included two golf outings worth $100 each paid for by coin dealer Tom Noe, a Republican fundraiser whose $50 million investment of state money in rare coins launched the scandal that led to the accusations against Taft.

State law requires officeholders to report all gifts worth more than $75 if the donor wasn't reimbursed. The Ohio Ethics Commission last week concluded its investigation into Taft's golf outings and forwarded the results to prosecutors.

A state task force and the commission are investigating public employees for similar offenses and O'Brien has said he expected more serious felony charges to be brought, although not against Taft.

The alleged ethics violations against Taft are another blow to the GOP in the Republican-controlled state that won President Bush re-election. Democrats have found hope for the 2006 midterm elections in the investment scandal and a surprisingly close congressional race this month for an open seat in a GOP stronghold.

Taft's golf partners included John Snow, then the head of transportation company CSX Corp. and now the U.S. Treasury secretary; and Tony Alexander, president and chief executive of Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp.

Some partners have said Taft paid for the golf; others have said they picked up the tab.

Taft's former chief of staff Brian Hicks pleaded no contest last month to failing to report stays at Noe's million-dollar Florida home. He was fined $1,000.

Noe has acknowledged that up to $13 million is missing from the rare coins fund, and Attorney General Jim Petro has accused him of stealing as much as $4 million.

Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2006, said the charges are part of a "culture of corruption" in Ohio.

Some residents also are fed up with the corruption.

"It's a sad state of affairs," said Bruce Lively, a Maumee resident who said he had backed Taft in the past but now thinks he should step down.

Taft was elected governor in 1998, following the most expensive campaign in state history. He also had been secretary of state, a state representative and a county commissioner in his hometown of Cincinnati.

Taft's great-grandfather was President and later Chief Justice William Howard Taft. His distinguished political family also includes his father and grandfather, who were both U.S. senators from Ohio.

[Joe Republic]

This kind of thing really doesn't surprise me in the slightest.  It's not that Taft deliberately failed to disclose the details, it's more that he either forgot, or just didn't know he had to.  What a moron.

Only eighteen months to go.

[George W. Bush]

I am humilated, to be from ohio. I just found out about this like 5 min. ago lol im in Korea. And i have to say it was a suprise that was not to shocking.

[WalterMitty]

i still support governor taft.

im proud of him standing strong against this witchunt

[Joe Republic]

i still support governor taft.

im proud of him standing strong against this witchunt

Standing strong?!?  He pretty much accepted the charges against him, as well as the $4,000 fine.

How much more harm does he have to do, or how low do his approval ratings need to go, before you accept that he's a loser?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

or how low do his approval ratings need to go, before you accept that he's a loser?

Walter needs single digits to be sure

[WalterMitty]

or how low do his approval ratings need to go, before you accept that he's a loser?

Walter needs single digits to be sure

i certainly dont agree with much of what taft has done as governor.

but i *despise* the shoot the wounded mentality of so many people.

im not a fairweather supporter

[Filuwaúrdjan]

im not a fairweather supporter

I know, I know. The oppertunity was too good to miss though

[Joe Republic]

i certainly dont agree with much of what taft has done as governor.

So what do you agree with?

[Virginian87]

but i *despise* the shoot the wounded mentality of so many people.

I guess you weren't one of those Republicans calling for Clinton's head seven years ago.

[tinman64]

One lesson to be learned from all of this is not to vote on name recognition alone, especially if the candidate is a relative of a previous officeholder.  Seek out their voting record or platform.  This goes for Reps and Dems, be they a Taft, a Bush, a Kennedy or a Clinton.

[Jake]

I'm guessing the next 50 state polls will have Taft at around 10%. That's about the limit before you get people like walter mitty who simply will not desert a dead horse.

[Virginian87]

One lesson to be learned from all of this is not to vote on name recognition alone, especially if the candidate is a relative of a previous officeholder.  Seek out their voting record or platform.  This goes for Reps and Dems, be they a Taft, a Bush, a Kennedy or a Clinton.

Especially a Kennedy.  There is some weird and sick fascination with that whole family among many Democrats, but I just see them as all image, no action (with the exception of RFK, who might have made a good president).  Thank goodness Maryland voters chose not to vote for Kathleen Kennedy Townsend as governor three years ago.  Although I don't like Ehrlich, the fact that Townsend was only running off her name was sickening.