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Political forces at work over impeachment
COLUMBUS (AP) - At first glance it was a confusing sight: Republicans who control the Ohio House wanted to keep Democrats from initiating a history-making impeachment of their own statewide official over a sex scandal and an unprofessionally run agency.
After all, there would have been no Republican fingerprints and Attorney General Marc Dann couldn't have claimed - as former President Bill Clinton did - that the impeachment was motivated by partisanship.
But on closer inspection the political maneuvering last week to take ownership of Dann's potential punishment came into focus. Dann has since resigned and the impeachment effort has been dropped, but ongoing investigations mean the scandal is not over.
Dann admitted an extramarital affair with a subordinate and said his behavior was partly to blame for a casual work climate that led to sexual harassment of two young women in his office.
Republicans and Democrats have a vested interest in how the investigation is handled and how quickly the scandal is resolved.
(Refer to page 5 of today's Daily Chief-Union) |
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More Ohio schools tell students to stay home on Election Day
COLUMBUS (AP) - School officials worried about student safety and congested hallways on Election Day, when many school buildings double as polling places, are canceling class or scheduling teacher training days for the Nov. 4 general election.
Many polling places in Ohio featured long lines of voters during the 2004 election, when Ohio decided the election for President Bush over Democrat John Kerry. Voter turnout is expected to also be heavy this fall, when Ohio could again be pivotal.
"With these presidential elections, people start lining up and down the hall," Bexley Superintendent Michael Johnson said. "We almost have to put up guardrails, like at the airport."
School will be canceled for students and staff members this year in the Columbus suburb of Worthington, the first time the district has canceled classes for a presidential election.
School officials in Bexley, Groveport and Reynoldsburg - also near Columbus - have scheduled teacher training on Election Day as a way of keeping students away from crowds, also the first time the schools are giving students the day off for a presidential election. And suburban Dublin is asking the state to allow a training day on Nov. 4.
(Refer to page 5 of today's Daily Chief-Union) |
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| FRIDAY MAY 16, 2008 |
Inspector says AG investigation to be thorough
By JULIE CARR SMYTH
AP Statehouse Correspondent
COLUMBUS (AP) - Resignation is far from the end for former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann, who quit Wednesday amid a firestorm of criticism from all sides.
A coalition of law enforcement and administrative agencies is soon to be convened under Inspector General Tom Charles to coordinate efforts and share resources as they review the conduct of Dann and others within his office, Charles said Thursday. Impeachment was the only legal threat to be raised against Dann that had been dropped as a result of him voluntarily stepping down.
Ironically, the gathering will look much like the task force that investigated former Gov. Bob Taft, his aides and associates in the rare coin scandal that enveloped the Taft administration and helped Dann get elected.
Charles said his probe will be wide-ranging. He said it could look at all aspects of the attorney general's operation, even before Dann took office, and not just allegations raised during a sexual harassment investigation that saw three Dann aides forced from their jobs and two others disciplined.
Dann admitted to an affair with a subordinate after the investigative report was released and threatened to reveal the relationship.
(Refer to page 5 of today's Daily Chief-Union) |
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Governor: top quality for next attorney general is maturity
By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
Associated Press Writer
COLUMBUS (AP) - Gov. Ted Strickland quickly named maturity as the top quality he's looking for in a successor to disgraced Attorney General Marc Dann.
Not a surprise, given the steady stream of tales emerging from the office involving alcohol-soaked pizza parties, alleged drunken driving in state vehicles and parties with young employees.
It's clear the 66-year-old Strickland, who hasn't ruled out running for a second term in 2010, wasn't referring to age. So what did he mean, and how do the possible replacements measure up to the "m" word?
"It's important that people of experience and strong qualifications seek public office and that's certainly the kind of individual that I will be looking for," Strickland said early in Wednesday's news conference, minutes after Dann announced his resignation.
OK. That was probably a nod to Dann's acknowledgment May 2 that he was not prepared for the office or to run such a large agency. So what about the maturity part?
"Experience," Strickland elaborated. "Management ability."
"Those certainly are criteria that I think are essential," he said.
(Refer to page 5 of today's Daily Chief-Union) |
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