Ohio Republican Corruption Stories Continue
Just when you thought it was safe to close the book on Ohio Republican corruption scandals, another investigation story emerges. This time Sen. George Voinovich's name is tied to Republican coin dealer and fundraiser, Tom Noe. The Toledo Blade:
Tom Noe gave about $50,000 to the wife of U.S. Sen. George Voinovich's longtime friend, personal accountant, and campaign treasurer, according to records from his criminal trial.
In 1998, when Mr. Voinovich was governor, Noe received the first $25 million to invest in rare coins from the state. That same year, Laura and Vincent Panichi began donating to Mr. Voinovich's Senate campaign. They gave $12,000 to his campaigns through 2005, according to Federal Election Commission records.....
.... Noe said of Mr. Panichi, who was then-Governor Voinovich's campaign treasurer: "He's gotten me a number of clients." Mr. Voinovich's staff also helped pass a bill to add investment coins and bullion to the list of items exempt from Ohio's sales tax. Senator Voinovich has avoided the fallout from the Noe scandal despite the accusations and convictions of some of his closest political allies in Columbus. In 1998, the final year of Mr. Voinovich's tenure as governor, the bureau made a pact to invest with Noe, a Toledo-area Republican campaign contributor. By then, Mr. Voinovich already had appointed Mr. Noe to the Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees and the Ohio Board of Regents. On the eve of Mr. Voinovich's 1998 election to his first term in the Senate, Mr. Voinovich was accused of conspiring with his late brother, Paul, to launder campaign money in 1994. Paul Voinovich died in 2002. The Ohio Elections Commission dismissed the complaints about eight months after the election. The investigation called into question the conduct of Mr. Panichi and Mr. Voinovich's brother, who owned The V Companies. Mr. Panichi told the grand jury that then-Governor Voinovich approved a plan by his brother to launder $60,000 in campaign money.
It appears as though the Republican scandals in Ohio have been ugly and widespread, and are just waiting to be discovered. With a little more digging, who knows what other improper activities will be exposed?
