Why Ohio Governor Bob Taft should resign
By David Palmer
Ohio Gov. Bob Taft's record of leadership since 1999 is marked with numerous incidences of official misfeasance and in some instances, outright corruption. In truth, Taft's abysmal record in office proves that he lacked the intellect, skills and ethics to sit as Ohio's chief executive.
Recently, the media has had a field day reporting on the corruption involving pay-to-play schemes engaged in by Taft's administration and in particular at the Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). As a result of the BWC scandals, Taft's appointee to head the Bureau, James Conrad was forced to resign.
Randall Fisher, Taft appointee to head the School Facilities Commission was forced to resign in 2003 for failing to disclose golf outings (gifts) paid for by contractors he awarded construction contracts too.
Last, year, Taft's appointee to chair the Ohio State Racing Commission resigned after it was reported that top racing officials were betting on Ohio races.
Taft commenting on ethics
While speaking at an ethics symposium on May 11 at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Taft said, "Public servants must pay if they want to play (speaking of golf). Public employees can enjoy entertainment, such as golf or dining out with persons working for a regulated company or doing business with the state only if they fully pay their own way." (Toledo Blade - June 27)
On May 12 Taft spoke to employees at BWC and said, "We simply will not tolerate unethical behavior in this administration. Unfortunately, not everyone has received that message. A number of your former colleagues are no longer with us or no longer working for the state either because they didn't understand the laws, they didn't take the laws seriously, or they may have just looked the other way." (Toledo Blade - June 27)
Taft's comments made it clear that he would not countenance any unethical conduct. Put simply, if you violate the ethics rules, and in particular by accepting golf outings, you were going to be fired.
Taft's ethical lapses
Taft's proselytizing as set forth above was nothing more than a hybrid form of hyperbolic hypocrisy. On June 18, Taft was forced to admit that he repeatedly violated Ohio Ethics Laws by failing to disclose golf outings paid for by Tom Noe and others on his annual Ethics Disclosure Statement, which is a crime in Ohio.
Tom Noe is a high-profile Republican big shot who has contributed over $100,000 to Ohio Republicans ($21,000 to Taft) to purchase favors in Ohio's pay-to-play schemes.
Taft then did what all unethical public servants do when caught; he went out and employed a high profile criminal attorney. However, Taft told the press that he would refuse to resign.
Taft's personal standard of conduct
Taft's refusal to resign proves that he holds himself to a much lower standard of conduct than what he expects from the unethical dwarfs he appoints and then forces to resign for the same unethical and/or illegal conduct he has engaged in. In Bob's world, what's good for the goose is not good for the gander.
Taft's deplorable conduct and his obvious willingness to act as the head of and primary cheerleader of Ohio's pay-to-play schemes over the past several years, demands that he resign and that he do so forthwith.
On June 30, the Canton Repository reported that Hazel Sidaway, former member of the state's teacher pension board was criminally charged with ethics violations. (www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Categrory=9&ID=230383&r=0)
Sidaway was charged with three criminal misdemeanors for non-disclosure of gifts on her annual Ethics Disclosure Statement. Paul Nick of the Ohio Ethics Commission (he's investigating Taft for the same thing) said similar charges are expected to be filed against current and former board members who served with Sidaway. (Canton Repository)
Failing to report free golf outings (aka, "gifts") is exactly what Taft did. Therefore, since Sidaway was criminally charged, shouldn't Taft? Or do the standards of ethical conduct in Ohio lessen as one climbs up the food chain? I guess we'll have to wait and see if Mr. Nick and the Ohio Ethics Commission also believes in a dual standard of justice.
Past resignations of public officials
In the past, many public officials have resigned when faced with charges of ethical misdeeds and here's a few examples.
President Warren G. Harding
Harding's cabinet was primarily made of friends and supporters. They were known as the "Ohio Gang."
In 1921, Interior Secretary Fall gained control of government oil fields in Teapot Dome, Wyoming and Elk Hill, California and received $325,000 from two rich oilmen and a large herd of cattle that allowed them to pump oil out of the fields and sell it to themselves.
Ohio Gang member Jesse Smith, assistant to the Attorney General acted as a bagman by carrying bribes to and from the AG's office.
Ohio Gang member Charles Cramer, Veteran's Bureau legal adviser was caught taking bribes and Charles Forbes head of the Bureau was caught taking $250 million in kickbacks and bribes.
Ohio Gang member Thomas Miller, head of the Office of Alien Property illegally sold valuable German patents seized in the war for far below market prices and also had taken bribes.
Maybe it was the ol' "Ohio Gang" that came up with the jingo "Ohio, the heart of it all." With the current pay-to-play schemes in Ohio involving yet another "Gang of Ohioans," it surely seems like deja vu all over against, doesn't it?
Resignations of other public officials
Robert Tongren, Ohio Consumers' Counsel resigned in 2003 for shredding a $579,000 taxpayer funded utility study that could have saved 1st Energy customers millions of dollars
Gov. William Barstow of Wisconsin resigned in 1856 amid investigations of corrupt business practices and election wrongdoing
Gov. John Rowland of Connecticut resigned in 2004 amid charges that state contractors made improvements to his cottage at no cost to Rowland
Mayor Frank Hague of Jersey City resigned in 1947 amid accusations of widespread corruption
U.S. Secretary of War William Belknap resigned in 2004 for receiving annual bribes from a trader at an Indian post
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas resigned in 1969 for accepting a $20,000 stipend from a private foundation
Resignations involving sexual indiscretions
U.S. Rep. Wayne Hays of Ohio resigned in 1976 after his secretary, Elizabeth Ray said he hired her solely to have sex with him
U.S. Rep. Bud Lukens of Oho resigned in 1976 after he was caught fondling a young girl on a D.C. elevator
U.S. Rep. Wilbur Mills resigned as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in 1976 after a drunken incident with Argentine stripper Fanne Fox that resulted in Fanne bloodying Wilbur's face during a scuffle
U.S. Senator Bob Packwood of Oregon resigned in 1995 after 29 women accused him of sexual abuse and assault
U.S. Rep. Bob Livingston of Louisiana resigned in 1999 after Larry Flynt reported that he had extra-marital relations on many occasions (Livingston led crusade to impeach Clinton over the Monica matter)
U.S. Rep. Jon Hinson of Mississippi resigned in 1981 when charged with oral sodomy on a male in a House of Representatives restroom in D.C.
U.S. Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros resigned in 2004 for lying to the FBI about money he paid to a former mistress
New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004 over an illicit homosexual affair
Univ. of Tennessee President Wade Gilley resigned in 2001 amid allegations he had an illicit relationship with a university employee
All of the above named officials saw fit to resign when their misdeeds were exposed; however, if they had been afflicted with "Taft-itis," it is likely that none of them would have resigned.
Are we to believe that having extra-marital sex is worse than Taft accepting illegal gifts from Tom Noe and violating Ohio criminal law by failing to disclose gifts he received from Noe and others on his annual Ethics Disclosure Statements? I think not!
Taft's willingness to oversee an egregious pay-to-play scheme in Ohio since 1999 that allowed well-healed contributors to help themselves to public funds is outrageous conduct. To then feign ignorance (actually lie) about the matter is even more outrageous.
Taft's claim that he hardly knew Tom Noe is proven to be a damn lie! He golfed with Noe on several occasions; attended a birthday roast of Noe in Aug. 2004 (L.A. Times); visited Noe's coin shop in suburban Toledo several times, and met with him at numerous fundraisers over the years. Yet, he has the chutzpah to claim he hardly knew the guy.
It appears as though the ethics courses that Taft took at the Huey Long School of Ethics at Louisiana Tech University didn't do him much good. Maybe Bob should adhere to the lyrics of that ol' Ray Charles ditty, "Hit the road Bob, I mean Jack."
Will Bob resign only after he's criminally charged? Or will suffering Ohioans have to wait until he's convicted?