(Coingate) Taft seeks order to block BWC deposition (executive privilege)

[Robbien]

COLUMBUS - Gov. Bob Taft asked the Ohio Supreme Court yesterday for a "protective order" to prevent a Democratic state senator from questioning him and Chief of Staff Jon Allison under oath about failed investments at the Bureau of Workers' Compensation.



Kathleen Trafford, a Columbus attorney hired by the attorney general's office to represent Mr. Taft, said the sole issue in the lawsuit filed by state Sen. Marc Dann, a Youngstown-area Democrat, is whether reports to the governor from his high-ranking aides are public records under Ohio law.

Saying the high court has pledged a "full and speedy" resolution of the lawsuit, Ms. Trafford wrote that Mr. Dann's plan to depose Mr. Taft and five other current and former high-ranking aides could set a "precedent for misusing public records complaints as inquisitory tools for personal or political purposes."

Mr. Dann, who also is an attorney, said that charge was "absurd." He said the records could provide more details about why up to $13 million is missing from the state's investment in rare-coin funds controlled by Tom Noe and why the state lost $215 million in just a few months in a high-risk hedge fund managed by Mark D. Lay of MDL Capital Management.

. . .

Mr. Taft's chief legal counsel has said the records are exempt from the public records law because of executive privilege. Mr. Dann has said executive privilege does not exist in Ohio law.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050715/NEWS24/507150333/0/NEWS11

[jimshoes]

1. Where's our money Bob???????

Who do you think you are? You have broken the trust of the people of Ohio and now you want to hide, you coward! It's no wonder you have a 17% approval rating. You republicans stink on ice.

[jazzjunkysue]

2. "I just decided I'm King." executive order #1. Hey: Works for Shrub

[Botany]

3. Fuck you Bob

My state is now in the shitter thanks to you and all your friends .....
have fun in jail!

[pfitz59]

4. A Taft in jail?

Surely you jest!

[Botany]

5. Sure the republican judges and repub. house members will be right on it

:rofl:

[DiverDave]

6. I have just one question for the gov.

Do you think that people are STUPID?
We all know that you are hiding your role in the theft of millions of dollars...come clean.
Oh, I forgot, you are a lying thieving repuglican, you and yours are incapable of telling the truth.
Thief, felon, republican.

[AndyTiedye]

9. He Thinks the Rethugs Have All Future Elections are In the Bag

So he doesn't really care what anybody else thinks.


Yeah, he thinks the people are stupid too.

[O.M.B.inOhio]

10. Are you sure they don't? They own the back door to the tabulators

[AndyTiedye]

13. I Think Blackwell Will "Win" and Pardon Everybody Involved in Coingate

Taft obviously thinks so too.

The media whores will have some fast talking to to explain it away
when the polls showed him down 30%, but we know they are up to the task.

[AuntiBush]

7. Hey Bob... You Screwed A Lot of My Family & Their Not Real Happy

about it. Nope, not one bit. Matter-of-fact, a few family members told me last night on the phone they'll vote for someone's "dog" before ever voting for another Rethug (their words) in Ohio ever again.

Oh, and they want justice served, as well.

[msongs]

8. "what are you hiding from the citizens?" - spread the meme n/t

[snot]

11. KICK. We need to keep attn/pressure on OH officials. nt

[Joanne98]

12. Ohio Dems ROCK...................

They're kicking ass.

[GetTheRightVote]

14. Why would he need to avoid court unless he is lying ???

:kick:

[roguevalley]

15. okay, cite the law that grants executive privilege. Ain't none? Well ...

[Mnemosyne]

16. .

:kick: :kick:

[wallwriter]

17. Sherrod Brown for Governor...

Bob Taft for inmate...