Rep. Conyers - Coingate: Special Counsel Request

[paineinthearse]

Cross-posted to the GD forum at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4245601&mesg_id=4245601

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1973328&mesg_id=1973328 for prior COINGATE post.

Coingate: Special Counsel Request

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and I requested a special prosecutor in the Thomas Noe/Bush-Cheney campaign finance abuses investigation. This scandal unfolding in Ohio is absolutely remarkable in its breadth and audacity. In case you have not been following closely, Thomas Noe, a top Ohio Republican fundraiser, was found to have misappropriated as much as $13 million in funds from the Bureau of Workmen’s Compensation Fund. A Lucas County Grand Jury uncovered federal campaign finance abuses in September of last year. Just last week, a federal grand jury has successfully prosecuted two former officials from Governor Taft’s administration with more indictments expected.

This scandal is one of the worst ever in Ohio history and reflects pervasive corruption in the Republican party that reaches all the way to the White House. These missing funds represent the income protection for those injured on the job. I imagine most people recovering from serious workplace injury are less than amused to learn that Ohio Republicans viewed their workers’ compensation fund as monopoly money to play with. I’m certain that most are astounded to learn that this missing money may have been laundered into political campaigns of Ohio Republicans and the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Unfortunately, no federal investigation of these violations began until well after the 2004 election. This is particularly worrisome if the delay was undertaken to avoid the impact this case could have had on the presidential election. The U.S. Attorney in the case, Gregory White, is a Bush Appointee. White sought support for his current appointment from Governor Taft. Governor Taft has been found to have violated ethics rules by not reporting gifts from Noe, while the Bush-Cheney campaign received over $100,000 in donations from Mr. Noe. Given these circumstances, it is only fitting for a counsel truly independent of these machinations to take over this investigation. For this reason, Marcy Kaptur and I called for the appointment of a special prosecutor in this case. The letter we have drafted may be found here.


Blogged by JC on 08.02.05 @ 03:31 PM ET