Stick it to Ken Blackwell, kick him while he's down

[roseBudd]

And it's MSM blog so not just preaching to the choir.

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/gov/2007/01/blackwell-passes-bucks.asp#comments

Blackwell passes the bucks

In tomorrow's Enquirer

COLUMBUS – Before he left office this month, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell gave 19 staff members bonuses totaling more than $80,185, according to figures released by his successor.

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat elected Nov. 7, questioned the spending by her Republican predecessor.

The parting payments from Blackwell, who lost the governor’s race to Ted Strickland, ranged up to $7,923 for Assistant Secretary of State Monty Lobb of Glendale.

Other Blackwell staffers receiving the largest bonuses were:

- Chief of Staff Sherri Dembinski ($7,845),

- Chief Financial Officer Dilip Mehta ($7,765) who signed off on the bonuses

- and General Counsel Cassandra Hicks ($7,450)

“For a lot of the employees, it was almost like a golden parachute,” Brunner told The Columbus Dispatch which first reported the story Wednesday. “I just think that taxpayers’ expectation of how the government operates is that bonuses aren’t generally considered to be something that government does.”

Brunner, who defeated Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Greg Hartmann in November, said she learned of the payments after taking office Jan. 8.

Blackwell’s former spokesman Carlo LoParo said the bonuses were appropriate and payments to 10 of the 19 senior staffers included agreements that they would resign, saving the office from paying unemployment.

“I would just have to chalk (Brunner’s comments) up to overall inexperience,” said LoParo, who got a bonus of $1,702, according to payroll records.

Brunner said Blackwell spent too much of the office’s budget, forcing her to ask the state Controlling Board in coming weeks for as much as $1 million to pay expenses until the next budget takes effect July 1.

Her office also has to pay a $225,000 settlement from a lawsuit filed against Blackwell and the Lucas County Board of Elections on behalf of voters who did not receive an absentee ballot and were not allowed to cast provisional ballots in the 2004 election.

Brunner’s office was informed that the settlement was finalized in December but couldn’t be paid until January, LoParo said. As far as the office’s budget, more was spent last year because of the election in which statewide races were decided, LoParo said.

Blackwell, a West End native and former Cincinnati mayor, lost the governor’s race to Democrat Ted Strickland last year.

posted by Carl Weiser at 1/17/2007 05:47:00 PM

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[Rick Myers]

1. Blackwell going out like a true Repuke!!!

I'm sure the new Attorney General will be checking the validity of his 'severance packages.' I don't think it will pass the 'smell' test.

[roseBudd]

5. Comment on the blog, icing on the cake is that it's his hometown paper

and he's probably back in Cincinnati.

I hope someone eggs his house :evilgrin:

[Botany]

2. I know Jennifer

She will not put up with this shit.

She is whip smart and a former judge ..... thanx Ken you just gave Jennifer an opening
with which to go after you.

[rocktivity]

3. Seeing as all the trouble Blackwell has in store, I have only two words for him

Hush money?

:evilgrin:
rocknation

[formercia]

4. Yup

any way you look at it. :evilgrin:

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

6. question about how Blackwell spent HAVA funds

wonder how this panned out -


Politics Extra: Common Cause Ohio seeks audit of Blackwell spendingCommon Cause/Ohio cited Blackwell's use of "more than $2 million in federal ... how, and how wisely our Help America Vote Act (HAVA) money has been spent. ...

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/gov/2006/09/common-cause-ohio-seeks-audit-of.asp

[bleever]

7. Treasonous bastard

is a polite term for what Ken is.

K&R.

[autorank]

8. What a commentary - and I guess we don't understand the wacky world of elections

“I would just have to chalk (Brunner’s comments) up to overall inexperience,” said LoParo, who got a bonus of $1,702, according to payroll records.
----------

It's always some nonsensical excuse form these people. Well, machines count backward, but there's no impact on the election; vote switching, cancels itself out; of the results don't make sense, well, that's not for you to worry about.

Good by Blackwell. One of the best events in election 2006 - the guy got spanked in public.



It's ironic. Since he had a huge conflict of interest, having not resigned as Secretary of State, he was unable to do any of his electoral magic. He just took a huge loss. Wonder what he's going to do now?

K&R Thanks

[DemReadingDU]

9. I suppose he could run for Jean Schmidt's seat in Congress

Yikes!

[salin]

10. two thoughts came to mind: payoffs (to keep mouths shut)

and trying to prevent the newly elected SoS from doing her job per supervising elections - by spending out the budget.

[galloglas]

11. Did Blackwell leave ANYTHING in the till?

Yeah, kick that SOB hard. But watch out for his head or wallet. You bust your foot.