Associated Press
Ohio: Former Elections Officials Plead
Associated Press 01.03.08, 4:59 PM E
"BREAKING: Franklin County, OH Election Official Pleads Guilty to 'Profiting from Contracts for Voting Machines'" BLOGGED BY Brad Friedman ON 1/3/2008 4:47PM
BREAKING: Franklin County, OH Election Official Pleads Guilty to 'Profiting from Contracts for Voting Machines'
Criminal Charges Lead to Sentencing of 180 Days in Jail; Prison Time Suspended by Judge; Defendant 'Very Sorry'...
Speaking of Ohio, and Franklin County, and their corrupt election officials (such as Matt Damshroder, all noted in today's earlier piece), and the ridiculous continuing notion that we should, for some reason, trust in election officials...and the dubious symbiotic relationship they have with private election vendors...This just in from the Ohio Ethics Commission...
FORMER BOARD OF ELECTIONS DEPUTY DIRECTOR PLEADS GUILTY
Former Franklin County Board of Elections (Board) Deputy Director Michael Hackett plead guilty today to three Ethics charges in Franklin County Municipal Court from profiting from Board of Elections’ contracts for voting machines. Judge Ann Taylor sentenced Hackett to 180 days in jail on the three criminal offenses. Judge Taylor suspended the jail time, placing Hackett on a year’s probation, and under conditions that he perform 45 hours of community service, make $2500 restitution to Franklin County on behalf of the Board, and pay a total of $750 in fines, plus court costs. Hackett told the court that he was “very sorry” for his misconduct.
more at:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5511 ...............
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A former county elections official has pleaded guilty to ethics law violations for having ties to a company that did business with the elections board.
Michael Hackett Jr., former Franklin County deputy elections director, pleaded guilty Thursday in Franklin County Municipal Court to unlawful interest in a public contract, falsification and revolving door violations.
Hackett was charged following an investigation by the Ohio Ethics Commission.
Authorities alleged that Hackett had an interest in a $785,000 contract that the elections board approved in 2005 with SST Systems, a company whose founders include Hackett's wife.
more at:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/01/03/ap4492608.html