Coin scandal concerns resonate to D.C. (Toledo Blade)

[tsuki]

By STEVE EDER
BLADE STAFF WRITER

WASHINGTON - What began as questions about Ohio's $50 million venture with a Toledo-area rare-coin dealer has mushroomed in just 10 weeks into a scandal that's echoing through the halls of Congress.

It's forcing Republicans nationwide to take a close look at what went wrong in the GOP-controlled Buckeye State.

"What's happening in Ohio is a specific case that we are looking into and monitoring closely," said Aaron McLear, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee. "We are taking steps to solve the problems. I don't think it is indicative of anything more."

Democrats are begging to differ.

Partisans in Washington argue that a Republican "culture of corruption" extends far beyond Tom Noe and Columbus, reaching all the way to the White House and Capitol Hill.

/snip

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050612/NEWS24/506120370
-----------

"Culture of Corruption," You have to love the Toledo Blade.

[OzarkDem]

1. (OH) Coin Scandal Resonates to DC

"The controversy has Democrats questioning whether the Ohio Republicans who permitted the state's rare-coin investment could have been capable of wrongdoing at the polls last November.

U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Lorain, said his Republican counterparts in Washington and Columbus have left a trail of misdeeds that was highlighted during last year's presidential race. If President Bush collected illegal money in Ohio, Mr. Brown said, it casts some questions about the results of the election.

"When you see one party with this much power, corruption sets in," Mr. Brown said. "I don't know of any state that has seen it this bad."



http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050612/NEWS24/506120370

Other Toledo Blade Coingate Articles today:

Worker's Comp Bureau Admits (Another) $4.8M Loss

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050612/NEWS24/506120368

Ohio Faces Distant Fight For Worker's Comp Loss
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050612/NEWS24/506120355

NOES Sighted In Florida
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050612/NEWS24/50612002

[leesa]

2. "...I don't think it is indicative of anything more." Anything more than

what? Major corruption? Obviously, it has reached far and wide, even to your Fuhrer, who still owes many thousands more than the 4 he's returned?

[Webster Green]

3. Resonated to California as well....

Our fuckwad gropinator has decided to return $10,000. Originally, he was going to keep the money, but changed his mind when the scandal started getting legs.

[Coexist]

4. "Noes sighted in Florida"

why do they always come to Florida - what is it about my state that attracts people who are hiding from the press or the law????

[tsuki]

6. They get to keep their sixteen million dollar "homestead" when

they go bankrupt.

[converted_democrat]

17. Exactly!!

[mod mom]

14. COULD IT BE YOUR GOVERNOR?

[slor]

5. I know so many people...

that have no friggin' knowledge of this story, they are shocked when they get handed one of my print versions. The Dems could capture a huge win, if they push a populist agenda NOW! Our state is being targeted to be turned into a fundamentalist fortress, and this could be the thing to derail that plan. But I have little hope, in more than just a few of the Dems of this state. Dean needs to get here and kick them into gear!

[rodeodance]

7. maybe this will go someplace and Dean is getting involved--a

DU thread from this morning.


But from this article:

,,,,,,,U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Lorain, said his Republican counterparts in Washington and Columbus have left a trail of misdeeds that was highlighted during last year's presidential race. If President Bush collected illegal money in Ohio, Mr. Brown said, it casts some questions about the results of the election.

"When you see one party with this much power, corruption sets in," Mr. Brown said. "I don't know of any state that has seen it this bad.

"People are stunned by the corruption and arrogance of Ohio's Republicans," he said.

Election questions
That's why some Democratic members of Congress are planning to meet with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean next week to talk about what happened in Ohio during the 2004 presidential election.

[maseman]

8. Ohio covering it OK

I live in Ohio and must say that it has been getting pretty good coverage here. The newspapers in CLeveland, Cincy (although lame), Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Akron have all been covering pretty well. In addition even local garbage newscasts have been giving it some time as have some local radio talk shows.

Some issues, no matter how corrupt, don't make much national coverage since it primarily effects people of Ohio. I understand the implications of the moneies being donating to the GOP cause by Noe could have (and probably did) help get Shrub elected in Ohio. But that still isn't enough to get people's panties in bundles around the country unfortunately.

The key with this uncovered scandal is for Ohio Dems to focus on two major issues. First off we need to ensure that Kenneth Blackwell NOT get the Governor's seat and a Dem does. Second, Ohio Dems need to focus on gaining at least two Rep. held Congressional seats in next year's election.

[OzarkDem]

9. There may be more

I have a feeling if this scandal is investigated fully, its going to uncover the entire illegal campaign money laundering machine of the GOP.

The revelations of the "coin" investments and, particularly, the management of offshore accounts in Bermuda linked to GOP owned investment houses show a small corner of a well-oiled machine that's full of hidden, untaxed, taxpayer money, flowing to GOP campaigns far and wide. I've heard snippets about these "offshore" accounts managed by Ohio GOP money men for years.


It could cripple their party for years to come. We just have to make certain its not covered up, Enron style.

[Lorien]

12. There is more

my dad told me about this story last week (I wrote about it in another thread). His girlfriend's ex-husband is a retired reporter who knows people at the Blade, and he told them both two weeks ago that Blade reporter's investigations have turned up enough evidence to make this story "the Watergate of our time" (yeah, we've heard that before). This goes all the way to the top of BushCo, according to the ex's friends. I'm sure we'll see more in the coming weeks.

[acmejack]

25. If this is as it appears, somebody is in deep doodoo

It sure does tie back into the Isle of Man and the Wylie boys. Could it be? All this is boggling my mind...

[Turn CO Blue]

20. I'll donate as much money to campaigns in OHIO as I do to

those in Colorado. THAT'S how important getting a Dem in there is to me.

[KaliTracy]

24. Agreed! Blackwell and Noe Connections....

In the Toledo Blade this week --

Mr. Blackwell said his "battle" with the Noes over the elections board serves as clear evidence that he would not allow a contributor to interfere with his decision-making.

"I just haven't been a favorite of the Noes for quite some time," he said, describing the couple as "rough-and-tumble political bosses."

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050605/NEWS24/506050376&SearchID=7321091526806

BUT WAIT

Tom Noe aided Mr. Blackwell by being an Intervenor for him in at least TWO court cases,

one regarding the use of provisional ballots about one month prior to the election
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/docs/sandusky/doc5.pdf


and one regarding the recount attempt by Cobb and Badnarik after the election http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/docs/ohio/Rios/intervene.pdf


seems to me if Noe was a "rough-and-tumble political boss" Blackwell wouldn't have wanted his name to be associated with Noe's in any way.... surely there could have been others who could have been Intervenors for Blackwell if he wanted?

:shrug:

[bpilgrim]

18. "a populist agenda" FRIGHTENS some

our elite... but they need to get wit da program or get left behind

peace

[specimenfred1984]

10. "Culture of Corruption" is Right

I agree, that is perfect.

[AtLiberty]

11. Coingate is HUGE

Don't forget Noe's connection to the Ohio turnpike...

"Cha Ching" From ¢¢¢ to $$$: How the Bush Crime Syndicate Funneled Foreign Cash Into the U.S. Political System

Florida Investigator Who Got Too Close to Florida "Coin Gate" Silenced by Jeb Bush's Gangsters

Story Unfolding

Wayne Madsen

FLORIDA PANHANDLE, June 10, 2005 -- Experienced federal investigators, acting independently, have discovered a covert funding channel used by the 2000 and 2004 Bush-Cheney campaigns and the administrations of Jeb Bush in Florida and Bob Taft in Ohio to illegally funnel foreign and other questionable money into Republican coffers.

Ever since the brutal death of Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) investigator Ray Lemme in July 2003, the focus of investigators in Florida and Georgia has been on the political scandal Lemme was uncovering. After his official investigation of contract fraud, money laundering, illegal immigration, and election fraud was shut down on orders of Jeb Bush, Lemme continued to investigate the use of FDOT to launder cash for the Bush Brothers and their allies. Lemme's focus was on the use of the Florida turnpike system to launder cash for the Jeb and George W. Bush campaigns. It was an investigation that would ultimately lead to Lemme's body being discovered in a motel room bath tub in Valdosta, Georgia. A two-state police cover up of Lemme's death, threats directed at Florida and Georgia investigators, and a virtual media blackout indicates that the GOP administrations of Jeb Bush and Georgia's Sonny Perdue wanted the Lemme story to go away -- and fast.

The reason for the cover-up of Lemme's reported "suicide" is simple. Investigators have now discovered that foreign cash, including Chinese, Saudi, and Nigerian money, was laundered via the biggest state-run cash cow in Florida -- the Florida Turnpike system. Because most of the transactions involving Florida's toll roads involve cash and huge amounts of it, it was easy for foreign and other questionable money to be laundered via FDOT.

Lemme had reportedly become aware of the use of FDOT to commit criminal acts. Valdosta, where Lemme went to meet a still unknown source, is a key center for international organized criminal activity, including illegal foreign worker smuggling, involving close political allies of George W. and Jeb Bush...

For rest of story, click:

http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/scoops/Lemme.htm

[mod mom]

15. Also don't forget the Noes were entrenched at the Lucas County BOE, and

Tom Noe brought Diebold into the county (one of only 2 counites out of 88 to use Diebold)

It was during his tenure on the BOE that Diebold machines were brought into Lucas County:

"TOLEDO, Ohio, May 10, 2002 ¯ Just about every county in the nation is rushing to update their voting technology, but no county to date has done it faster than Lucas County."
<snip>
"Lucas County Board of Elections Acting Chairman Tom Noe, who was present to observe the May 7th election, was pleased with the outcome. "I don't think there is another county in the nation that has implemented touch screen voting as quickly as Lucas County did for this trial run in a primary election," Noe said. "The people of Lucas County and of Ohio in general can be proud of this achievement.""
http://www.sequoiavote.com/mediadetail.php?id=57

http://www.diebold.com/news/newsdisp.asp?id=2997

Also Mr. Noe intervened with Blackwell in a court case:

Thomas W. Noe files to intervene in Democrat court Case v. BlackwellEdited on Fri May-27-05 05:57 PM by phoebe
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/docs/sandusky/doc5...


Lucas is a democratic stronghold but their antics probably lost alot of dem votes in inner city Toledo:

The SOS's Investigation of Lucas county following the election:

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/elections/lucas.htm

This report includes the fact that REPUBLICAN VOLUNTEERS were allowed UNSUPERVISED ACCESS to UNSECURED BALLOTS prior to the election, as well as this list:

*failure to maintain ballot security
*Inability to implement and maintain a trackable system for voter ballot reconciliation .
*failure to prepare and develop a plan for the processing of the voluminous amount of voter registration forms received.
*issuance and acceptance of incorrect absentee ballot forms.
*manipulation of the process involving the 3% recount.
*disjointed implementation of the Directive regarding the removal of Nader and Camejo from the ballot .
*failure to properly issue hospital ballots in accordance with statutory requirements.
*failure to maintain the security of poll books during the official canvass
*failure to examine campaign finance reports in a timely manner.
*failure to guard and protect public documents.
*failure to guard and protect public documents ....etc.

plus the break in at the Lucas County Democratic Headquarters in October '04 in which computers with sensitive data were stolen, certainly should raise some eyebrows.

I WISH THE BLADE WOULD INCORPOATE MORE OF THE ELECTION PROBLEMS INTO THE COINGATE SCANDAL!

[mod mom]

13. Former SOS, Rep Sherrod Brown again quoted about election results

U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Lorain, said his Republican counterparts in Washington and Columbus have left a trail of misdeeds that was highlighted during last year's presidential race. If President Bush collected illegal money in Ohio, Mr. Brown said, it casts some questions about the results of the election.

WE NEED TO CAST DOUBT OF OUR ELECTION SYSTEM IN THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC, ONLY THEN CAN WE GET RID OF THE MACHINES THAT (MIS)COUNT THE VOTES!

[MelissaB]

22. Amen!

"WE NEED TO CAST DOUBT OF OUR ELECTION SYSTEM IN THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC, ONLY THEN CAN WE GET RID OF THE MACHINES THAT (MIS)COUNT THE VOTES!"

Thanks for all the links and for all you do to inform us about this story.

[MidwestTransplant]

16. How is this playing in the MSM in Ohio?

[mod mom]

19. I only read the Blade (and I'm in columbus) and they are the BEST! nt

[OzarkDem]

23. Plain Dealer covering it a little

They're being pretty selective, trying to protect Petro, who they want to be the next governor.

[Al-CIAda]

21. Rec'd.