Press Release this morning from the Ben Konop for Lucas County Commissioner Campaign:
WWW.GIVEITBACKGEORGE.COM Unveiled Online
Site features online petition, empowers citizens with opportunity to call for return of Noe money to rightful owners: the taxpayers and injured workers of Ohio
Toledo, OH- Empowering the voters of Lucas County with the opportunity to personally and conveniently join their voices in calling for the return of Tom Noe's money to its rightful owners, www.giveitbackgeorge.com officially debuted online this morning. The site, produced by the Konop for Commissioner Campaign, features an online petition for citizens to sign, encouraging Konop’s opponent, Republican George Sarantou, to refund to the taxpayers the multiple campaign contributions he received from Tom Noe. Sarantou currently has the Noe money in his campaign account.
Konop will be holding a press conference at 413 N. Michigan Street in Toledo at 10:30 AM today to officially unveil the website, personally sign the petition and take questions on the issue of the Noe funds.
"When I'm out knocking on doors and talking to voters, I hear loud and clear that the citizens of Lucas County are aware of and interested in the behavior of their elected officials," stated Ben Konop, Democratic Candidate for Lucas County Commissioner. "This website offers us, as a community, the opportunity to demonstrate that awareness and to demand a higher standard."
On June 13th, Konop called on his Republican opponent to refund to the taxpayers of Ohio the political contributions he has received from Tom Noe, stating, in part, "In 2005, you declined to return the Noe money... Today, I am calling on you to, in fact, do the ethical thing and return the funds given to you by Mr. Noe to the Bureau of Workers Compensation." It appears that Sarantou has not returned the Noe funds since that time.
Konop, an attorney who is representing a small business in a lawsuit suing the Republican party for the return of Noe contributions, also stated in the June 13th letter that "Many prominent members of the Republican Party have returned their contributions from Mr. Noe… Republicans like President Bush, Gov. Taft, Sen. DeWine, Sen. Voinovich, Auditor Montgomery, Attorney General Petro, and Secretary of State Blackwell have all returned Mr. Noe’s donations."
"The taxpayers of Ohio deserve the funds returned to them," stated Konop. "I hope the online petition helps to empower the citizens to take back their government from the culture of corruption."
Paid for by Konop for Lucas County, Tony Pizza, Chair, 100 S. Huron St., Suite 7C, Toledo, OH 43602
UPDATE Tuesday:
The Toledo Blade has an article about yesterday's press conference. Also as pointed out on the petition by Frank Szollosi was this Toledo Blade article from June 2005.
Keeping Your Belongings Safe Through Storms
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Years ago almost every house was built with some sort of shutter, whether
designed as storm shutters or for security. Granted, most windows during
those d...
13 years ago
13 comments:
Mr. Konop apparently isn't aware that over a year ago Mr. Sarantou made an inquiry to Julia Bates, the Lucas County Prosecutor as to the proper disposition of the campaign contributions. Essentially, the question was with all the various parties involved, should the money be sent to a charity like some politicians did or pay it to BWC. She advised him to wait until the conclusion of the trial and pay the proper party or parties.
I'm pretty sure Ben is aware of that, it was even in the Toledo Blade article on this topic.
I'm not in a position to speak for Ben or for his campaign, but it would appear they feel George should do something different.
Maybe George should unveil a website called tellbentogetoutofthebladesbackpocket.com
So the commissioner candidate is calling on his opponent to ignore the advice of the county prosecutor...thought he was an attorney - shouldn't he know better?
I really believe that any of those questionable donations should have been placed in an escrow account until it is determined who is owed the money.
All indications are that these are funds that were stolen from the BWC. I'm not sure why certain politicians decided they would give what may be BWC funds to their favorite charity. Maybe they were "paying it forward".
It's just not right to take credit for a "contribution" to a charity using dollars that may have been stolen from the taxpayers and businesses of Ohio and specifically from one of the most vulnerable groups of Ohioans (injured workers).
I'm not sure where Mr. Noe's $1600 in contributions to my opponent ended up (he's been pretty quiet about that). What I am sure of is that if they are in fact BWC funds, then they should be returned to where they belong, not someone's favorite charity.
The taxpayers of Ohio deserve nothing less.
Thanks and have a good evening.
Mark
Lisa,
This is just the sort of thing that I've been waiting for.
Now, everyone can see Aunt Sandy's hand up the back of Ben's jacket.
Sadly (very sadly), there are no surprises here. . . :-(
It's not always fun being suspicious about a popular candidate, but suspicious I was.
Mark, I agree with you as to how donating money that could very well be stolen to a charity does not solve anything.
Hooda, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one - I don't think this has anything to do with Sandy at all. Even if Julia Bates did recommend not doing anything until both the federal and the state trials are completed there should have been a way to at least place that money in a separate account such as a trust held by the court as one example. That would have ended the whole reason for this to be a public issue.
Yes Mark, you are smarter than Julia Bates. While the money should be paid to whomever it belongs, it should be placed in escrow in the meantime, as opposed to Sarantou's campaign account. The fact that this money is questionable makes George's placement of it unethical. It should be in escrow until these cases are resolved. He should not have any access to these funds until these cases are resolved. Unfortunately, Anon 1,2, and 3, just because Julia Bates approves something does not make it ethical. Sarantou's comingling of these funds are unethical, at best.
"is", not are.
Just give the freakin' money back. Is it really that difficult? If the money is just sitting there in some separate account, why not just give it back. Really, why would any candidate want to be holding on to money that is linked to Noe? The man (Noe) is in enough trouble that one would think that ANY candidate would want to separate him/herself from that name.
Whether Sarantou gives the money to BWC or Bates or holds onto it until the end of the Noe trial, I think we are talking about something in the range of $700 in total that was given to Sarantou campaigns in 2000 and 2004.
I would like to see both of the candidates talk about something of substance. Okay...we all see it is about politically needling Sarantou. That's politics. But how does that help me?
Lets say Sarantou turns over the money to Bates today. Now What? I still haven't heard either candidate tell me how they will improve the business climate in Lucas County. I haven't heard how they will stop people from wanting to flee to adjoining counties. In the scheme of things this doesn't change my life either way.
Konop wants the county to be "cool?" What does that mean to me? Sarantou hasn't said anything yet. What I can get worked up about is feeding my family, being able to afford a house payment. Perhaps I'm being dense or I have tunnel vision, but I can't get to worked up about these things when I'm trying to make a living.
So, gentlemen, Konop and Sarantou, please can either of you talk to us about something other than the minutae and petty politics?
Anonymous,
It is pretty clear to me that Konop is talking substance in his campaign. As an initial matter I would argue that bringing ethics back to our city and county government is about as substantial as it gets. But, if that doesn't do it for you try these:
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060811/NEWS09/608110356&SearchID=73254558563820
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060804/NEWS09/60804043&SearchID=73254558589275
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060718/NEWS09/607180336&SearchID=73254558601181
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060630/NEWS09/60630046&SearchID=73254558614478
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060418/NEWS09/60418043&SearchID=73254558626225
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060405/NEWS09/604050420&SearchID=73254558626225
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060401/NEWS09/60401022&SearchID=73254558626225
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060329/NEWS09/603290436&SearchID=73254558626225
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060322/NEWS09/60322058&SearchID=73254558626225
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060223/NEWS09/60223026&SearchID=73254558626225
I noticed that Ben removed quite a few fake signatures from his petition (e.g. Sandy Roof and Bob McCloskey to name a few).
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