The Ohio Grand Ole Docket is specially reserved for players in Ohio's array of political scandals.
Cherie Carroll - Convicted - Fined
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Carroll was Ohio Governor Robert Taft's executive assistant before she joined Brian Hicks' lobbying company. In July, 2005, she was convicted of accepting expensive meals from Thomas Noe--an ethics violation of her work as a lobbyist.
Carroll was fined $1,000. Permalink | Updated 2/25/06 |
Terrence Gasper - Pled Guilty in Federal and State Counts - Sentencing Pending
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Gasper is the former chief financial officer of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. On June 1, 2006, he was charged with both federal and state counts related to allegations of illegal dealings with agency brokers and former coin dealer Thomas Noe. Gasper was charged in both state and federal court with what are called bills of information and waived indictment to both charges, which typically means the target of the charges has agreed to plead to them.
In federal court, Gasper was charged with one count of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act by accepting things of value from two bureau brokers and others seeking to get investment business. In state court, Gasper was charged with felony money laundering and a misdemeanor ethics charge related to his dealings with Noe. On June 7, 2006 Gasper pled guilty in federal court to racketeering and in state court to money laundering and failing to report gifts. Gasper faces up to 7 years and 3 months in the federal case and up to 5 1/2 years in the state case. His sentencing has been delayed until he is through assisting investigators. Permalink | Updated 6/11/06 |
Brian Hicks - Convicted - Fined
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Hicks was chief of staff to Ohio Governor Robert Taft before starting a lobbying firm in 2003. In July, 2005, he was convicted of failing to report the nine days he stayed at Thomas Noe's Florida Keys vacation property, for which he payed a below-market total of $800.
Hicks was fined $1,000. Permalink | Updated 2/23/06 |
J. Douglas Moorman - Convicted - Fined
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J. Douglas Moorman, a former executive assistant to Gov. Bob Taft, was
charged
February 10, 2006 on one count of ethics violations for
failing to disclose a $5000 loan he accepted from Tom Noe in 2004, which he used for
mortgage payments. On February 24, he was convicted and received a $1,000 fine. Permalink | Updated 2/25/06 |
Thomas Noe - Convicted - Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison and Ordered to Pay $16.7 Million
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Thomas Noe has been indicted in two separate, but overlapping investigations for a variety of corrupt activities in Ohio and in
national politics.
On October 27, 2005, Noe was indicted in a federal investigation on three felony counts of Conspiracy, Conduit Contribution Violations,
and False Statements. On October 31, 2005, Noe pled not-guilty to all three felony charges. However on May 31, 2006, Noe changed his plea to guilty to all three charges.
On February 13, 2006, the Lucas County District Court of Ohio charged Noe with embezzling at
least $1 million and laundering more than $2 million from a $50 million rare-coin investment that he managed for the Ohio Bureau of
Workers' Compensation. Noe pled not guilty to all 53 felony counts, including Racketeering, Theft, Forgery, Money Laundering, and Tampering with Records. On August 22nd, a judge consolidated 8 charges into a single theft charge, reducing the charges against Noe to 46. Permalink | Updated 11/27/06 |
Donna Owens – Pled No Contest – Fined
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Donna Owens is the former Republican Mayor of Toledo (1983-1989). On June 28, 2006 Owens pled no contest to misdemeanor charges of failing to report gifts worth more than $75. She was accused of receiving money from prominent GOP donor Tom Noe, then contributing it to President Bush's re-election campaign in her own name in an alleged scheme by Noe to skirt laws limiting individual contributions to $2,000.
Owens was fined $1,000. Permalink | Updated 6/30/06 |
Sally Perz – Pled No Contest – Fined
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Sally Perz (R) is a former Republican Ohio state Representative. On June 28, 2006 Perz pled no contest to misdemeanor charges of failing to report gifts worth more than $75. She was accused of receiving money from prominent GOP donor Tom Noe, then contributing it to President Bush's re-election campaign in her own name in an alleged scheme by Noe to skirt laws limiting individual contributions to $2,000.
Perz was fined $1,000. Permalink | Updated 6/30/06 |
Betty Shultz – Pled No Contest – Fined
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Betty Shultz is the Toledo City Councilwoman. On June 28, 2006 Shultz pled no contest to misdemeanor charges of failing to report gifts worth more than $75. She was accused of receiving money from prominent GOP donor Tom Noe, then contributing it to President Bush's re-election campaign in her own name in an alleged scheme by Noe to skirt laws limiting individual contributions to $2,000.
Shultz was fined $1,000. Permalink | Updated 6/30/06 |
Governor Robert Taft - Pled Guilty to Ethics Violations - Fined
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On August 18, 2005, Bob Taft
pled "no contest" in Franklin County Municipal Court to charges for failing to disclose 47 golf
outings, five dinners, and 29 other favors paid for by friends. Taft was
charged the maximum financial penalty for each of his crimes, totaling $4000. Among the violations were three trips to Toledo's Iverness Club with Tom Noe, who paid for at least one of the outings. Gov. Taft was the first Ohio governor ever to be convicted of a crime. Permalink | Updated 2/22/06 |
H. Douglas Talbott - Convicted - Fined
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Franklin County prosecutor Ron O'Brien
filed a criminal complaint
for two misdemeanor and one felony charges against H. Douglas Talbott, a former aide to both Gov. Bob Taft and Gov. George Voinovich,
on February 10, 2006 for ethics violations. On February 24, he was convicted on all charges. He paid a $3,960 fine.
In July, 2004 Tom Noe wrote Talbott a check for $1,960, asking, "I'd like to get some money to some folks. Can you do this?" Talbott supplemented the check with his own money, and, five days later, wrote contribution checks of $1000 each to three Ohio State Supreme Court Justices. The checks were part of a fundraiser Noe hosted at his Catawba Island home that raised $14,000 for the Republican justices. Talbott also was convicted of failing to disclose a $39,000 loan he received from Noe in 2002, which he used to pay for a vacation home. Talbott was a member of the so-called "Noe Supper Club," a group regularly treated to perks and fine meals. Permalink | Updated 2/25/06 |
Maggie Thurber – Pled No Contest – Fined
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Maggie Thurber is the Lucas County Commissioner. On June 28, 2006 Thurber pled no contest to misdemeanor charges of failing to report gifts worth more than $75. She was accused of receiving money from prominent GOP donor Tom Noe, then contributing it to President Bush's re-election campaign in her own name in an alleged scheme by Noe to skirt laws limiting individual contributions to $2,000.
Thurber was fined $1,000. Permalink | Updated 6/30/06 |
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