Campaign contributions often affect public policy.

Governor Strickland received strong support from the coal industry over the years.  When he ran for Congress (1996-2004) he received $159,606 from coal interests and in 2006 he received $654,455 to support his run for governor.  This year’s fiscal budget includes an amendment that makes it easier for a proposed coke plant, which would purify coal for use in steel production, to navigate its way past the environmental appeals process.  The Strickland administration pushed this rider to the state's budget, giving the Ohio EPA directors the authority to modify permits while they are under appeal. Governor Strickland signed the budget on June 30, 2007.

The telecommunications industry, led by giant AT&T, has poured $374,581 into lawmakers' campaign accounts, $69,365 to Governor Ted Strickland, another $30,188 to the other four statewide officeholders, and $84,210 to Democrat and Republican Party accounts. The contributions totaled $558,344 in 2005 and 2006.  In 2007, the telecommunications industry pushed a bill to rewrite state cable franchising law.  On June 25, 2007, the Governor signed this bill into law.  Unfortunately, the bill does not include some important consumer protections like anti-abandonment or anti-redlining language to ensure that lower income communities have access to broadband internet service. 

Money in politics has affected the awarding of contracts by the state and the oversight of these contracts.

The Coingate scandal exposed the ugly underbelly of Ohio’s pay-to-play system.  Thomas Noe and his wife gave more than $200,000 to candidates, party organizations, and political action committees over the past fifteen years.  In March of 1998, Thomas Noe Inc. was awarded a $25 million investment contract for the Ohio Workers' Compensation fund.  Noe invested state money in coins and other collectibles, including beanie babies and wine.  In 2000, an auditor for the bureau raised multiple questions about the coin fund and identified problems with monitoring transactions. In a report to his superiors, the auditor suggested it could be a problem for bureau officials if there were any future "fraudulent acts."  However, Noe was awarded an additional contract in 2001 and was subject to very little oversight. 

In April 2005, The Toledo Blade first reported that two of the state's investments, gold coins valued at $300,000, had been lost in the mail. In May 2005, state officials announced that they were pursuing charges against Noe after his attorney informed authorities that up to $13 million was missing from the state money that had been entrusted to Noe.  In November 2006, Noe was found guilty of theft, money laundering, forgery, and corrupt activity.  Only $13 million of the original $50 million invested has been recovered to date.  The investigation into the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation triggered by the Noe scandal has led to twenty indictments so far.

Unfortunately, ethics violations are not limited to public officials associated with Tom Noe. In the fall of 2003, chairman of the Ohio Police and Fire Pension board David Harker resigned from the board after the state's largest police organization called on him and two other trustees to step down. In June 2005, Harker pleaded guilty to four first-degree misdemeanor charges for receiving gifts from state contractors, including a golfing trip to Scotland and a trip to see The Ohio State University football team play in the 2002 National Championship.

In 2001, Arnold Tompkin, the former director of the Ohio Department of Human Services pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for improperly steering $60 million in mostly unbid contracts.

Political insiders and major donors also get other perks.

Despite having dropped out of college after only two semesters, Governor Bob Taft appointed Tom Noe to the Bowling Green State University Board. In 1995, he was appointed to the Ohio Board of Regents which has authority over Ohio's educational system, including the management of state funds. 

Brian Hicks, former aide to Taft, was appointed to the Ohio State University Board of Trustee in 2004. In July 2005, Hicks was convicted on misdemeanor ethics charges for not disclosing his vacation stays at Tom Noe’s Florida home. Hicks remains on the Board of Trustees and has a political consulting firm, Hicks Partners, LLC. Cherie Carroll, another former Taft aide, was convicted at the same time for accepting free meals from Noe.

Money has a corrupting influence on politics because it allows the wealthiest among us to exert undue influence.  Political reforms, including campaign finance reform, easier access to information, and improvements in governmental ethics laws, are essential. We deserve accountable government that is responsive to our needs.