Governor voices misgivings about 'Team Ohio' letters

Thursday, April 20, 2000

By Alan Johnson and Joe Hallett
Dispatch Public Affairs Reporters

While going to bat for the Ohio GOP with a questionable fund-raising pitch, Gov. Bob Taft raised money for his own campaign last year at a nearly $2-a-minute clip.

Taft raked in more than $1 million, a record for a first- year Ohio governor. In 1991, Republican George V. Voinovich collected $770,409 in his first year in office.

Despite Taft's impressive off-year cash haul, Brian K. Hicks, his chief of staff, said the governor spends "very little time'' on fund raising.

Yesterday, Taft expressed regret over the time he spent last year on a Sept. 10 fund-raising letter for the Ohio Republican Party.

The letter signed by Taft invited Republicans to join "Team Ohio'' by donating at least $25,000 to the state GOP, offering invitations to a party at the Governor's Residence, a seat in his box for an Ohio State football game and other perquisites to donors.

In his first public comment on the Team Ohio brouhaha, Taft said the solicitation letter "was inconsistent with the ethical standards and tone we have sought to set in the governor's office since I've become governor. That's why we pledged not to be party to anything like that in the future.''

Taft said he did not make fund-raising calls for Team Ohio "in connection with that solicitation.''

He also denied making calls from the Governor's Residence soliciting campaign contributions.

"We go to the Ohio Republican Party to make fund- raising calls,'' he said.

Much of the Team Ohio money was funneled into the Ohio GOP's operating fund, an account allowed to receive unlimited contributions and to be kept secret from the public. Ohio GOP Chairman Robert T. Bennett has refused to name Team Ohio members or make public the operating fund.

On Tuesday, Ohio Democratic Chairman David J. Leland voluntarily disclosed his party's operating fund showing $19,781 worth of contributions since Jan. 1, 1998.

Taft said he would support changing state law to require disclosure of the Team Ohio contributions, but stopped short of urging state GOP officials to do so voluntarily.

"I think the Democratic Party and the Republican Party ought to follow the law as it is written today,'' Taft told reporters after the first meeting of the Governor's Commission on Student Success at Ohio State University.

"What I've said is I would support a law to require them to disclose all contributions . . . I have long been an advocate for full disclosure of campaign contributions.''

Taft declined to call on Bennett to reveal Team Ohio contributions now, before disclosure is required by law.

"That decision . . . is one that he as chairman of the Republican Party has to make,'' Taft said.

"You have to talk about a level playing field. . . . I think the issue is to change the law so everybody knows what they have to do, so everybody is on equal footing.''

Gary Abernathy, state GOP spokesman, said Bennett "is not opposed to a law change'' but would not reveal names of Team Ohio members or disclose the operating fund unless required to do so by law.

While lending a hand for GOP fund-raising efforts last year, Taft impressively began filling his own re-election coffers to the tune of slightly more than $1 million. His campaign ended the year with $791,000 in the bank.

Hicks said Taft expects to raise at least $1 million both this year and in 2001 to prepare for his 2002 re- election bid.

"You can't wait and raise all the money you need to raise for your re- election in your re-election year,'' Hicks said.

Taft, who established his fund- raising prowess with a record $10 million effort in the 1998 gubernatorial race against Democrat Lee Fisher, is raising money early in part to scare off potential Democratic challengers in 2002.

"We made a decision to do a little bit each year, No. 1 to not tire out our contributors and allow them to pace themselves, and No. 2 to not tire out our fund-raising'' team with a late-inning push for cash in 2002, Hicks said.

Unlike Team Ohio, Taft's campaign is limited to accepting contributions of $2,500 per election cycle from individuals and political action committees.

However, that didn't stop some large contributions from flowing into Taft's coffers.

For example, Michael Boich, a Dublin coal marketer, and members of his family gave Taft $50,000 over 10 months. Eight Boich family members donated the maximum $2,500 apiece on Dec. 24, 1998, and 12 family members and Boich executives chipped in $30,000 on Oct. 20, 1999.

Family members, executives and employees of other companies made large contributions to Taft throughout the year, including: