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Political-watchdog group calls for more financial disclosureDaily Reporter Staff Writer 06/18/2002 Although members of a statewide political-watchdog group uncovered no illegal action, on Monday, they challenged a number of current and potential Ohio lawmakers to provide greater information about the sources of their campaign revenues. Ohio Citizen Action, a non-profit issue-advocacy group, yesterday issued a report card for state lawmakers and political candidates pertaining to the detail in which they disclose information about those who contribute to their campaigns. Despite finding no evidence that any candidates wantonly violated campaign finance reporting requirements in 2001, the group said a number of individuals should do a better job of informing voters about from where campaign contributions stem. While acknowledging improvements in the disclosure of contributions over $100 in the past four years - from 92 percent in 1997 to 97 percent in 2001 - Ohio Citizen Action Campaign Finance Director Catherine Turcer said more than one-third of the candidates used vague descriptions. She said simply identifying contributors with "generic" descriptions such as "consultant" or "chief executive officer" deprives voters of information needed to determine whether policy is influenced by money. "It is time to raise the bar and ask for more specific employer information," Turcer said. In 1995, the state legislature passed campaign finance reform limiting contributions and requiring statewide and General Assembly campaign committees filing campaign finance statements to report the name of an individual contributor's current employer or, if self-employed, his or her occupation if contributions were for more than $100. If a campaign committee does not receive the information when the contribution is made, it must make its "best effort" to obtain the information. However, Turcer cited a statement made last week in an interview by Curt Mayhew, campaign finance administrator for the Ohio secretary of state. She said Mayhew indicated it is a common misconception that candidates simply report contributors' employers or their occupations. Further, Turcer called on the General Assembly to enact new legislation requiring the name, address and employer of all contributor's who donate more than $100 to a candidate. "We do have a full-time legislature and they could get something done," she said. "We've had scandal after scandal, and it's time to get something done. We are anxious that this go beyond positioning or symbolic bill introduction. Full party disclosure should be state law within the month." According to Ohio Citizen Action's report, "Disclosure Proficiency: Time to Move to the Next Grade," several legislators previously identified as needing to improve their disclosure records did so in 2001. Of note, state Reps. Jim Carmichael, R-Wooster, J. Tom Lendrum, R-Huron, and Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, all identified those contributing more than $100 at a rate of 100 percent. Also, Turcer said, House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, improved his disclosure from a grade of a "B" in 1999-2000, to a rate of 98 percent in 2001. However, Sen. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, received a "F" in 2001 for failing to identify $7,200 in contributions, as did Sen. Tim Ryan, D-Warren, for failing to identify more than one-half of his overall $4,600. State Reps. Gary Cates, R-West Chester, and Claudette Woodard, D-Cleveland Heights, also received "F" grades in 2001. Cates failed to identify 58 percent of his $67,600 in contributions and Woodard neglected to identify any of the four contributors who gave a total of $650 to her campaign. Despite receiving an overall grade of "A" based on the percentage of identified donors, Gov. Bob Taft was among the candidates who failed to identify $5,000 or more. Of his more than $2.3 million obtained in 2001, the governor neglected to identify contributors of $51,075. Additionally, Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery had $30,270 in unidentified contributions in 2001, Ohio Auditor had $28,430 and Treasurer Joseph Deters held $28,200 in unidentified contributions. The report found that 57 candidates used ambiguous or generic identifications totaling $272,414. Some of the higher profile individuals whose occupations were not identified included David Brennan of White Hate Management/Brennan Industrial Group, who gave $2,500 each to Cates and state Rep. Michelle Schneider, R-Cincinnati, and Rachel and Tamala Longaberger or Longaberger Baskets, who each gave Hottinger $1,000. Also unidentified were Leslie and Abigail Wexner, both of The Limited. Mr. Wexner gave $1,300 to Cates and Ms. Wexner gave $500 to state Rep. Barbara Sykes, D-Akron, and $2,500 to Montgomery. No General Assembly session meetings were held Monday and a number of lawmakers were unavailable for comment. However, state Reps. Kevin DeWine, R-Fairborn, and Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, as well as Sen. David Goodman, R-Bexley, did respond to the issue. Goodman, who according to the report improved his disclosure in 2001 and received a "B" grade but was among those "encouraged to make more meaningful identifications," said a number of unidentified contributors to his campaign were "friends, who I really don't know where they work." He added that neither he nor members of his campaign committee violated any disclosure laws. "It's unfortunate that they believe I can give them more information, but we do comply with the law," Goodman said. "It's disconcerting that they can grade me the way they have when I follow the law appropriately. "I think that all of the information is appropriately available to all individuals who want to know who contributes to us. I've got nothing to hide." Seitz, who received an "A," but also was among those encouraged to make better identifications, said he did not see how one could be faulted for describing a contributor as "executive vice president," for example, if that is indeed the contributor's title. "I just do not see what you are after," Seitz said in a letter to Turcer. "The fact of the matter is that many of my contributors are self-employed. Therefore, 'self-employed' is the correct employer identification. While it may be generic, it is also the truth and I do not see where it is illegal." DeWine received a "D" for identifying roughly two-thirds of the 26 parties that each contributed more than $100. But, he said he has not changed any practices from a year ago, when he received an "A" from Ohio Citizen Action. "We really haven't changed anything," he said. "We try to give as much information as we can. Next year, we'll try to fill in as many blanks as we can." Seeming to predict some of the lawmakers' retorts, Turcer addressed typical responses prior to hearing any of the lawmakers' comments. "It's very interesting the excuses that candidates use over and over again," she said. "The candidates can really get this done if they just take a little more time. "Disclosure is about the voters. Voters deserve to know where the money comes from." If you have questions or comments for The Daily Reporter regarding this story please contact editor@sourcenews.com. |
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