Friday, May 20, 2005

Rare Coins in Ohio

A little while back there was some outrage over the state of Ohio using it's Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation funds to invest in rare coins, since that's obviously the way to make some big and dependable gains for the public coffer(hardly). Well it appears that now(link)

"
Five Ohio Supreme Court justices announced today that they have recused themselves from hearing two open records lawsuits that call for disclosure of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation complete rare coin inventory.
The justices were not required to say why they recused themselves from presiding over the suits filed by The Blade and State Sen. Marc Dann, a Youngstown Democrat, asking for details of the coin fund operated by prominent Toledo-area Republican Tom Noe.
Mr. Noe and his wife, Bernadette, have contributed more than $23,000 to the campaigns of the recused justices, Thomas J. Moyer, Evelyn Stratton, Maureen O’Connor, Terrence O’Donnell, and Judith Ann Lanzinger.
The bureau last week announced plans to end its $50 million rare-coin investment with Mr. Noe amid concerns about its management.
Mr. Noe’s Maumee Business, Vintage Coins & Cards, has filed suit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in an attempt to block the records release.
Under state rules, Justice Alice Robie Resnick will act as chief justice in the rare-coin cases and assign visiting judges to the cases from the 68 sitting Ohio appellate judges.
The Noes have contributed $5,250 to the campaigns of Mr. Moyer and Mr. O’Donnell, $5,000 to Ms. Lanzinger, $4,510 to Ms. Stratton, and $3,500 to Ms. O’Connor.
Mr. Noe was also chairman of Ms. Lanzinger’s successful 2004 bid for a seat on the court. Ms. Lanzinger is a former Lucas County Common Pleas judge and Toledo Municipal Court judge."

Hmmm, see why it's important to pay attention to what judges you elect in Ohio????

No comments: