Its only a matter of time.
The smell is so bad I am so very grateful that the winds blow east, not west. ;~)
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GOP Fundraiser Tom Noe Indicted For Illegal $$ to Bush Campaign
CLEVELAND, OHIO--Charges of public corruption among Republicans in Ohio widened Thursday with a federal grand jury indicting Thomas W. Noe, a former Republican party fundraiser, for allegedly making illegal campaign contributions using conduit contributors.
The three-count indictment with charges of conspiracy, public corruption, false statements and violations of the federal campaign contribution act, alleges that beginning in October 2003, Noe made contributions to President George W. Bush's 2004 re-election campaign over and above the limits established by the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA). He did so, according to the indictment, in order to fulfill his pledge to raise $50,000 for a Bush-Cheney fundraiser held in Columbus, Ohio on Oct. 30, 2003.
The indictment alleges that Noe, a close personal friend of Gov. Robert Taft, disguised his contributions by recruiting and providing money to friends and associates who made campaign contributions in their own names. The indictment also alleges that Noe wrote several checks in amounts slightly less than the maximum allowable amount so as to avoid suspicion. Altogether, Noe allegedly contributed $45,400 of his own money through 24 friends and associates who then made the contributions in their names in order to skirt the $2,000 limit for individual contributors.
Noel Hillman, section chief the of the U.S. Department of Justice's public integrity section said that "It's one of the most blatant and excessive finance schemes we have encountered".
Noe has not yet been arrested. Plans are reportedly underway for him to surrender to authorities.
Noe is charged with making contributions in the names of others, in violation of the FECA's anti-conduit provision. The indictment charges that Noe also conspired to make contributions in the names of others, to cause the submission of false statements to the Federal Election Commission, and to defraud the United States. The indictment alleges that Noe caused the conduits to fill out contribution cards and forms falsely certifying that they were making the contributions themselves, and that these false statements caused President Bush's campaign committee to unknowingly submit a false campaign finance report to the FEC. The campaign committee has been fully cooperative with the government's investigation.
If convicted, Noe faces a maximum sentence on each count of five years in prison. The conspiracy and false statement counts carry a maximum fine of $250,000, and the FECA count carries a mandatory fine of between $136,200 and $454,000.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth D. Uram and David O. Bauer of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio, which is headed by U.S. Attorney Gregory A. White, and Trial Attorney John P. Pearson of the Public Integrity Section, which is headed by Section Chief Noel L. Hillman. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Noe, a coin dealer, is also the central figure in the state's Worker's Compensation scandal. He is under investigation involving a $50,000 million investment in rare coins he managed for the state Bureau of Workers' Compensation fund.
Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro has accused Noe to stealing up to $4 million from the state. Noe has acknowledged that nearly $13 million is in question.
In August, Ohio Gov. Bob Taft became the first Ohio governor ever charged with a crime when prosecutors filed four misdemeanor counts against him for violations of state ethics laws stemming from his failure to report 52 gifts which included golf games, meals and professional sports tickets.
He pleaded no contest to the charges and was fined $4,000, the maximum.
Ohio law says that public officers are required to report all gifts that are worth more than $75 if the donor is not reimbursed. Among the gifts at issue were golf outings with Noe.
In July, Taft's former chief of staff, Brian Hicks, pleaded no contest to failing to report vacations at Noe's home in Florida. Hicks was fined $1,000.
10-27-05
northcountrygazette.org
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