By John Mitchel
A while back the Beavercreek (Ohio) mayor was investigated for an alleged conflict of interest regarding a service contract with a private developer. Before the 2008 election, the Ohio Elections Commission investigated a candidate for Greene County recorder for removing an opponent’s yard signs. Recently a former Xenia Assistant Prosecutor appeared in court for allegedly scamming a client during an estate settlement. I suppose covering allegations on ethically challenged elected and appointed officials are warranted, but there are much more serious infractions being ignored by public officials and the press.
Take for example other shenanigans going on in Greene County. For nearly two years this reporter has been investigating the 2003 BRAC Initiative Agreement between Greene County Commissioners and the Dayton Development Coalition. There’s a mountain of evidence that points to bid-rigging, illegal campaign contributions and money laundering, a violation of the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Just follow the $1.9 million that starts with Greene County tax dollars; then through no-bid contracts, goes to the Dayton Development Coalition; then to Greentree Group, a Beavercreek government support contractor and then to Washington lobbying firm, PMA, which is under investigation for illegally bundling campaign contributions to John Murtha, Dave Hobson, Steve Austria and over a hundred other members in the U.S. Congress. From there it turns up as campaign donations from associates and family of these private corporations to Hobson, Austria and other elected officials. Finally, the money is spent on questionable expenditures, including spending by “Dave Hobson for Congress” on pest control, maid service and lawn-care, not to mention over $90,000 in other undisclosed expenditures. (Source: www.opensecrets.org)
If both public officials and the press take the time to address petty squabbles among city councilmen, intra-party bickering involving a two-dollar yard sign and relatively low-dollar abuses by former public officials, you’d think they would be all over a $1.9 million “earmarks-for-campaign-cash” scheme perpetrated in part by former and current U.S. Congressmen. These are the real problem that undermine our children’s economic future and it’s time the media shine a bright light on their abuses.