State officials play "pass the buck"

I gleaned this information from "Glass City Jungle" this week and felt that a comment or two was necessary. Here is the story:

Earlier this month the Toledo Blade had an article that implies that had the information on MDL been leaked it could have had a difference in the outcome of the Presidential election that would have helped John Kerry.

In a motion filed last month requesting that the lawsuit be dismissed, attorneys representing Mark D. Lay of MDL Capital Management accused state officials of "covering up the bureau's investments and investment losses in 2004 just before a presidential election.""State officials have left little doubt that the timing and substance of their public disclosures, as well as their entire litigation strategy, have been manipulated and planned for political purposes," attorneys for Mr. Lay and MDL wrote in the motion. Eric Kuwana, a Washington attorney representing Mr. Lay, declined to elaborate on the allegation of a cover-up.Chris Redfern, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, said last week that if the MDL losses had been revealed in October, 2004, it "would have been national news" and would have had a significant impact in Ohio, where 120,000 votes separated President Bush and John Kerry, the Democratic nominee."This had to do with the election of a president and obviously the facts are that Conrad and the rest of his group were willing participants in a widespread conspiracy in the Bureau of Workers' Compensation," Mr. Redfern said.

Yet in today's Toledo Blade the information is presented differently:(Mark Weaver, a spokesman for state Auditor Betty Montgomery) Mr. Weaver said the news about the MDL losses should "have come out very quickly" and that the reports would have been harmful to Democrats in the 2004 election because of MDL chief Mark D. Lay's ties to Democrats.Mr.

Weaver declined to comment on the content of Mr. Conrad's e-mails."Why Mr. Conrad would do what he did, he'll have to answer for that," Mr. Weaver said.


I'm guessing that Mark Weaver will say whatever he thinks is necessary to keep his boss in power. After all, isn't that what spokespersons do for their employers?

Whatever happened to accepting responsibility in the fashion of Harry Truman? Certainly a lot of buck passing going on at the state level. Not to mention the passing of quite a few BWC bucks to quite a few folks (and then on to some of their favorite charities).

I think the citizens of Ohio are tired of all the excuses. Furthermore, isn't this the same Betty Montgomery who wanted to be governor in 2006 until she then decided she wanted to be Attorney General again after having been Auditor for awhile after having been Attorney General after having been a state senator. I hope you get the picture.

Call me crazy or mistaken, but isn't Ms. Montgomery part of the leadership? team which has failed Ohio for the last 12+ years? I'm going to go out on a pretty strong limb and suggest that we in Ohio will do just fine if Ms. Montgomery is returned to private life after a career of jumping from job to job and not doing any of them particularly well.

The government of Ohio is no longer for sale. It belongs to the people of Ohio and we're going to help take it back for you.

Have a nice Saturday.

Mark