Hagan bill penalizes corrupt officeholders

Sixteen former public officials from Mahoning County have been prosecuted.

By MARC KOVAC

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

COLUMBUS — The Ohio House signed off on legislation Thursday aimed at penalizing corrupt officeholders for wrongdoing during the course of their official duties.

Substitute House Bill 8, sponsored by Rep. Bob Hagan of Youngstown, D-60th, would require public employees convicted of certain felonies to forfeit disability benefits or pensions offered through public retirement systems.

“It’s a great bill to ensure that people are going to think real hard about doing the wrong thing,” said Rep. Dan Stewart, a Democrat from the Columbus area.

Hagan offered the legislation to counter wrongdoing among officeholders in his district. During committee testimony, he released a list of 16 former public officials from Mahoning County who have been prosecuted on charges of taking bribes, fixing cases and other wrongdoing while in office. It included former Prosecutor James A. Philomena, Sheriff Philip Chance, Youngstown Municipal Judges Patrick Kerrigan and Andrew Polovischak, county court Judges Martin Emrich and Fred Bailey and county Engineer Bill Fergus.

“They had taken the public trust as public servants and sold that trust in a multitude of ways,” he said. “… They were selling the justice system in Mahoning County and Youngstown.”

What it includes

The legislation covers public employees or officeholders found guilty of felony extortion, bribery, perjury, obstructing justice, theft in office, unlawful interest in a public contract or engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. They would forfeit their right to receive disability or pension benefits from the five state retirement systems, the City of Cincinnati Retirement System and “any alternative retirement plan,” according to an analysis compiled by the state’s Legislative Service Commission.

The bill passed by a vote of 92-3, with Reps. Kathleen Chandler (a Democrat from Kent), Bruce Goodwin (a Republican from Defiance) and Lynn Wachtmann (a Republican from Napoleon) opposing.

Wachtmann said he agreed with the thrust of the legislation but was concerned that wording might imply that the state retirement systems had to provide health-care benefits.

Hagan’s legislation, which heads to the Senate for further consideration, was one of the priority bills identified by the Republican-dominated chamber.

“I appreciate the opportunity to actually have a bill here,” Hagan joked from the floor, prompting laughter throughout the chamber. “… Hopefully, this is the last time I have to kiss up to you, Mr. Speaker.”

mkovac@dixcom.com