Former Dem chairman urges second thoughts

The Democrats’ Executive Committee hopes to rescind its endorsement of Dann.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLUMBUS — Paul Tipps, who chaired the Ohio Democratic Party for eight years, said urging impeachment was a radical step that Ohio Democrats are ill-advised to carry through.

“There has been a reason for not doing this for 200 years. The people back then were smart people too, and they realized that it is not an efficient or effective tool,” said Tipps, who says he is a friend of Dann’s and his family.

He said members of a grand jury are able to gather evidence in private, but a similar process in the Legislature is carried out in public — where it can have political consequences for representatives and senators.

“They reacted instantly [with the impeachment threat] because they were morally outraged, and justifiably so,” he said. “But it’s as if they’ve decided on the type of execution and the date of the execution, and then, ’Oh, yeah. We wanted to have a trial, too.”’

Gov. Ted Strickland, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, and state Rep. Chris Redfern, the current party chairman, joined other top Democrats on Sunday in writing the letter to Dann.

Tipps said he believes members of the party’s Executive Committee are wrestling with how to vote Saturday on the question of rescinding their 2006 endorsement of Dann. He said he has been in discussions with many within the party, including officeholders.

“I think they are aware that pouring more gas on the fire isn’t necessarily going to get them the result they want, which is a resignation,” Tipps said.

Hamilton County Democratic Chairman Tim Burke, president of the Democratic County Chairs’ Association, said the message the chairmen want to send Dann is that they want him out of office.

“Based on reactions I have gotten so far from other county chairs around the state, obviously there is incredible disappointment with what has happened,” Burke said. “I think that from what I am hearing, the overwhelming majority of county chairs would prefer that Marc Dann resign.”

Ann Reno, executive chair of the Clinton County Democrats’ executive committee, said she is torn on how to vote Saturday.

“I don’t know what all they have. If it’s just an affair, I’m not sure that’s enough,” she said.

Montgomery County Democratic Chairman Mark Owens said he supports stripping Dann of his 2006 endorsement. Already, the party has removed Dann’s name from its Web site.

“I think Attorney General Dann’s actions have sullied the office,” Owens said. “As Democrats, we hold our officeholders to high standards and I’d be inclined to support what Chairman Redfern is putting forward.”

Strickland continued to stand firm on the issue Friday.

“The governor does believe there is a case for impeachment, and he supports the House continuing to build an unassailable case,” spokesman Keith Dailey said.

In an interview with The Columbus Dispatch, however, Strickland said he left the door open to Dann’s not being impeached, saying he would not support a positive vote on an impeachment resolution if the evidence doesn’t warrant it.