Dann lawyer provides answers

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Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann

By Harold Gwin

The secretary of state wanted details on campaign expenses paid on Dann’s behalf.

YOUNGSTOWN — An attorney for former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann said Dann’s campaign committee found it cheaper to pay for a campaign car than to reimburse Dann for the mileage used on campaign business.

Atty. Donald J. McTigue, of Columbus, addressed the car and other issues in a response filed Friday to an Ohio secretary of state inquiry about various expenses the campaign committee paid for on Dann’s behalf.

J. Curtis Mayhew, campaign finance administrator for the secretary of state, sent Dann a letter Sept. 12 asking for information about the campaign car, campaign cell phones and consulting services provided by Progressive Solutions Group.

Dann resigned in May in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal in his office and an admitted extramarital affair with a subordinate.

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner ordered him last month to repay his campaign committee $40,610 for a security system and other improvements made to his Youngstown-area home.

McTigue said the campaign car was purchased in January 2006 by Dann’s wife, Alyssa. For the first four months, payments were made by Dann and his wife with the campaign committee reimbursing Dann for campaign use of the vehicle based on mileage driven, McTigue said.

It became apparent that it would be cheaper for the committee to pick up the monthly payments than to continue paying mileage as the car was being used only for campaign purposes, he said.

The committee later paid off the loan, has title to the vehicle and plans to sell it, depositing the proceeds in the campaign fund, McTigue said.

The cell phones were on a family plan for Dann, his wife and their children, and the committee paid for half the year’s bills to reimburse Dann for their campaign use and their use related to the performance of his duties as attorney general, McTigue said.

Regarding Progressive Solutions Group, which was paid more than $26,000 for consulting services, McTigue provided the state with a letter from Leo A. Jennings III explaining that Jennings performed the consulting services in addition to his work as communications director for the attorney general.

Those services were provided no less than three hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, Jennings wrote, adding that such work was always conducted outside the attorney general’s office and didn’t involve the use of any of the attorney general’s office equipment or resources.

Jennings was fired by Dann shortly before his own resignation.

As for the home security system, that was installed as a direct result of threats made against Dann and his family in connection with his work as attorney general, McTigue said — adding that the campaign committee is gathering additional documents and preparing a legal memorandum addressing that issue.

gwin@vindy.com