Crites to file legal action over issue Cordray denies

Photo

Richard Cordray

By Marc Kovac

When the contribution in question was brought to light, it was returned.

COLUMBUS — Republican attorney general candidate Mike Crites said Monday he intends to file legal action after a weekend newspaper report that his Democratic opponent’s campaign had accepted a questionable donation.

State Treasurer Richard Cordray quickly retorted, in a released statement, “There is no connection between campaign contributions and business decisions made by my office. None.”

The Dayton Daily News reported that the stepdaughter of a bond trader whose firm does business with the state’s treasurer’s office donated $10,000 to Cordray.

Subsequently, the firm’s share of bond trading business for the treasurer increased to about 37.5 percent from less than 1 percent, according to Crites. Additionally, the trader in question told the Dayton newspaper that the contribution given by the stepdaughter came from her mother.

Crites said the situation presents two legal issues: Campaign donations cannot be funneled through other people, and individuals who do business with the state are limited in their campaign contributions to candidates ($2,000 per 24-month period).

Crites said he planned to file a legal action with the state Elections Commission before the end of the week, seeking an expedited hearing and sworn depositions on the matter.

“If the evidence uncovered by the news media proves to be true, then Richard Cordray is guilty of the same pay to play and culture of corruption that Marc Dann campaigned against and then practiced while in office.”

Cordray has denied wrongdoing in the matter, and campaign spokeswoman Leesa Brown said, when the contribution in question was brought to light, it was returned.

“In this particular instance, as soon as new information was brought to my attention regarding this contribution, I decided to refund it in order to address appearance issues,” Cordray said. “My opponent can spin his wheels filing Elections Commission complaints, but our campaign committee has addressed and resolved the matter.”

mkovac@dixcom.com