Dann’s campaign committee spent money, but collected none

Ex-Attorney General Marc Dann’s campaign committee spent $131,448.76 during the last six months of 2008, but received no contributions, according to a campaign finance report filed today with the Ohio secretary of state.

The committee spent $60,243.79 on legal fees: $30,057.79 to Donald McTigue, a Columbus attorney who specializes in election law; $25,000 to David Betras, his former law partner, and $5,186 to Ogletree Deakin, a Greenville, S.C., firm that specializes in labor and employment law.

The report notes that half of the money given to Betras was refunded on Jan. 8, past the report’s deadline.

Dann’s committee received no contributions during the last six months of 2008.

Dann, a Democrat, switched attorneys, which prompted the refund, McTigue said. He declined to name the new attorney except to say that lawyer is based in Columbus.

Dann is accused of violating state campaign laws. The Ohio Elections Commission is to conduct a preliminary review March 5 of the accusations from the secretary of state and the state inspector general.

Also, a Franklin County grand jury is investigating potential criminal acts that occurred in the attorney general’s office during Dann’s administration. There are also other ongoing investigations into questionable activity at the office while Dann served as attorney general from January 2007 until his May 2008 resignation.

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