Lawmaker: Halt prison inmate work at governor's mansion

COLUMBUS (AP) — A key member of the Ohio Legislature is urging that an embattled inmate work program at the governor’s residence be suspended.

In a letter to Gov. Ted Strickland, Sen. David Goodman writes he was “shocked” by a watchdog’s report that inmates were often unsupervised and had access to knives and axes.

The state’s inspector general also concluded the mansion had become a “mule station” for transferring contraband. The report was prompted by an aborted contraband sting at the residence.

Republican Goodman heads the legislative Correctional Institution Inspection Committee. In his letter Wednesday, he said the work program should be halted to fix security concerns.

A spokeswoman for Democrat Strickland responds that Republicans are trying to politicize the issue.