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Sciortino do 'the right thing' letter to be used as evidence he didn't
On the side
Legislation introduced by Ohio’s two U.S. senators to give companies, particularly those in the steel industry, tools to fight unfair trade practices will become law once the president signs it.
Among the businesses benefiting from the Leveling the Playing Field Act include Vallourec Star in Youngstown, Sharon Tube in Niles, and Wheatland Tube in Warren.
“Under this law, companies in the U.S. will be better equipped to settle the score against trade cheats who don’t play fair,” said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat. “This will create a fairer marketplace and help avoid layoffs like those we’ve seen in our steel industry.”
“We must crack down on countries that break the rules, so our workers can get a fair shake in the global market,” said U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican from the Cincinnati area. “These measures ensure that Ohio workers can remain globally competitive by holding foreign countries accountable when they skirt the rules by illegally underselling or subsidizing imports.”
Among the documents provided by prosecutors that allege that ex-Mahoning County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino illegally used government-owned computers and software for political purposes is an April 14, 2008, letter.
In the letter to supporters, Sciortino, an Austintown Democrat, wrote: “In the two and a half years I’ve been auditor, we’ve worked together to find alternative ways of governing the county. I have chosen to promote change through cooperation and I refuse to be an officeholder that chooses divisiveness for personal gain – unlike some of my colleagues. Please know – every decision I make is in the best interest of our Mahoning County taxpayer, and to this end I will continue to fight for what I believe is the right thing to do, regardless of the political landscape.”
He continued: “With that said, I need your help! Your financial support strengthens my campaign’s ability to promote our message – Mahoning County taxpayers deserve a county government that fights for economic development, job creation and progressive new leadership – not one that attempts to preserve the status quo.”
In Tuesday’s court filing, prosecutors also listed among the evidence a file called “Mike’s Auditor Speech” in which Sciortino “asks a group of people to vote for him for county auditor citing among other [things] his integrity, leadership and qualifications.”
I’m certain the inclusion of the letter and the file by prosecutors is meant to send a message that while he claimed to be a good-government type fighting for taxpayers, Sciortino was the opposite.
The court documents contend Sciortino and three unnamed auditor employees at his direction illegally used county computers and software more than 300 times over nearly seven years.
The allegations aren’t for personal emails or surfing the Web.
The contention is the computers and software were used to raise money for political purposes to keep Sciortino in elected office. Also, Sciortino allegedly used government-owned equipment for his private law practice by creating and changing a price list for legal services he offered.
Sciortino is accused of using the government-owned items between Oct. 6, 2005, about three weeks after the county Democratic Party appointed him auditor, and Aug. 29, 2012.
He faces 21 felony counts of unauthorized use of property – computer or telecommunication property – and four felony counts of theft in office. He has pleaded not guilty.
On top of that, Sciortino is facing 22 criminal counts in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, charging him with being part of a criminal enterprise to illegally impede or stop the move of the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services from the Cafaro Co.-owned Garland Plaza to the county-owned Oakhill Renaissance Place.
Two others facing criminal charges in that case are Youngstown Mayor John A. McNally, a Democrat in his former capacity as a county commissioner, and attorney Martin Yavorcik, an unsuccessful 2008 independent county prosecutor candidate.
As for Sciortino’s alleged illegal use of government property, the charges are because he did so with county equipment on county time – and had three of his employees do it too – and it occurred often.
Using government property for business is never permitted under state law, said Paul M. Nick, executive director for the Ohio Ethics Commission.
Of interest is the matter of Robert W. Donham II, the county’s traffic engineer, who used his county-owned computer to do work as mayor of Windham and for personal purposes, including rescinding an application to be Bedford city manager.
It’s outrageous, incredibly stupid and arrogant to use a computer at your public-sector job to withdraw consideration from another public-sector job.
All Donham received was a written reprimand.
County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains said Donham wasn’t charged because the work was to help another political subdivision and it wasn’t for a personal for-profit business.
“If [Donham] was doing something for a private for-profit engineering firm, that would be a problem,” Gains said. “The mayor of Windham doesn’t own the village.”
Also, Gains said the Ohio Attorney General’s Office didn’t find anything criminal with Donham’s computer use.
Donham said, “This is really much more of a misunderstanding than anything else.”
Public officials and employees should be allowed limited “private” use of government-owned computers to check their email or some very minor and quick online checks only when necessary. But how necessary is that? Many have personal smart phones that can do that without using government equipment.
If the allegations are true, Sciortino did far more than cross the line.
While not as serious, Donham’s admission of using a government computer to do work as mayor – he’s paid $11,318 a year and yeah, that’s not much of a salary, but it’s still money – should raise a red flag.
David Skolnick is the political reporter for The Vindicator.