If it looks like a duck...
By Kirstin Ellison
Posted on Wed Aug 16, 2006 at 02:00:17 PM EST
Is Ken Blackwell engaging in a little pay-to-play action with the Ohio Department of Transportation and contractors? The Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate has invited more than 600 people, including contractors, to a "transporation summit" featuring the Director of ODOT as a special guest, with the expressed purpose of outlining his transporation policy beliefs. Democrats say the event is inappropriate.
[Blackwell spokesman Carlo] LoParo said, "That's what candidates for governor do; they assemble crowds and talk about their public policies."
He said the event is not a fundraiser, and no one is being asked for money or charged admission.
But Democrats believe the message will be clear to those attending: Support Blackwell's candidacy, or risk losing public contracts if he takes office.
"The wink, wink, nod, nod is that Blackwell is hinting at pay-to-play. Why else would you have Gordon Proctor there?" said Brian Rothenberg, of the Ohio Democratic Party.
Oh, there's definitely more inside.
The Blackwell campaign has said that this event is no different from similar ones Blackwell's Democratic opponent Ted Strickland has sponsored. Strickland's camp responded that the presence of the Director of ODOT, who controls who ultimately receives contracts and ODOT money, goes beyond the ethical line. ODOT itself says that the event is legitimate and that the Director often makes speeches to interested groups.
But I'm going to give the quote of the night to Common Cause Ohio's very own Samuel Gresham, who sums things up succinctly:
"It's not always the impropriety but the appearance of impropriety that is the major concern," Gresham said. "This action itself has the appearance of impropriety. If if looks like a duck, and it acts like a duck, guess what?"
Quack quack.
Tags: Ohio, In the States, Kenneth Blackwell, pay-to-play (all tags)
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