Ray Miller Needs to Go

madrigalmaniac — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:21:10 -0800

Looking at the big picture, Miller's transgressions do not look like a Watergate or a war of choice. Still, as a progressive I agree unethical behavior at any level should result in the appropriate consequences. In addition, I really like Jennifer Brunner. She started the drug court here in Columbus as a judge and has performed well as Secretary of State. Still, I find it interesting that the complaint was filed right before her rumored announcement of a run for the senate. A democrat not afraid to go after a democrat. Coincidence or shrewd politics?

Senate Minority Whip Ray Miller about to be "whipped" by the Ohio Elections Commission

modernesquire — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:02:59 -0800

Why is this clown still in the leadership of the Ohio Senate Democratic caucus?!?

From the Columbus Dispatch:

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's office today filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission accusing the Columbus Democrat of violating three campaign finance laws: failing to file a full, true itemized statement; failing to keep a strict and accurate account; and failure to correct inaccurate reports.

...

Among the evidence submitted Friday, the secretary of state's office says Miller has not verified almost 40 checks issued from his campaign to himself totaling $16,207. Several other checks also do not have appropriate documentation.

"Rather than submitting receipts for some of the expenses, the committee submitted handwritten notes describing Sen. Miller's expenses. The handwritten notes are not a valid form of verification," the complaint said.

Miller also is accused of failing to reconcile credit card purchases paid by the committee, and appears to have double-reimbursed himself for some expenses.

For example, the complaint says Miller's campaign paid a credit card receipt and issued Miller a check for the same January 2007 meal at The Clarmont restaurant.

Miller submitted an explanation for that and other payments, but the secretary of state's office wrote: "If this statement is true, the committee paid many expenses twice; once to the credit card company and then through reimbursement to Sen. Miller."

This is now no longer just a case of a State Senator who failed to timely file campaign finance reports; it's about a politician personally enriching himself, apparently, by taking money from his campaign committee. Ray Miller was one of the signatories to a letter calling for Marc Dann to resign. At the time, Dann was facing allegations of improper use of his campaign committee funds, including, but not limited to, using the campaign committee to pay for the condo in Columbus.

When will Chris Redfern or Capri Cafaro ask for Miller to resign? When will someone in the MSM ask them to distinguish between the two? I don't think I'm going out too far on a limb to call Miller's violations the worst violations of Ohio's campaign finance laws. Six years of violations... that's the entire time Miller's been in the State Senate.

Seriously, Ohio Democratic Party, this Ray Miller story isn't going away no matter how much you wish it. It needs to be dealt with. This is simply embarassing how long Miller has been allowed to skate by on this.

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Ray Miller Needs to Go

Senate Minority Whip Ray Miller about to be "whipped" by the Ohio Elections Commission