News Intelligence Analysis
From the Beacon Journal
Posted on Mon, Apr. 17, 2006
Report: Firms Give Big to
Official
Blackwell defends taking $1 million from those seeking work with
state
Associated Press
COLUMBUS - Republican J. Kenneth Blackwell has accepted more than $1 million in campaign contributions from employees of companies seeking business with the statewide offices he's held for the past 12 years, a newspaper reported.
The Ohio Republican Party also received $1.3 million from employees of financial institutions that supported Blackwell, and the party shipped at least $1.29 million to Blackwell's various campaigns, including one for state treasurer, The (Toledo) Blade reported Sunday.
Blackwell, Ohio's secretary of state and a candidate for governor, said there was nothing wrong with accepting money from contractors because he adhered to election laws.
He said the companies -- primarily financial institutions and high-tech firms -- received no favors in exchange for their contributions. Vendors working for the secretary of state's office win their contracts through competitive bids or requests for proposal, Blackwell said.
``Do I think that folks who violate campaign finance laws should be punished? Yes. Do I think people should play within the rules that are established? A big yes,'' Blackwell said.
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said he isn't surprised by the amount of money Blackwell's campaigns have received from firms vying for government work.
``That's the way business is done in Columbus. Want a contract? Write a check,'' Redfern said.
Blackwell's opponent in the May 2 primary, Attorney General Jim Petro, has pledged that if elected, his first initiative would be to ``end political favoritism'' by calling for a ban on awarding state contracts to political contributors.
Petro, however, has been plagued by accusations that he took state business away from attorneys who didn't contribute to his campaign, which he has denied.
Blackwell doesn't support Petro's proposal. Blackwell said he wants to make campaign contributions and government contracts more transparent through online databases. He said that would let the public ``follow the dollars and make determinations about whether or not there are misdoings.''
Employees and lobbyists who sought work from the Secretary of State's Office often opened their wallets for Blackwell, The Blade reported.
Records show that employees of Smart Solutions Inc., a computer systems networking company with three Ohio offices, have contributed $24,000 to Blackwell's campaigns since 1999. Smart Solutions received $1.1 million in work from Blackwell's office between 2000 and 2004.
``My contributions are not related to any contracts we've gotten,'' said the company's chief executive, Anand Julka.
Blackwell also has given campaign work to consultants or companies that have worked for his office.
Baesman Printing received about $230,000 from the secretary of state's office from 1999 through 2004 and completed $37,850 in printing and postage work for the Blackwell campaign, The Blade reported.
New Media Communications and its spinoff, Govtech Solutions, have received about $465,000 from the Secretary of State's Office, and New Media received $30,335 for its work on the Blackwell campaign.
Redfern said the relationships are ``seedy,'' but Blackwell
campaign spokesman Carlo LoParo said the vendors were probably
chosen for the campaign and the official office because of ``familiarity''
and ``quality of work.''
© 2006 Beacon Journal and wire service sources. All
Rights Reserved.
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