In the discussion about Congressman Turner’s wife, Lori and her questionable ethics (accepting work from clients who want to curry favor with her husband- or no bid contracts from quasi-government organizations) we reach an all time high point in the discussion of disclosure thanks to the brilliant Montgomery County Republican Party chairman:
County Republican Party Chairman Gregory Gantt shot back: “Why not disclose what kind of toilet paper he uses? Where do you stop?”
Where do we stop? When Turner comes clean about how his wife is doing work for the same Home Depot PAC [1] that gave Mikey the maximum money. How’s that for starters?
Mike Turner, R-Centerville, said Tuesday night, Aug. 19, that he was not required to disclose the company because it was a partially owned subsidiary of his wife’s marketing company, called The Turner Effect.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Mike Turner said that all of the information about his wife’s business is public record “and has been fully disclosed.”
Yet, we’re just finding out about the Peebles partnership now? Never mind how the no-bid contract with the Dayton Development Coalition managed to fly under the radar until both the costs were out of hand and the product was DOA (see “Get Midwest [2]” on this site)
Henry Eckhart, a Columbus lawyer who chaired the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio from 1971 to 1973, questioned why the House Ethics Committee would fail to require spouses from disclosing their subsidiaries.
“That’s crazy,” he said. “Then all they’ve got to do is form a subsidiary and you can conceal anything.”
Of course, since Mike Turner has a law degree, he likes to think he knows better than everyone else- one only needs to look at this post, and his arrogance in Congress [3] to see what kind of loser we’ve got representing us in DC.
Lori Turner’s connection to Peebles was first revealed in an article in the September issue of Mother Jones magazine titled “honey, i got the earmark.” The story called into question the Peebles Homes relationship and suggested that Mike Turner has obtained federal earmarks which benefited Peebles.
“I hope the local Democrats are doing more research than just reading the pot smokers’ magazine,” Gantt said of Mother Jones, a nonprofit news organization that boasts of its “smart, fearless journalism.”
Once again, Gantt makes an idiot of himself.
Peebles did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.
Lori Turner accuses the Dayton Daily News of misrepresentation.
“In the last 14 months the DDN has run 9 articles based on misrepresentation and innuendo attacking my business even though I meet the highest standards for public disclosure and accountability. It’s shameful,” she said.
Lori, what’s really shameful is charging the Dayton Development Coalition around $400,000 for the “Get Midwest” campaign that doesn’t relate or benefit Dayton or the region.
Democrats said they found it odd that a marketing firm would have a subsidiary that builds homes. “I do find that interesting,” said Jane Mitakides, Turner’s Democratic challenger in the November election. “And because Mrs. Turner’s business is that of communications and her Web site is so complete in listing clients and core competencies, I find it interesting that this subsidiary is never mentioned.”
She said the larger issue is whether any of Turner’s contributors are drawing improper benefits from federal earmarks obtained by Turner.
“It seems to represent, at best, a very serious error in judgment and quite possibly more than that,” she said.
Jane better up her game if she thinks this is going to do damage.
Turner defended his earmarks.
“These projects have helped create jobs, improve neighborhoods, and build new roads,” he said, adding that the earmarks being questioned support the CareSource project and the Austin Road interchange. “Perhaps my opponent should identify the federal dollars she would like to give back.”
So, Turner is all for earmarks and pork, guess Mother Jones got it right.
The tone and lack of thought that went into Gantt’s comments says it all for me.
Uh The Dayton area has lost how many jobs and this priming the development pump helped exacerbate the current housing crisis. Brilliant.
We should not give back any dollars, we just want to use them to benefit the many not the few.
His defense spending earmarks smell, too.
And Gantts talk about doing our own research…heh…I seem to recall blogging quite a bit about Turners campaign money sources, don’t you, Dave?
The obvious connection was principles in Greentree bundling large contributions to Turner the very year they were contracting on an R&D program earmarked by Turner.
Things that make you go “hmm…”
The story in the DDN yesterday attacking Jane’s “Businesswoman” status was long overdue- but, it’s all smoke and mirrors.
If we start looking at who bought and sold Mike Turner- they’ve all done quite well, esp. MTC and Raj Soin.
These people know they are going to burn in hell, therefore, they are getting some heaven while they are on Earth.