HIM AGAIN?
On March 19, disgraced former Attorney General Marc Dann was fined
$1,000 by the Ohio Elections Commission for using campaign money to rig
a security system for his home and reprimanded for using those funds to
pay his family’s cell-phone bills. Afterward, a smug Dann again denied
he did anything wrong, suggesting the commission agreed because “they
didn’t refer it for criminal prosecution.”
Not so fast, mister. Scene has learned that former Dann
minion/director of general services Anthony Gutierrez met with Franklin
County prosecutors last week, in what one source says were negotiations
to testify against Dann in exchange for a lighter sentence. Indictments
are expected as soon as April.
On the record, Franklin County prosecutor Ron O’Brien had this
message for Scene: “Since it is an ongoing investigation, we
have no comment at this time. We will be sure to notify you and other
media organizations when we have something to announce.”
Note to Dann: Maybe it wasn’t such a smart idea to sue the guy who
knew all your secrets. Just saying. — James Renner
MCFAUL FROM GRACE
Still no word on whether Sheriff-for-Life Gerald McFaul will hang up
his hat in the wake of a slew of stories about his mottled
decision-making process. Maybe he’s worried about appearances now that
a special prosecutor is poking around, looking into a taped
conversation from the ’80s showing McFaul schooling an ex-staffer on
how to avoid testifying against him in a sexual harassment case. That’s
what longtime friend, County Commissioner Tim Hagan, surmised after
last week’s commissioners meeting: “Because of his health … he’s
going to retire, but anybody in their right mind won’t retire when a
special prosecutor is investigating a possible criminal offense.”
Nobody said McFaul is in his right mind, though. “If they come forward
and charge him with, say, a misdemeanor,” mused Hagan, “he may
willingly announce his date of retirement.” — Dan Harkins
more online at clevescene.com
DEATH SQUADS ARE SO ’80s
Congressman Dennis Kucinich has really put his nose in a hornet’s
nest this time. Kucinich sent a letter last week to the chairman of the
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, asking for a probe of
an alleged “executive assassination ring” under ex-President Bush.
Journalist Seymour Hersh, who’s slated to finish his book on the
subject in a year or more, told attendees at the University of
Minnesota on March 10 that “they’ve been going into countries, not
talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people
on a list and executing them and leaving.” Who did they claim this
special wing of the special-ops community reported to? According to
Hersh: Vice President Cheney. Who’s at the top of their list now?
Little Big Man. — Harkins
This article appears in Mar 25-31, 2009.
