Ohio: Marc Dann

The commission decision was based on findings by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who referred Dann to the commission, concluding he improperly spent $40,610 in campaign money on home security upgrades and $4,369 on cell phone bills for his family.

But the commission declined to refer the matter to a prosecutor, instead imposing a maximum $1,000 fine for the security system violation. Dann was publicly reprimanded for the cell phone violation.

The panel also found campaign assistant Mary Beth Snyder guilty of a violation because she signed the checks for the security system and fined her $250.

Dann, who attended today's commission hearing, had contested the complaint, saying that the home security system was a legitimate campaign expense because death threats had been made against him and his family after he took office.

COLUMBUS -- Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann is ready to respond to allegations
that he misused campaign contributions for trips, family gifts, and everyday expenses such as
coffee, meals and newspapers.

The Ohio Elections Commission has scheduled a hearing today on two sets of accusations.

An investigation by Inspector General Tom Charles concluded that Dann filed inaccurate and false
information about his expenditures.

In a separate complaint, State Jennifer Brunner accuses Dann of misspending about $45,000
in campaign funds on security improvements at his home and for cell phone bills.

Dann, who plans to attend the hearing, has denied the allegations in a 40-page motion to dismiss
the case.

The Democrat resigned last May over a sexual harassment scandal involving a top aide.

Democrat Richard Cordray said his office is looking into whether Dann and Gutierrez can be held personally liable for some of their behavior as state officials in 2007 and early 2008. Gutierrez was fired in May 2008, about two weeks before Dann resigned under pressure.

The office also is looking into whether part of its legal settlement with two ex-employees could be paid by a bond that Dann submitted upon taking office or other bond funds that generally cover state employees, Cordray said.

Cordray made his comments as a panel of legislators approved the $495,000 in payments to Cindy Stankoski and Vanessa Stout, who were regularly subjected to crude sexual comments and advances from their boss, Gutierrez, in late 2007 and early 2008.

The Preamble of the Ohio Democratic Party's Constitution and Bylaws of 2007 states, that our party is organized to "sustain and advance the principles of democracy" and that one of the essential tenets of our party is that "We believe that there is no substitute for fair and equal representation and strong public participation in a government chose by election."

And yet, despite that being one of the fundamental principles of the Ohio Democratic Party, Chapter 9 of that same documents says:

"In any election year in which any statewide office . . . are to appear on the ballot, the Executive Committee shall be called for a meeting before the primary election and must carefully consider in each race the endorsement of one of more persons.