Looks like political fallout from the Ohio GOP rare coin scandal is moving over Bob Taft's office right about now.
Columbus - The investigation into the influence wielded by politically powerful Toledo coin dealer Tom Noe landed at state government's peak Tuesday - right in Gov. Bob Taft's office.Ohio Inspector General Tom Charles asked for telephone records, e-mails and personnel re cords of four of Taft's former and current top aides dat ing to 1999.
Noe, a major Republican fund-raiser, or chestrated and managed a $55.4 million investment in rare coins for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation since 1998. He has been the target of recent investigations by six government agencies, including the FBI, over campaign contributions and 121 missing coins.
"During the course of our investigation, information has come to light that certain members of the Governor's staff may have received lodging accommodations and other items by Mr. Noe," Charles wrote in a letter sent Monday.
Taft's former chief of staff Brian Hicks recently told the (Toledo) Blade that he stayed twice at a $1 million Florida home owned by Noe while he worked for Taft. Similar homes rent for thousands of dollars a week, but Hicks said he paid $300 to $500 for five nights.
Taft has said he knew Hicks had vacationed at Noe's home, but had assumed Hicks followed state law.
Noe also reportedly wined and dined the political elite regularly at Morton's, a tony steakhouse off Capital Square.
No word on whether the wine came from in-state or out-of-state distributors.