When the name "Taft" and the word "quagmire" are located in the same Plain Dealer headline, you know it can't be good for the lame duck.
Columbus -- In early May -- as Gov. Bob Taft sought to stave off growing questions about investments of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation -- he nominated the agency's administrator, Jim Conrad, to a national organization as State Official of the Year.Less than a month later, Conrad was out.
Oops.
Taft's recommendation letter to the National Governors' Association, singing Conrad's praises, was contained in hundreds more pages of documents released by the BWC on Monday in the ongoing investments scandal.In it, the Republican governor complimented Conrad's leadership, dedication and "fiscally prudent policies and solid investments."
Taft spokesman Mark Rickel said the letter was written "prior to the full realization of all the problems within the BWC Investment Division." He said Conrad did not win the award.
Either Taft is a consummate bullshit artist or, more likely, completely inadequate to run the state. This is a perfect political storm for the Ohio GOP, and it looks like their ship is going down.