NOE INVESTIGATION--Witnesses say they funneled donations (Coingate) [View All]

[TexasLawyer]

So how many of the millions of dollars embezzled from the State of Ohio were used to finance the "re-election" of George Bush?

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060225/NEWS24/60225007
Saturday, February 25, 2006

NOE INVESTIGATION
Witnesses say they funneled donations
Effort led to ‘Pioneer’ status for coin dealer

By STEVE EDER and JAMES DREW
BLADE STAFF WRITERS

COLUMBUS — Tom Noe was so eager to become a Bush “Pioneer” that he used a pair of former top aides to (Ohio) Gov. Bob Taft to launder campaign contributions to the President’s re-election bid, documents released yesterday by prosecutors show.

H. Douglas Talbott told investigators last summer that he and Doug Moormann took part in Mr. Noe’s alleged scheme in October, 2003, to illegally funnel money into the President’s campaign. As a reward for their fund-raising efforts, Mr. Noe gained the elite fund-raising status and an invitation to a White House Christmas party, and Mr. Talbott had his photo taken with the President, Mr. Talbott said.

Mr. Talbott and Mr. Moormann, also aides to former Gov. George Voinovich, were convicted on ethics violations yesterday for failing to report money they were given from Mr. Noe. Documents released by prosecutors detailing their probe into the former aides — although heavily redacted because of ongoing investigations — provided new details about Mr. Noe’s generosity toward public officials and his eagerness to curry favor with all levels of government.

Damien LaVera, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, said yesterday that Mr. Talbott’s statements to investigators “shows that this scandal lies right at the steps of the White House.” The President has returned $4,000 in contributions made directly from Mr. Noe and his wife, Bernadette, but he has resisted returning more than $100,000 that the coin dealer raised for Mr. Bush’s campaign.
“What I’d like to know is what exactly has to happen, how many people have to be involved, until the Bush White House gives back the money that Tom Noe raised for them,” Mr. LaVera said. “It seems like every week there is more to this story, yet they refuse to acknowledge they took this tainted money from Tom Noe.”

Last week, Mr. Noe was indicted on a 53-count felony indictment for stealing millions of dollars from the rare-coin fund he managed for the state, and in October, he was indicted separately for allegedly laundering $45,400 into President Bush’s re-election campaign. Mr. Noe has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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