Noe grand jury hears from former mayor, others(Bush fundraiser a focus)

[Algorem]

6/4/2005, 1:41 a.m. ET
The Associated Press

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — ...

Brother-in-law Joe Restivo and the co-workers attended a Bush-Cheney fund-raiser in October 2003 that raised $1.4 million and is a focus of the investigation, the newspaper said. Records show all three gave donations that met federal guidelines.

The grand jury is examining whether Noe, a coin dealer and prominent Republican contributor, skirted contribution laws by having others donate money for him. Numerous GOP state office holders, President Bush and the Republican National Committee have decided to forgo Noe's campaign donations($4,000)...

Federal campaign laws limit individual contributions to $2,000. It's illegal to circumvent the law by giving money to another person to donate...

State GOP Chairman Bob Bennett said that "every once in a while a bad apple does come along," and that party leaders are dealing with the Noe allegations by returning contributions and investigating the missing money...

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-17/1117862840230460.xml&storylist=cleveland

[KittyWampus]

1. Bush Fundraiser? He Raised Funds For Bush? You Mean Bush Got Money

from a criminal?

[Algorem]

2. I saw part of a report on local NBC station that could be HUGE,but isn't

on their website, http://www.wkyc.com/news/ , or the net at all.Local star liberal Democrat County Commissioner Tim Hagan,who ran against Governor doof Taft,and his lawyer were talking about bringing out information about Taft and Ohio Republican corruption that will dwarf Coingate,about huge kickback deals and on and on.I wasn't paying close attention because I thought it'd be on the station's later broadcast or website or the Plain Dealer's(they're affiliated somehow) website,but noooo...and the station's news is wiped out by sports til 6 tonight.Anyway this story could be huge,maybe some real reporter out there could find out about it.Tim Hagan is no slouch,he's a close friend of the Kennedy's,his wife is Star Trek captain(and "Mrs. Columbo"!) Kate Mulgrew and he should be Governor or Senator.


Tim Hagan http://tim-hagan.biography.ms/

...Hagan grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, as one of seven siblings (including a twin brother, James) and graduated from Ursuline High School. Hagan then attended Youngstown State University (then known as Youngstown State College). He was drafted for military service during the Vietnam War and sent to serve in Germany in the late 1960s. After leaving the military, he worked as a baker and a steelworker in Youngstown before going on to earn earned a degree in urban studies from Cleveland State University in 1975. He then worked as a social worker in Youngstown...

In 1978, Hagan became chairman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party beating Garfield Heights, Ohio ward leader Henry S. Trubiano in a lopsided victory. In that position, he became one of the first Democrats to endorse Edward M. Kennedy in the 1980 presidential election over the sitting Democratic president Jimmy Carter. This was not a lone decision. Prior to his endorsement, Hagan ha been a guest of Edward M. Kennedy at his home in Hyannisport. After he had been appointed County Recorder, then failed to keep the seat in an election, Hagan ran for a seat on the Cuyahoga County commission for the first time that year, losing to Republican Virgil Brown . He ran again in 1981, this time successfully. Hagan served on the Cuyahoga County, Ohio, commission for 16 years (1982-1998)...

Hagan described himself as an avowed liberal, ingrained by his father's politics, and experssed regret at the moderate trend in the Democrat party in the 1990s. He was known to quote Camus in his speeches, a habit that did not earn him the affection of blue-collar voters. But he allowed for compromises with his innate liberalism, agreeing to go along with government funding for the Cleveland Gateway project, which included the construction of Jacobs Field and Gund Arena.

Hagan has received praise from both sides of the political aisle. Republican Jim Petro , the Ohio State Auditor and former fellow commissioner, called him "the most honorable politician I've ever known." He even earned the friendship of former rival Forbes, who, during the 1989 election, had described Hagan as a "pimp."...

http://www.cuyahoga.oh.us/bocc/hagan.htm

[Algorem]

3. Bush to visit Ohio amid Patriot Act push

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — President Bush plans to speak at the State Highway Patrol Academy in Columbus next week as part of his push for renewal of the Patriot Act, a White House spokesman said Friday.

Bush's appearance Thursday will be his 38th visit to Ohio since taking office and his fourth since winning election to a second term in November. It comes amid a debate in Congress over renewal of the Patriot Act and whether to expand the FBI's power to seek records without the approval of a judge or grand jury.

Earlier Friday, the Bush administration asked a federal appeals court Friday to restore its ability to compel Internet service providers to turn over information about their customers or subscribers as part of its fight against terrorism.

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-17/1117851748181621.xml&storylist=cleveland