NOE INVESTIGATION--Witnesses say they funneled donations (Coingate)

[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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[TexasLawyer]

1. Ohio audit shows outrageous lack of oversight

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060224/OPINION02/602240330/-1/OPINION

Article published Friday, February 24, 2006

Bad news bearers

TOM Noe's status as the principal figure in the Coingate scandal is secure, but the release this week of an audit commissioned by state Auditor Betty Montgomery paints a damning picture of inattention and ignorance by state officials that may itself border on the criminal.

Mr. Noe - already under a 53-count indictment here in Lucas County on a variety of felony charges - and his businesses and associates are alleged in the special audit to have illegally spent $13.5 million of the $50 million in taxpayer money provided to him by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation for investing in rare coins.

That's a breathtaking number, especially when the specifics of the audit show what some of that money allegedly went for: improvements to his home in the Florida Keys, a new house on Catawba Island, and even tents and tickets at the U.S. Senior Open Golf tournament played at Inverness in 2003.

The audit presents compelling evidence that Mr. Noe and his coin and collectibles business were in deep trouble before the BWC bailed him out. Ms. Montgomery said he was "basically bankrupt" when he got the first of two $25 million installments from the agency in 1998. Auditors said he immediately began funneling the money in directions designed to enrich himself, including purchasing coins from his own business from inventory he didn't have in an effort to get the company out of the red.

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[seafan]

2. The tremendous scope of these republican crimes is numbing.

Thanks for all this info. Just stunning.

[pk_du]

3. This pic needs to be plastered all over Ohio

[LiberalHeart]

6. Is that picture real or photoshop stuff? n/t

[pk_du]

13. Its real - look at the pic properties (right mouse click)

Its Noe ( Bush Pioneer fundraiser) and wife.

[TheFarseer]

4. Thank you for this information

I think coin-gate is the most stunning example of republican corruption.

[spag68]

10. ohio coins

This Ohio coingate as despicable as it is, is really small potatoes compared with what we don't know

[Libby2]

5. Good stuff.

Thanks

[lovuian]

7. Enron stole from the state mutual funds and Noe stole from Ohio

it was a free for all with these pension funds...

[SoCalDem]

8. Don't forget Jebbie's continued "pension fund" investments

into Enron, as it was toppling..

[roguevalley]

9. how is this playing in Ohio?

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. What I would particularly like to know is the connection with the many

criminal activities involved in stealing the 2004 presidential election in Ohio. I'm betting there is one. After all, that would be a lot more "efficient" than must more TV ads.

[samplegirl]

12. hopefully Move on.org.

will do a clip on this.

[Tight_rope]

14. Hope going to the WH Christmas party is worth going to prison for!

Must have been one hell of a party. Do you think they will let him hang the picture, he took with the Chimperior, in his prison cell?:spank:

[wordpix]

16. LOL--a party that lasts 25 years or a lifetime

[donkeyotay]

15. Evidence mounts that the GOP SOP has been to steal money from

the public to fund their so-called "free market" faith in social Darwinism. Here's the short version of this particular but not isolated scandal. THE REPUBLICANS STOLE MONEY FROM A PUBLIC FUND FOR DISABLES WORKERS AND USED IT TO FINANCE THEIR CORRUPT LIFESTYLES AND THE TAKEOVER OF GOVERNMENT. Then they use their positions of power to redirect more public wealth to their private party. It's a closed loop of corruption at YOUR expense.

They are crooks. Stinking crooks. If there is a functioning branch of government left - which is doubtful as FEMA looks like the canary in the coal mind - then we need to buy orange jumpsuits in bulk.