Redstate

By Kevin Holtsberry Posted in Archived — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Having ridden the public's dissatisfaction with the GOP - fueled in large part by scandal or pseudo scandal - into office it seems the Ohio Democratic Party has found itself dealing with a scandal of its own. Now they are trying to get it off the front page:

All statewide Democratic elected officials and legislative leaders today are asking embattled Attorney General Marc Dann to resign from office, The Dispatch has learned.

Dann will be sent a strongly worded letter that should reach him no later than 11:30 a.m. that he must, in the best interest of his office and the party, step down.

[. . .]

The pressure for Dann to resign began rising after developments Friday when two of his top staffers were fired and two others resigned at the conclusion of a sexual harassment investigation triggered by an April 6 story in The Dispatch.

Dann confessed, for the first time, to having an affair with a young female staff member and to having set the tone for a hostile work environment that resulted in sexual harassment.

What the article doesn't say is that there is a great deal of scheudenfraude involved here. Dann is a bombastic and caustic politician with few friends in either party. He won election by blasting Republicans for corruption in connection with the Tom Noe scandal. Funny how things come around.

You have to wonder if some in the GOP would like him to stay in office so they can beat him in the next election. But that is not how they are playing it:

Read on . . .

"The state's top law-enforcement officer has allowed immoral, unethical and even criminal behavior to thrive under his own supervision and at times with his own participation," said Ohio GOP Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine, calling for Dann to quit. "He turned the attorney general's office into a raunchy frat pad."

The Democrats clearly want to put this behind them so they can hold the office. And Dann has no personal loyalty from any of these officials; many of whom think little of his style.

It is important because the AG holds a seat on the apportionment board and will play a role in the next round of redistricting. The GOP holds the General Assembly while the Dems hold four of the five statewide offices.

Here is the scenario regarding his replacement should he resign:

If Marc Dann were to resign on or before Sept. 24, Gov. Ted Strickland would name someone to replace him until a special election Nov. 4 installed the person who would serve the rest of Dann's term, through 2010.

If Dann resigned after Sept. 24, the governor would appoint someone to serve the remainder of Dann's term.

So far Dann has refused to resign and indicates he will run for re-election. It will be interesting to see just how long he can defy his party and keep the issue alive.

Given his personality and style I would be surprised to see him stubbornly hold on. And that has to bring a smile to the Ohio GOP.