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Editorial: God speed, Derek Merrin

NOT BLADE

Editorial: God speed, Derek Merrin

The Blade endorsed state Rep. Derek Merrin (R., Monclova Township) in a toss-up House district because he had a good chance to become Ohio House Speaker and because Mr. Merrin told us he is committed to passage of ethics-reform legislation.

Wednesday, Mr. Merrin was selected to wield the gavel as Speaker in the Ohio House. The ability to assist Greater Toledo simply through the power to insist that our concerns are addressed in Ohio’s governing agenda is an enormous benefit to all of northwest Ohio.

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But Mr. Merrin’s ability to shape Ohio history and have enduring impact from his leadership post is through significant ethics reform to fight the culture of corruption which produced federal racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations act-RICO charges against ex-House Speaker Larry Householder.

It is shameful that no reform efforts have been initiated since the FBI revealed Ohio’s Capitol Square operating like a Mafia family, in July of 2020. If Mr. Merrin is able to make ethics laws a deterrent to corruption in state government he will be a historically significant figure.

There is a conservative case that public-financed campaigns would actually be cheaper for Ohio than the current pay-to-play culture where business with the state or legislation from the state nearly always has a connection to campaign contributions. Ohio overpays for goods and services, and the $1.3 billion bailout for FirstEnergy, tied to $63 million in bribes admitted by the utility is a classic example of financially influenced legislation.

But it happens all the time. In fact, with a new two-year budget to be negotiated after the first of the year the special interests will be feasting in Columbus.

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The politicians routinely schedule fund-raisers around budget debate. The technology exists to make real-time reporting of campaign contributions easy. It would be a highly effective ethics reform to make the connection between campaign contributions and budget decisions obvious by requiring full financial disclosure by individuals, caucuses, and political parties within 24 hours of receipt.

There is no reason to allow dark money donations or independent expenditures from political action committees to be exempt from a real-time reporting regulation.

Nor should the vast amount of money spent lobbying the General Assembly be unknown to Ohioans. The best practice is to require all lobbying expenses, including the terms of contracts with lobbyists, be fully disclosed and available for all to see on a state internet site.

Ohio ethics law must also trace all nongovernment income, from office holders, appointees, and management employees, to the actual source of the income. No more creation of shell companies to conceal payment from a source with business with an Ohio government entity.

Ohio ethics laws are weak. Ohio government corruption is rampant. Derek Merrin has pledged to The Blade he has a plan to fix that.

We wish him God speed on this vital mission.

First Published November 19, 2022, 5:00 a.m.

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