Governor Strickland came into office promising to make ethics a priority in the state and after the many ethics violations we saw under the previous GOP administration, Strickland’s tighter restrictions were welcomed by Ohioans.
One of Governor Strickland’s first acts was to issue an executive order limiting the gifts that can be received by state government officials and employees. He hoped that such restrictions would prevent businesses and organizations from unfairly exerting influence on the government decision making process. It seems to have worked.
According to the Executive Order: The job of the officials and employees of the State of Ohio is to serve the people of Ohio. When those who want contracts or grants or other benefits from the State give gifts or meals or tickets or trips to state officials or employees, the people of Ohio have every right to be suspicious that official government decisions aren’t being made based on the merits.
Kasich has thrown away all of those restrictions and returned the state’s ethics policy back to where it was under Taft. For most officials and employees this means that instead of reporting any gifts over $20 they have to report any gifts over $75. Limits on gifts to family members of state employees are also gone. And, most importantly, restrictions that Strickland put in place preventing lobbyists and people seeking grants or loans from the state are now gone.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, Kasich had indicated that he doesn’t intend to stop there. It appears at though Kasich is intent on decimating the state’s ethics policy, at least where it applies to his friends. And, as he promised during the campaign, he’s going to start with the Department of Development.
