2018 - Page 3 of 5 - Checks and Balances Project

Are Lobbyists and Former Officials Persuading States to Consider Expensive Software That Doesn’t Live Up to Promises?

2018-08-10

An anonymous tip received by Checks and Balances Project suggests lobbyists and former officials may be persuading state government purchasing officials to buy expensive E-procurement software through questionable contracts.

While Leading Flawed Inquiry into Seitz, Taft Attorney Represented Former Sen. Hite’s Victim

2018-07-27

Janica Pierce Tucker of Taft Law was selected to lead the investigation into a sexual harassment complaint against powerful House Majority Leader Bill Seitz. The inquiry was driven in part by Seitz’s inappropriate joke about Hite’s conduct that referenced the Marvin Gaye song, “Let’s Get It On.”

Was Policy Followed When North Carolina Speaker Moore’s Fiancée Was Hired?

2018-07-23

Given the power of the Speaker Tim Moore and his ability to influence state government, there are important questions to raise on behalf of taxpayers who pay the salaries of both Moore and Ms. Gray.

Seitz Sexual Harassment Investigators Billed Only $7,962 of $12,000 Budget

2018-07-20

Two ethics complaints have been filed with the Ohio Supreme Court’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel about the conflicts in the Taft Law investigation. The first was by C&BP on June 21, 2018; the second was filed by a southwest Ohio woman one week later.

Ohio House of Representatives’ “Seitz Investigation” into Sexual Harassment Cost Taxpayers $12,000 to Interview Just Two People

2018-06-15

Records now obtained by C&BP from the Ohio legislature reveal that the law firm hired to conduct what it called the “Seitz Investigation” was Taft Stettinus & Hollister LLP —the firm where Bill Seitz worked for 36 years.

Checks and Balances Project Hires Ohio First Amendment Attorney Jack Greiner to Enforce Citizen Access to Public Records

2018-05-23

Jack Greiner will explore a lawsuit enforcing public access to a Special Counsel Report on Sexual Harassment in the Ohio House of Representatives. The watchdog group is also seeking documents revealing the scope of the investigation, as well as who served in the role of Special Counsel, how they were hired, who decided to hire them and how much the work cost taxpayers.

3rd Rail Politics to Ohio House GOP Caucus: Clean Up Your Act

2018-05-16

Declares House Majority Leader ill Seitz “should be immediately stripped of leadership titles and all committee assignments, shunned.”

Seitz’s Use of Special Counsel Report Raises More Questions in Ohio

2018-05-15

On May 4, we sent a letter to Ohio House Speaker Kirk Schuring and asked him to release the Special Counsel’s Report on Sexual Harassment and other documents. But Rep. Seitz responded to our reporting with his own letter.

“Elected Officials in Bakersfield and Kern County are Becoming Poster Kids for Secrecy and Evading Simple Records Requests”

2018-05-11

If there is nothing in elected officials’ texts messages to be concerned about, wouldn’t it be simpler and more cost effective for members of the Bakersfield City Council and Kern County supervisors to allay concerns and release them? Why work so hard to keep them hidden? Perhaps soon citizens will find out.