Ohio
Ohio House Democrats seeking ‘integrity’ law for statewide officeholders – WOUB Public Media
Ohio Home Democrats searching for ‘integrity’ legislation for statewide officeholders
By: Jo Ingles | Statehouse Information Bureau
Posted on:
< < Again to
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse Information Bureau) — Democrats within the Ohio Legislature are sponsoring a invoice that might ban statewide officeholders from receiving compensation for personal employment whereas serving their elected phrases.
Rep. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), who resigned from the Westerville Metropolis Library Board when she was elected to the legislature, stated state leaders have to keep away from even the looks of being beholden to anybody apart from their constituents.
“Corruption is dear. When unaccountable politicians abuse their energy to fill their very own pockets, it’s the Ohioans who pay the final word value,” Lightbody stated.
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, a Republican, was lately appointed to a paid company board place with Heartland Financial institution Corp. The appointment is authorized but it surely raised some eyebrows with some lawmakers who questioned whether or not it was correct for a prime state chief to have that function.
Rep. Allison Russo (D-Higher Arlington), Home minority caucus chief, stated the brand new invoice wouldn’t apply to lawmakers like her or Lightbody as a result of the Ohio Legislature, by constitutional design, is a part-time place.
She famous service with the Ohio Nationwide Guard or within the navy could be exempted. However she stated the invoice would apply in instances like Husted’s. And she or he stated it might apply to all statewide officeholders, no matter their political affiliation.
“This isn’t about partisanship. Democratic statewide elected leaders must be held to the identical excessive requirements because the Republican statewide elected leaders,” Russo stated.
The Republican-dominated Ohio Legislature is just not anticipated to return again till after the November election so the invoice, which hasn’t but been formally launched, should wait no less than just a few months for consideration.
Rep. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) stated majority Republicans are being requested to signal onto the laws.
“It’s extremely essential that we ship a powerful message and it must be a bipartisan message that ethics, integrity and taxpayer {dollars} are sacrosanct and that we put them above all else,” Weinstein stated.
Earlier this 12 months, after information of Husted’s appointment to the board broke, he stated he didn’t see it as a battle of curiosity.
“None of what I do in any means conflicts. I don’t oversee banking. I don’t have any authority in that area. And it has no battle of curiosity in any respect. I imagine it has nice worth,” Husted stated.
Husted defined his goal for being on the board is to assist him higher perceive how rates of interest, inflation, and authorities laws have an effect on small companies and the economic system.
“Understanding that and being concerned in that has nice worth, I imagine, for everybody to have public officers who actually perceive these points,” Husted stated.
Husted leads Innovate Ohio, the state’s enterprise and technological innovation division. He additionally has affect at JobsOhio, a state-authorized, nonprofit job creation firm.