Senator Ted Stevens in Cuyahoga County?
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 By Marc KilmerNo, there doesn’t seem to be any connection with the Senator Ted Stevens scandal and what’s happening in Cuyahoga County with Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and Auditor Frank Russo. However, there is cause for concern that federal money (and possibly earmarks) are involved in this issue.
As the Plain Dealer blog points out:
Agents looked for any documents revealing Dimora’s role in the federal government’s “Veterans Administration Development Project.” Unclear is whether that refers to the expansion of the Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center in University Circle or the redevelopment of the former VA Hospital site in Brecksville.
Interestingly, Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones had this press release in February:
Today, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones announced that six new construction projects totaling $36,425,000 have been approved for the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
This money was not from earmarks, however, as the Fiscal Year 2008 Military Construction/VA bill did not have any. However, it would be very interesting to know if Mr. Dimora or others had requested such an earmark from Rep. Tubbs Jones (or from Senators Voinovich or Brown).
I think it would be a good idea for all of Ohio’s federal officials — but especially Representative Tubbs Jones and Senators Voinovich and Brown — to release information about any construction-related earmarks requested by the Cuyahoga County Commission.
It’s important to note that I’m not accusing these federal officials of having broken the law. But it is possible that they may have unwittingly helped Cuyahoga County receive federal funds that were then allocated by Mr. Dimora in ways that are now under investigation. Having more information would help us determine the extent of taxpayer money that may have been wasted.
Tags: Corruption
August 6th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Tubbs-Jones is chair of the House Ethics Committee. I’d think this would be an easy thing for her office to do, given her responsiblities in this area.
August 6th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Our site has taken a somewhat more sympathetic view of the good Senator, regarding his troubles as more symptomatic of the party as a whole. In that respect, local mimicry of national corruption may fit a larger pattern. Thanks for adding your voice.