Tom Noe, renowned sugar daddy of Ohio Republicans, surrendered to Florida authorities this week following his indictment on criminal charges. Although Noe is widely regarded as the architect of Ohio’s ongoing “Coingate” scandal, the recent charges are not related to his involvement in that particular matter. Instead, the charges stem from his coordination of a scheme involving financial contributions that he arranged for the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign.
From ONNnews.com:
Noe Surrenders
(posted October 29, 2005)
Coin dealer Tom Noe made a name for himself in Ohio politics with the lavish dinners he bought for Republican power brokers and the big checks he wrote to GOP candidates.
He became one of the state's top fundraisers and a friend to many, turning those connections into several political appointments. Now questions about how he raised money for President Bush's re-election campaign are the basis for a federal indictment that accuses Noe of illegally funneling $45,400 to the campaign through his friends and associates.
Noe has turned himself over to authorities at the federal courthouse in Orlando, FL.
Prosecutors say Noe wrote checks to his friends in the eight days leading up to a Bush fundraiser at a downtown Columbus hotel on Oct. 30, 2003. Noe's friends then made the campaign donations in their own names, skirting the $2,000 limit on individual contributions, the indictment said.
"It's one of the most blatant and excessive finance schemes we have encountered," said Noel Hillman, section chief of the U.S. Department of Justice's public integrity section.
[...]
Noe is accused of arranging the contribution scheme to fulfill his pledge to raise $50,000 for the Bush fundraiser that took place just over a year before Ohio gave Bush the White House. Federal investigators also allege Noe made his friends and associates fill out contribution cards and forms falsely certifying they were making the contributions themselves. (full story)
(posted October 29, 2005)
Coin dealer Tom Noe made a name for himself in Ohio politics with the lavish dinners he bought for Republican power brokers and the big checks he wrote to GOP candidates.
He became one of the state's top fundraisers and a friend to many, turning those connections into several political appointments. Now questions about how he raised money for President Bush's re-election campaign are the basis for a federal indictment that accuses Noe of illegally funneling $45,400 to the campaign through his friends and associates.
Noe has turned himself over to authorities at the federal courthouse in Orlando, FL.
Prosecutors say Noe wrote checks to his friends in the eight days leading up to a Bush fundraiser at a downtown Columbus hotel on Oct. 30, 2003. Noe's friends then made the campaign donations in their own names, skirting the $2,000 limit on individual contributions, the indictment said.
"It's one of the most blatant and excessive finance schemes we have encountered," said Noel Hillman, section chief of the U.S. Department of Justice's public integrity section.
[...]
Noe is accused of arranging the contribution scheme to fulfill his pledge to raise $50,000 for the Bush fundraiser that took place just over a year before Ohio gave Bush the White House. Federal investigators also allege Noe made his friends and associates fill out contribution cards and forms falsely certifying they were making the contributions themselves. (full story)
A prosecutor in the case has called this scheme one of the most “blatant and excessive” ever seen. At least nobody’s billing Noe as some kind of brilliant criminal genius. The real craftiness comes into play when you follow the money back to Noe...
From ONNnews.com:
Bush Fundraisers Rewarded
(posted October 30, 2005)
Records show that thirty Ohio contributors to President Bush's re-election campaign have received more than one-point-two billion dollars in state and federal tax dollars for their companies and lobbying clients.
Records that the Toledo Blade analyzed show the federal government has given those companies more than 447 million dollars in subsidies, contracts and other payments since Bush took office. Ohio has awarded them about 800 million dollars in the last six years.
Some of the business leaders and lobbyists who raised money also were given political appointments.
One of the 30 fundraisers was Tom Noe. He was charged Thursday with illegally funneling more than 45-thousand dollars in contributions to Bush. (full story)
(posted October 30, 2005)
Records show that thirty Ohio contributors to President Bush's re-election campaign have received more than one-point-two billion dollars in state and federal tax dollars for their companies and lobbying clients.
Records that the Toledo Blade analyzed show the federal government has given those companies more than 447 million dollars in subsidies, contracts and other payments since Bush took office. Ohio has awarded them about 800 million dollars in the last six years.
Some of the business leaders and lobbyists who raised money also were given political appointments.
One of the 30 fundraisers was Tom Noe. He was charged Thursday with illegally funneling more than 45-thousand dollars in contributions to Bush. (full story)
Does that mean that Bush has to give up the presidency because he had an unfair edge in Ohio? Nah...The worst thing that could happen is that Mr. Noe might briefly visit a minimum-security federal prison while his assets remain at large, gathering interest by the minute. Somebody's got to take one for the team and it look like it's Noe’s turn in the barrel.
It sure seems like the Republicans are running out of dupes these days. Some of the most influential Republicans in both Ohio and D.C. are either under investigation or under indictment. Where do you go once you’re fresh out of fall guys?
