Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien is finally putting the screws to Governor Bob Taft (a.k.a. the great-grandson of former President William Howard Taft).

From CNN.com:
Prosecutor: Ohio governor to be charged with 4 misdemeanors
Taft won't resign, spokesman says

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Gov. Bob Taft will face misdemeanor charges for not reporting golf outings paid for by others, a prosecutor said Wednesday.

Taft, a second-term Republican and member of a distinguished U.S. political family, would be the first Ohio governor to be charged with a crime. If convicted of the four misdemeanors, he could be fined $1,000 and sentenced to six months in jail on each count, though time behind bars was considered unlikely.

Taft will be charged later Wednesday, said City Prosecutor Stephen McIntosh, who declined to comment further pending an afternoon news conference.

The governor will respond publicly on Thursday and is not planning to resign, spokesman Mark Rickel said.  (full story)

Now, who would have thought such a thing could happen? I mean, if the television show "Bonanza” taught us anything, it’s that the good guys are the handsome fellows in the white cowboy hats, right?


Um...Come to think of it, Little Joe’s hat was black, wasn't it?  Onward...

From toledoblade.com
The charges are the result of a two-month investigation by the Ohio Ethics Commission into the governor’s alleged infractions. Although time behind bars in considered unlikely, the charges could lead to Mr. Taft’s impeachment under the Ohio Constitution.  (full story)

Here’s a quick look at some text from the Ohio State Constitution concerning impeachment:
§ 2.23 Impeachments; how instituted and conducted

The House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeachment, but a majority of the members elected must concur therein. Impeachments shall be tried by the senate; and the senators, when sitting for that purpose, shall be upon oath or affirmation to do justice according to law and evidence. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the senators.

There’s more in there, but that’s really the gist of it.  As my European friends might say..."Not bloody likely.”  In Ohio's House of Representatives, the Republicans hold 60 seats to the Democrats' 39 seats.  In the Ohio Senate, the Republicans hold 22 seats and the Democrats hold 11.  Taft can (and probably will) keep his position as Governor regardless as to whether he is convicted or he pleads out.

Tomorrow morning, Governor Taft will appear in Frankin County Municipal Court to answer the charges against him.  Let’s try to remain optimistic about all this...This could be the start of a whole new era for Ohio.  Once we have a convicted criminal as our Chief Executive, we can start to make all kinds of changes.  How about changing our state song to a gangsta rap song?  And maybe our new state flower could be the Opium Poppy.  As for our state motto...instead of “With God all things are possible,” we could change it to “With BLING BLING all things are possible.”  It could happen, you know.  And then everyone in America would wish they had Bob Taft as their governor.  Even Californians would be jealous.