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Head Of Taft's Security Team Demoted For Strip Club Visits
WCMH-TV Columbus, Ohio ^ | August 25, 2005

Posted on 08/25/2005 8:44:15 AM PDT by Columbus Dawg

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The head of Gov. Bob Taft's security detail has been demoted after an investigation found that he attended strip clubs in New York, tried to pick up a woman at a bar during Taft's trade mission to Asia and received phone calls at his office from a go-go dancer in Columbus.

Craig Seitz has been demoted from lieutenant to trooper, according to a State Highway Patrol report released Wednesday. He's now stationed at a patrol post in Granville, 25 miles east of Columbus.

Seitz, 43, has appealed his demotion to the State Employment Relations Board.

"We truly believe this is an injustice," said Shareef Rabaa, Seitz's attorney. "We believe when all the facts are released, he will be completely exonerated of these charges."

Seitz has worked for the patrol since 1985 and was appointed chief of security for the governor in 2002. His annual base pay was cut by one-fourth from $73,715 to $55,266 with his demotion.

The report contains interviews with other members of Taft's security detail, all of whom described Seitz as a detached administrator. They said he rarely provided schedules, forced others to transport Taft to events when Seitz overslept, and blamed subordinates when he forgot to gas up the governor's car.

Mark Rickel, the governor's spokesman, declined to discuss the report other than to say, "This is a Highway Patrol matter, and the governor's safety was not an issue."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: bobtaft; ohio; taft
Well unlike his colleagues at Liquor Control, at least he did not use someone else's ID to go into the bar.
1 posted on 08/25/2005 8:44:21 AM PDT by Columbus Dawg
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To: Columbus Dawg

Avoid speeding in the area, there is going to be one pissed off trooper


2 posted on 08/25/2005 8:46:05 AM PDT by vrwc0915
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To: Columbus Dawg

Doesn't sound like this guy did anything illegal.


3 posted on 08/25/2005 8:48:18 AM PDT by RexBeach (Pardon me, but is that a malaise sandwich in your pocket or are you just glad to be in a funk?)
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To: Columbus Dawg

If he worked for a certain ex-governor of Arkansas, that would be part of his job description-reconnaissance and recruitment.


4 posted on 08/25/2005 8:49:10 AM PDT by Spok (Est omnis de civilitate.)
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To: Columbus Dawg

I went to school in Granville, Denison University! Use to be a great party school; now a bastion of liberal anger.


5 posted on 08/25/2005 8:53:42 AM PDT by GianniV
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To: GianniV

"Use to be a great party school; now a bastion of liberal anger."

It's no fun to party with angry liberals. Or, really, with any liberals.


6 posted on 08/25/2005 8:59:57 AM PDT by hsalaw
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To: Columbus Dawg

"The report contains interviews with other members of Taft's security detail, all of whom described Seitz as a detached administrator. They said he rarely provided schedules, forced others to transport Taft to events when Seitz overslept, and blamed subordinates when he forgot to gas up the governor's car."

I see plenty wrong with his job performance. Now, what exactly did he do wrong in his personal life?


7 posted on 08/25/2005 9:00:13 AM PDT by CSM ( If the government has taken your money, it has fulfilled its Social Security promises. (dufekin))
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To: GianniV

Well if he was going to go-go bars on his own time I really don't see this as a demoting offense. Who is monitoring his incoming phone calls. Again, unless it was really a ton of time I'm not sure I see this as a demotable offense.

For better or worse we've decided as a society that strip bars are ok. Going into them in off work hours is a personal choice, like riding 100 horsepower motorcycles, juggling chainsaws, sky-diving or being gay.


8 posted on 08/25/2005 9:00:15 AM PDT by Jack Black
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To: Columbus Dawg

? Why is this illegal?
I didn't ask moral or not, but why should he get in trouble for it?
I don't like the govt policing bedrooms or bars.


9 posted on 08/25/2005 9:00:31 AM PDT by cambridge (Yes...a recent Freeper, but I lurked.)
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To: cambridge

He is a security risk. He is an avenue through which criminal elements can gain access to the Governor's person. He is a walking blackmail risk.


10 posted on 08/25/2005 9:05:45 AM PDT by Sam the Sham (A conservative party tough on illegal immigration could carry California in 2008)
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To: Sam the Sham

He wouldn't be open to blackmail if his employers said that what he got up to, legally, in his free time was his own business. Making it a fireable offense makes it open for blackmail.


11 posted on 08/25/2005 9:08:51 AM PDT by cambridge (Yes...a recent Freeper, but I lurked.)
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To: vrwc0915
Avoid speeding in the area, there is going to be one pissed off trooper

And if you are a female speeder that looks hot, who knows what he'll make you do?

Go-go dancer? What is this, 1969?

12 posted on 08/25/2005 9:21:00 AM PDT by You Dirty Rats (Forget Cindy; The Problem Is The Left and MSM Who Use Her to Attack Bush AND Our Troops!!)
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To: cambridge

Someone in a security position does not have "free time" or a "private life". That is the price. Consorting with lowlifes and questionable elements is not something that someone in a security position is free to do. Period.

Someone with vices, be it gambling or booze or sluts, cannot be trusted. Someone who frequents strippers and hookers has a dark side and dirty secrets.


13 posted on 08/25/2005 10:08:36 AM PDT by Sam the Sham (A conservative party tough on illegal immigration could carry California in 2008)
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To: Columbus Dawg
The report contains interviews with other members of Taft's security detail, all of whom described Seitz as a detached administrator. They said he rarely provided schedules, forced others to transport Taft to events when Seitz overslept, and blamed subordinates when he forgot to gas up the governor's car.

Why demote him for legal strip club visits when he has all of this mismanagement on his record?

14 posted on 08/25/2005 10:10:56 AM PDT by Zeroisanumber
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To: Columbus Dawg
...he attended strip clubs in New York, tried to pick up a woman at a bar during Taft's trade mission to Asia and received phone calls at his office from a go-go dancer in Columbus.

How utterly heterosexual! I say, "Fire 'im!"

/sarc

15 posted on 08/25/2005 10:23:56 AM PDT by houeto (Mr. President, close our borders now!)
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