“Our last republican governor, Taft, was convicted in court over money issues. Seems they decided to invest in coins for the pension fund...a really odd investment for a pension fund....and then the coins walked.”
You are really uninformed.
Taft was convicted of 4 misdemeaners. He accepted gifts worth a huge 5800 dollars which were not reported properly.
from wiki:
“On August 17, 2005, Taft was charged with four criminal misdemeanors stemming from his failure to disclose golf outings paid for by lobbyists, as well as some undisclosed gifts. The Associated Press reported the total value of at least 52 undisclosed gifts as about US$5,800, they included:[48]
Two undisclosed gifts including golf with coin dealer Thomas Noe, a Republican fundraiser then under investigation, and later convicted, for his handling of a $50 million investment of state money in rare coins, and diverting $2 million to personal use. Taft claimed of Tom Noe that ““He fooled people from one end of Ohio to the other.”[46] (See Coingate scandal.)
Six undisclosed gifts including golf outings with political strategist Curt Steiner and Robert Massie, president of chemical information services giant CAS, worth $700. Taft later lobbied the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services against expanding scientific directories that would compete with CAS.
Undisclosed gifts including dinner and Columbus Blue Jackets hockey tickets from Jerry Jurgeson, chief executive officer of Nationwide Insurance
book and artwork from the consulate general of the People’s Republic of China worth $100
a photograph and framed medal from the Defense Supply Center worth $85
a portfolio and clothing worth $119 from the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce.
A large republican donor donated money then got a contract to invest some of Ohio’s money in gold coins. Only some of the coins walked while most stayed. This is a felony and he is still in jail. Ohio had a plus return on the investment in spite of the embezzlement because the price of the coins tripled in value and Ohio made out ok but not as well as Ohio should have.
Sounds informed to me.