Posted on 06/19/2015 1:55:50 PM PDT by george76
A former chief executive officer of the red-light camera company Redflex has pleaded guilty to bribing Columbus elected officials - including Council President Andrew Ginther - through the Ohio Democratic Party to install the cameras and keep them operating in the city.
Karen L. Finley, 55, of Cave Creek, Ariz., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, according a press release from Carter M. Stewart, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
Records from the U.S. District in Columbus show that from 2005 to 2013, Finley made campaign contributions to elected public officials in Columbus and Cincinnati. The cameras were installed in Columbus in 2006.
...
Redflex, the Arizona-based company providing red-light cameras.
Finley and other Redflex executives agreed to provide the money if the public officials would take actions on their behalf. The company used Columbus lobbyist John Raphael, a former City Council aide, as its conduit for the campaign cash.
Raphael would prepare bogus invoices and get money from the company to funnel to the officials. In exchange, Columbus hired the company in 2005, renewed its contract in 2009 and modified it in 2010. Cincinnati officials also sought a deal with the firm.
(Excerpt) Read more at dispatch.com ...
Poll the public, and every time a significant majority will oppose the stupid things. The fact that they exist at all shows that the government no longer respects the citizenry.
All about revenue, not about safety.
Appears to be one of those cases in which the bribe-giver goes to prison and the bribe taker retires to a life of luxury.
Another case of following the $$$$.
It’s illegal to bribe politicians in OH? Who knew?
Cooke County had a $2M bribe, haven’t heard how many politicians are involved, think it is still going.
They all need to be necklaced. The British take a used tire, and fill it with gasoline and rags. Although armored, this completely cooks the innards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twzr865eWvQ
What about those taking the bribes? Have they been indicted, too? From what I gather, ALL the bribe takers were Rats.
Ginther was hand-picked by longtime and current mayor Michael Coleman (D). Before Coleman, there was a long string of Republican Mayors in Columbus back to, I think the late 60s. Now they can’t even field a candidate and I think Coleman has even run unopposed in at least one election - pathetic. Anyway, Ginther won the primary a few weeks ago overwhelmingly. they’ve soaked the local media with his face - someone few ever heard before Coleman’s anointing.
Isn’t Ginther opposed by the county Sheriff? Is he a D or an R?
3 GOP Mayors in Columbus from 1972-2000. The same Dem Mayor, Jack Sensenbrenner, served from 1954-60 & 1964-72. He was the last Dem before Coleman. Sadly, Columbus/Franklin County has gone to the dark side demographically. Once dependably GOP, it last voted that way for President in 1992. It was one of the few counties to increase its numbers for Zero from 2008 to 2012 (59.6% to 60.5%).
Corrupt Democrats in Ohio? No!!! Say it isn’t so, and tell me that pigs can fly.
Wait till they investigate Cleveland. They will need another prison just to hold the Democrats.
Sheriff Zach Scott is a Dim and lost during the primary. I’m not sure anyone is running against Ginther in November.
Undoubtedly going on all across the country.
Another fact of nature...
Pedophiles are drawn to be school teachers.
Crooks are drawn to elective office.
And 50% of that revenue goes to private firms with political connections.
As if the bribes and kickbacks are only happening in one community that has these things.
There should be a federal investigation into this. Much worse than whether a baseball player took steroids.
It’d be easier to just wall off the city of Cleveland and turn it into a prison. Wouldn’t take all that long to remove the few people that aren’t part of the ‘rat corruption machine before locking the doors.
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