Summer reading

If you haven't been following Coingate in Ohio, let me direct your attention to the fabulous series of articles in the Toledo Blade. My personal favorite details GOP fundraiser (and Presidential "Pioneer") Tom Noe's ignominious collapse:

$10M to $12M missing from Noe's coin funds
Local dealer to face criminal charges, surrender passport

By JAMES DREW and MIKE WILKINSON
BLADE STAFF WRITERS

COLUMBUS — Federal and state authorities are pursuing criminal and civil charges against Tom Noe for allegedly misappropriating $10 million to $12 million from the state’s rare-coin investment.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said yesterday that he has “reason to believe” Mr. Noe, a prominent Toledo-area Republican fund-raiser and rare-coin dealer, has misappropriated “more than $10 million” in state assets.

“I have reason to believe it is more than just missing assets or lost assets or otherwise,” said Mr. O’Brien, a Republican. “I have reason to believe there is actual misappropriation of state funds involved ... I’m talking about conversion for personal use.”

It just gets better and better. In Texas, we have corrupt thugs who openly bully and buy their way into power. In Ohio, it seems, they lean more toward incompetent shysters who think $50 million in Worker's Comp funds is a petty cash jar they can pilfer from at will.

Makes you how much of this goes on elsewhere that isn't caught--the Blade got onto this totally by chance. They were initially only investigating the wisdom of investing state funds in such a risky venture.