ProgressOhio

The Columbus Dispatch reports:

For the first time, the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee today recommended that a member of the Ohio legislature — or in this case a former member — face criminal charges for unethical conduct.

A report sent to Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien today says the 12-member, bipartisan committee thinks former Sen. Jeffry Armbruster violated Ohio ethics law by using his office to push for workers' compensation rate reductions for his own company, Armbruster Energy Stores.

In February 2006, the report said, Armbruster violated a section of the Ohio Revised Code, including a portion that says: "No public official or employee shall use or authorize the use of the authority or influence of office or employment to secure anything of value…that is of such a character as to manifest a substantial and improper influence upon the public official."

According to documents released by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Armbruster, a North Ridgeville Republican, met in his Statehouse office with bureau officials and also had phone conversations in early 2006, pushing to get rates lowered for his company.

Armbruster, who then was vice chairman of a committee that dealt with most bureau-related legislation, eventually got an 88 percent rate reduction for his gas stations.

When Armbruster's conduct came to light through an internal bureau audit, it raised questions about whether he'd improperly used his elected office for personal gain.

After a closed-door meeting this morning, the ethics panel agreed to forward Armbruster's case to O'Brien's office, stating that it found a violation of law had occurred.

Gee, think the Dispatch will run this top of the fold on the front page.

After all, it's only a corrupt politician using his office to help his own business and line his own pockets -- not like his spouse did anything.