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Noe and Friends: The Way We Were

Fellow Ohioan,

This week the Courts of Ohio will focus undue attention on one man in Toledo Ohio.

Tom Noe enters an Ohio Courtroom as perhaps the most talked about Ohio political figure in our states history. Despite my own 20 years of experience in Columbus, I do not recall ever meeting Mr. Noe – not surprising given my progressive politics.

Yet in an odd way we all know Tom. He is the guy wrapped up in a system he didn’t create – caught as a cog in a much larger wheel.

The Justice System is really putting on trial the system of fundraising put in place by George Voinovich and Paul Misfud over 16-years ago. The Justice system puts on trial the pay-to-play culture that gave Tom Noe access to government contracts for his coin dealership, to simultaneous service as Chair of the Board of Regents and the Ohio Turnpike Commission – two of Ohio’s most powerful Boards. Without the pay, there was no play, and without the play, there would be no Coingate.

The videotape excerpts released today show the familiarity of Ken Blackwell, Betty Montgomery, Bob Taft and others with the Noe family. It shows the family nature and camaraderie of Ohio’s pay-to-play atmosphere. It shows how politicians for political gain will say or do anything to deny their involvement in Tom Noe’s world – proof that Tom Noe is just a conduit in their political gamesmanship.

Brian Rothenberg

Executive Director
ProgressOhio.org

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