Coin dealer trial delayed until October

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http://www.cleveland.com/

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — The trial of a major GOP fundraiser over his handling of a state investment in rare coins is now slated to begin just four weeks before the November elections.

A judge on Wednesday delayed the start of a trial after Tom Noe's defense lawyers said they needed more time to prepare. Noe was scheduled for trial Aug. 29.

The trial is now scheduled to begin on Oct. 10.
(snip)
Lucas County Judge Thomas Osowik on Wednesday also turned down a request by Noe's attorneys to move the trial outside of Lucas County.

Excellent timing, Judge Osowik! Now let's make sure that the trial date is not changed again.

[mom cat]

1. Nice timing! K&R

[LiberalHeart]

2. And in related news....

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- A sweeping investigation into bribery for investment contracts at the state insurance fund for injured workers has returned authorities to familiar territory: Ohio's pension funds and the state treasury. The list of the top 10 to 15 brokers doing business with the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation contain many of the same firms that handle investments for state pension funds and the Ohio Treasurer's Office, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said Wednesday.

He confirmed the state investment investigation has expanded to the Ohio's five public pension funds, as first reported in The Columbus Dispatch. "It would not be unexpected to see many of the same names arising (in our investigation)," he said. "However, whether there is anything illegal is as yet unclear."

O'Brien's office is part of the large law enforcement task force investigating a state investment scandal that began with rare-coin dealer Tom Noe's contracts with the workers' comp agency. Noe is accused of stealing more than $1 million from the coin fund, and the former executive in charge of investments at the workers' comp agency says Noe bribed him to help secure the coin contract, which Noe denies.

More:
http://wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=5030704

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4. Not very comforting for me

I'm a STRS retiree. My husband is an OPF retiree. We see our health care costs rising; and the benefit level declining. Meanwhile, the rich get richer.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. I bet it gets kicked to after the election.

Can't have accusations of Puggy wrongdoing contaminating the vote, now, can we.

[PurityOfEssence]

6. Nooooooo. Why would you say such a thing?

What's truly funny about this numismatic skullduggery is that it's truly in sync with the republican spirit: it's all about money.

All embarrassing encounters with the law will be conveniently shunted aside until convenient.

Just as the '00 election results were quashed after 9-11, those in power will play the rhythms of the news as they see fit.

[Judi Lynn]

8. You betcha! You probably recall that the Justice Department ALSO

delayed doing anything about the 2002 Republican New Hampshire phone jamming crimes against the Democratic Party and the Fire Department until well after the 2004 election, insuring no backlash whatsoever during that election.

We've learned they are very bold about their crimes when they believe there is no one powerful enough to stop them. Looks as if they do it almost all in plain sight now.

Since they've kicked this stuff to October, it will be a snap to make sure nothing will have happened before that election, too.

[EFerrari]

5. Off to the Greatest

:kick:

[LiberalHeart]

7. Head of GOP in Ohio is saying Judge is political...

He's asking the Judge to recuse himself. Says he set the October trial date to help his chances of being elected to a higher position. Noe was scheduled to go to trial at the end of August, requested a delay till November. The Judge said nope, October. And it looks like the trial would run right up to about the time we vote. toledoblade.com will have the story Thursday.

[semillama]

9. Get Thee Hence, Judge, sayeth the Elephant

"But our Goober-natorious candidate overseeing his own election as Secretary of State? JUST DANDY, MA'AM!"