Jeff Glasgow: Honorable legislators do not loot the private savings of public retirees to make political statements

Pensions were used in game of politics
Columbus Dispatch, August 27, 2007

I respond to the Aug. 17 Dispatch article "Pension funds may skip divesting Iran, Sudan links," and the statement by Karen Tabor, spokeswoman for House Speaker Jon A. Husted, R-Kettering, that "Honorable people keep their word."

Honorable legislators do not loot the private savings of public retirees to make political statements. "Public" pension funds are private savings of public employees. The looting of these funds reflects dishonor on every one of the divestment measure's authors and supporters.

None of the fund managers, signatories to the "agreement" that Husted coerced, had authority from either their boards or, most certainly their members, to give away these funds.

We are sick of having our pension funds looted by moralizing politicians who try to spin the virtual theft of public retirees' savings into "patriotism" by wrapping themselves in the flag.

JEFFREY L. GLASGOW
Westerville

Jeff Glasgow is a retired prosecuting attorney and a member of OPERS.

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