The Ohio disclosure discussion continues.....

From John Curry, August 28, 2010

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/08/ag_candidate_mike_dewine_says.html

Ohio attorney general candidate Mike DeWine says state pension funds should release records

Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 28, 2010
Patrick O'Donnell, The Plain Dealer

Mike DeWine says state law calls for public officials to make government more open to voters and that he would "err on the side of disclosure" in advising the funds and other government agencies.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio's five public employee pension plans should release detailed records to the public, Republican candidate for Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said Friday.

DeWine criticized his opponent, current Attorney General Richard Cordray, for advising the plans to deny a request for the information from the Ohio News Organization, a coalition of the state's largest newspapers.

DeWine, a former U.S. senator, said if he is elected he will advise the pension funds to give the records to the newspapers.

As two of the five state retirement funds seek more money from taxpayers, the newspapers asked for detailed information on contributions, service time and benefits by individual on the funds' 400,000 recipients, but without any names or identifying information.

The newspapers, which have produced joint reports on the pension funds, sought the data to look for possible waste and abuse.

The funds rejected the request in July, most with Cordray's advice, saying it would still violate privacy restrictions. DeWine said he would take an opposite approach.

"My advice to the funds would be to release the information but to ensure that all personal information was protected," he said.

In an op-ed piece submitted to The Plain Dealer, DeWine said state law calls for public officials to make government more open to voters. He said he would "err on the side of disclosure" in advising the funds and other government agencies.

"Attorney General Cordray is the chief law officer of the state and should have instructed these agencies to abide by these laws and interpret the law in a way that would allow the people to have more insight into the operations of these funds," DeWine wrote.

Cordray called DeWine's article rhetoric. He accused DeWine of grandstanding and "dodging the question" by not citing a single law to back his position.

"It's distressing to see a candidate for attorney general who so fundamentally misunderstands the attorney general's role," he said.

DeWine also challenged Cordray to explain his advice. Cordray declined Friday, saying it is private under attorney-client privilege.

The papers -- The Akron Beacon Journal, Canton Repository, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch, Dayton Daily News, The Plain Dealer, Toledo Blade and the Youngstown Vindicator -- jointly asked for the records as part of a year-long look at the pension systems and the cost to taxpayers.

The State Teachers Retirement System and the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund have asked the state legislature for increased taxpayer contributions to keep the funds solvent.

DeWine wrote that it is crucial for the public to be able to examine how its spends state money. If privacy is protected, scrutiny may help the retirees as well.

"Full transparency provides protections and accountability for retirees whose funds are at risk if their investments are not managed properly," he said.