Kathie Bracy's Blog: The DeWine "Dark Money" and STRS picture as Joe sees it

Do The Circumstances Surrounding Mike DeWine's Abrupt Removal of Wade Steen Go Deeper Than A $100,000.00 Campaign Contribution?

From Joe Lupo

May 12, 2023

Based on the initial information that MOF received and was able to verify, the $100,000.00 campaign contribution to the Republican Governor's Association (RGA - a political organization that serves as a conduit to direct funds to DeWine), we could only assume that it was a possible "Pay to Play" and thus, the political appointment by DeWine was a second political payback to Brent Bishop since he had already appointed him to the University of Toledo board of trustees one month after his campaign contribution. Now by all indications, DeWine in his obvious haste and/or lack of knowledge regarding the law has now made a illegitimate appointment to the STRS Board.

However more discussion and questions have surfaced regarding DeWine's removal of Wayne Steen, beyond the issue of the $100,000.00 campaign donation by Brent Bishop. All this has triggered more in-depth research. DeWine's statement regarding his concern about COLA and STRS investments quickly piqued my curiosity, since he has done nothing, and let me emphasize nothing again, to lift a finger or raise a concern about what STRS has done and is doing in victimizing their members. This quickly caused me to be suspect about his remarks, He also referenced the three missed meetings and in all my research of of STRS Board Policy and Ohio Revised Code I have found nothing to support DeWine's action. DeWine's decision to remove Wade Steen because it is questionable and not covered by law introduces the possibility of other parties being involved. And why not, since we know those who have the most to lose if there is a new reform majority at the STRS board table. Because there are so many questions that beg an answer, all available documents, newspaper articles and STRS documents were researched as to determine what if any possible possible linkages exist that may have influenced DeWine's decsion.

As available information was researched, the old theory of following the money, was a primary focus in researching possible linkages between and among people who might have had a role in "Mike DeWine's Dark Friday". DeWine in his announcement of his new illegitimate appointment stated, that he wanted a full time board member that would do a good job for the members as one of the reasons for replacing Steen. Fact is, Wade Steen is doing a good job for members! We have very reliable information that has been provided by certain staff members of DeWine before he removed Steen. The governor and these same staff members had never met with Wade Steen, and they really did not know what he was doing as a board member. Of course, we have come to expect this lack of knowledge and lack of interest in what is going on at STRS with the political officials that we have dealt with in the past.

It must be understood by the reader, that the information that will be presented herein could be called speculation, and probably will by those that are being called into question. There is a solution to that problem by ending the deception and deceit that we as members have continually been confronted with by STRS and a number of Ohio politicians and office holders.

However, in our efforts on MOF to be transparent with our members, presenting this information is not an option, but a responsibility. I would encourage each of you to read, study and review this information and then conduct research on your own. You might find some information relative to what I am presenting that may also be beneficial in correcting the multitude of injustices and hurdles that we have had to jump over and the many walls that have been put up before us to discourage our mission.

There is always a beginning, so I will start with the employment of the outside lobby firm of Caifee, Haiter & Griswold LLP. by STRS and specifically identify Leah Pappas Porner who is a top rated attorney in her practice areas of government relations and legislative and governmental affairs. She is also the partner in charge of this firm located in Columbus, Ohio. She is known as a top lawyer and referred to as a highly skilled lobbyist. The first question that is raised regarding the hiring of this firm is why? Why has STRS paid Leah Pappas Porner and her firm approximately $764,000.00 the last six years? The fact is, STRS has two lobbyists on staff that are being paid approximately $370,000 dollars annually (Documents attached). Something is very wrong with this picture that begs an answer.

The second concern is that Leah Pappas Porner has also lobbied for FirstEnergy since at least 2009. A minor point in her linkage with DeWine, is his appointment of Porner to the board of trustees for the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library. So what might be the other linkage here? Ohio's Gannett Network Bureau broke new details in the FirstEnergy scandal in 2022 in which Mike DeWine and Jon Husted were officially named as 'state official 1' and 'state official 2.' At that time it was the latest bombshell connecting DeWine and Husted to the FirstEnergy bribery scandal. One would have to consider this quite a coincidence in STRS hiring a firm with a lobbyist who represented FirstEnergy since De Wine was implicated but never charged? Who would know more inside information on the entire scandal than Leah Pappas Porner on the who, what, when and where of the players as originally implicated in this dark money scandal? Lot of questions that beg an answer like so many other issues that are ignored or forgotten by the powers to be.

And as always, the final concern. Is Bill Neville a player behind the scene in order to maintain a board that is favorable to him? To think that Neville would use our pension dollars to step on the will the members is beyond the pale. Yet, based on all his maneuvers and tactics of the past and the present, is it a real possibility that he used Leah Pappas Porner to intervene and save the day by using her past and present relationship with the governor's office to influence DeWine to remove Wade Steen? After all, she is paid by STRS as a lobbyist,

If any or all of this is true, then the parties involved have committed collusion on what con only be referred to as interference in the will of the members by tipping the balance of power back into the hands of the current majority board. By DeWine being a participant, that makes him a hypocrite regarding his statements from last Friday to date.

I do not take lightly the information I have shared for your perusal. However, STRS is at a critical tipping point. Neville is playing a game that has impacted all current retirees and will impact all future retirees even more. We have known since the start in 2017 that we are in a fight to protect what all of us should have ...a secure retirement. We have worked very hard to change the Board majority and DeWine as governor gave STRS members what I would call a slap in the face. His words are hollow and he will be held to account based on his actions. It is now more than clear, that he is not with us, or is he not interested in justice. All that we ask is that he not continue to patronize us by his statements to the press. He is now a member of the Neville's ongoing production of deceit and deception, that will be part of both their legacies.