Democrats' Ethics Pleas Moot At Self-Policing JobsOhio

An ethics complaint filed against Ohio Gov. John Kasich's privatized job-creation office has nowhere to go due to the way legislation creating JobsOhio was crafted. Ohio Ethics Commission executive director Paul Nick tells The Columbus Dispatch that his board has no authority over conflict of interest issues when it comes to JobsOhio. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald sought an ethics investigation this week after reports that six of nine JobsOhio board members have direct financial ties, such as jobs, stocks or board positions, at companies that have received state or JobsOhio help since Kasich took office. The Republican-dominated state Legislature exempted JobsOhio from state ethics laws two years ago. They made the nonprofit agency self-policing, with potential ethical dilemmas decided by "disinterested" board members.