Ohio's attorney general is investigating whether a state university and its consultant violated state lobbying laws when the university paid him nearly $2 million without a state board's prior approval.
Ohio law mandates that public universities get the state Controlling Board's approval for lobbying contracts exceeding $50,000 in a calendar year. A spokesman for Attorney General Mike DeWine told the Dayton Daily News that DeWine's office would refer the matter to the Franklin County prosecutor's office if it finds the contract between the university in Dayton and consultant Ron Wine violates Ohio law.
Wright State officials say Wine is not operating as a lobbyist. The newspaper says calls to a phone number for the consultant weren't returned.