Judge Refuses to Stop Publication of (Coingate) Book Proposal

TOLEDO -- The "Coingate" scandal landed in a Lucas County courtroom Tuesday, but this time Tom Noe wasn't one of the players. The case centered around two men who say they are the key sources who helped blow the lid off a rare coin investment scheme and the funneling of illegal campaign contributions to the Bush/Cheney re-election campaign.

Joe Kidd and Jon Stainbrook went to court to try to stop a local weekly newspaper from publishing excerpts from a book proposal that describes events leading to the arrest of Tom Noe and criminal charges against others. Kidd is the former director of the Lucas County Board of Elections, and Stainbrook is a former candidate for local public office who has been active in Republican politics for years.

http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=4996758

(there's a video link with the text story)

(This is the first time Joe Kidd has gone on the record with the media about his role in getting the Coingate story told.)

Ex-Government Official Pleads Guilty in Workers' Comp Scandal

COLUMBUS (AP) -- A former senior official at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation admitted Wednesday to taking bribes for government investment opportunities, including $25,000 he says he accepted from a man who handled the agency's investment in rare coins. Terrence Gasper, former chief financial officer at Ohio's insurance fund for injured workers, pleaded guilty in federal court to a racketeering charge and in state court to money laundering and failing to report gifts.
He also said he was working with prosecutors in their continuing investigation of the investment scandal.

http://wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=5000839