Democrat sets up legal defense fund in Hagan lawsuit against GOP

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Donors sought for Truthseeker' defense fund set up for Hagan suit

http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1133948106245840.xml?nohio&coll=2

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

-- ...The fund is a reaction to reports that Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro -- one of the defendants -- said the state might seek financial sanctions against Hagan for filing a frivolous lawsuit. A private law firm representing two nonelected officials issued similar warnings...

"The idea that the attorney general of Ohio is trying to intimidate a citizen from bringing a lawsuit is an absolute outrage," said Dann, who is running for attorney general next year...

On Monday, visiting Common Pleas Court Judge Joseph Kainrad dismissed some portions of the suit that made numerous accusations and compared some defendants to Saddam Hussein.

Dann has sued Taft over communications about investments between the governor and the scandal-plagued Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.



Democrat sets up legal defense fund in lawsuit against GOP

12/7/2005, 2:07 a.m. ET
The Associated Press

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-21/113393980918040.xml&storylist=cleveland

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — State Sen. Marc Dann has created a legal defense fund on behalf of a fellow Democrat's lawsuit accusing state Republican officeholders of trading non-bid contracts in return for campaign contributions.

Dann, a Youngstown Democrat who's running for attorney general next year, set up the fund to raise money for Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan.

Hagan said legal services could top $1 million. His lawsuit, filed in 2004, accuses Gov. Bob Taft, Attorney General Jim Petro and other GOP officeholders of awarding billions of dollars in unbid contracts to vendors who inflated prices. Proceeds were then "kicked back" as political contributions, the lawsuit said...

Hagan said he'll drop the lawsuit if Republican leaders bar all unbid contracts except in emergencies.