The State of Ohio is a weekly news program spotlighting the latest happenings at the Statehouse, in the Governor’s office, at the Ohio Supreme Court and throughout the Buckeye State. Award-winning host Karen Kasler presents viewers with unique analysis and thoughtful perspective on important issues of statewide interest through interviews with political leaders, newsmakers, experts and Ohio citizens. The State of Ohio is the only TV show to bring to Ohioans the latest news about taxes, voting, education and other critical matters from where it all happens -- Capitol Square.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Topics: Politics, Economy, Other
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State officials are treading cautiously toward impeachment against Marc Dann, after the scandal-scarred attorney general refused to resign. The week started with Gov. Ted Strickland and other Democratic leaders signing a letter asking Dann to resign because of the scandal over his affair with a staffer and the sexual harassment investigation into claims by two other female employees against their boss, Dann’s former general services director, Anthony Gutierrez. But Dann didn’t quit. House sessions Tuesday and Wednesday came and went without a resolution for impeachment. And lawmakers still haven’t given specifics on the charges they would use to try to impeach Dann, or the timeline for when the process would begin.

This week brought the deadline for state lawmakers to act on a proposed bill that would require most Ohio companies to provide workers with at least seven paid sick days each year. Now the issue’s supporters say they plan to collect enough signatures to take it to voters in November.

Keno may soon be a go. The governor won in his bid to bring the game to Ohio, as a panel of state lawmakers approved his request to spend 18 million dollars on equipment to buy 2-thousand video Keno games for bars and other places.

Eight years after it was set up to administer Ohio’s share of the settlement with the big cigarette makers, the state’s anti-tobacco agency has been blown away into history. But the battle over the funds that the state took from that agency is still smoldering. Ellen Vargyas is general counsel for the American Legacy Foundation, which is handling the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation’s case against the state.

Now back to the big story - the calls for Attorney General Marc Dann to resign over a sex scandal in his office. Here to talk about it are two longtime political experts from both sides. Dale Butland is a Democratic strategist and is currently working with the aforementioned Ohio Healthy Families Act. Also here is Brett Sciotto, a Republican consultant and president of American Strategies.

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