Defiant Dann won't quit
Probe widens amid push for impeachment
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Wednesday, May 14, 2008
COLUMBUS — Attorney General Marc Dann defiantly stayed on the job Tuesday after legislative leaders rejected his terms for resigning.
Instead of agreeing to Dann's request to delay an investigation by Inspector General Tom Charles, lawmakers voted to start the wide-ranging probe immediately. In a precedent-setting day in the state's capital, House Democrats also made good on a threat to try to impeach Dann.
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Gov. Ted Strickland signed the legislation authorizing the probe by Charles, whose office wouldn't otherwise have standing to investigate the attorney general.
Earlier Tuesday, May 13, Dann tried to negotiate terms for his departure.
Dann spoke by phone with House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, said state Rep. Robert Hagan, a long-time Dann friend. After the House voted to immediately authorize Charles to investigate Dann, Hagan relayed a message to Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland.
Hagan said he spoke with Mike Harshman, Dann's attorney, about noon and Harshman told him that he could tell Harris that Dann would "be willing to resign within the hour" if Harris would agree to take the emergency clause out of the bill authorizing the Charles investigation. Without the emergency clause, the bill would not take effect for 90 days. Hagan relayed the offer.
Harris said he told Hagan removing the emergency clause "was not a consideration."
"I think the taxpayers deserved an outside, unbiased investigator," said Harris.
The House voted 83-13 and the Senate 32-0 to temporarily expand Charles' powers to allow him to investigate Dann's office and coordinate other probes already under way.
The governor signed the bill less than two hours after the General Assembly finished with it.
Rumors flared all day that Dann was set to resign. Then, at about 4 p.m., his office issued this statement: "Attorney General Marc Dann has not resigned and no further announcements are planned."
