Turner named among ‘corrupt’ by ethics group; Roberts calls for investigation

The 26 members listed in the 2010 most corrupt members of Congress

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Mike Turner’s opponent is calling for an investigation of him after a public interest group on Wednesday named Turner to its list of “most corrupt” lawmakers, citing a $300,000 no-bid contract awarded by the Dayton Development Coalition four years ago to a company headed by Turner’s wife.

“The people of the Third Congressional District deserve ethical leadership moving forward,” said Joe Roberts, a Kettering Democrat who is trying to unseat Turner.

Roberts said the House Ethics Committee and Department of Justice should investigate the allegations that Turner, which the group accuses of soliciting gifts and enriching himself, family or friends.

“Ethics are the cornerstone of our government,” said Roberts. “How can we expect Turner to serve his constituency when he is a accused of using his office for financial gain?”

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a non-profit organization known as CREW, acknowledged the report does not contain new information against Turner, R-Centerville. But CREW said the report is an effort to pressure the ethics committees in the House and Senate to investigate the 26 members on the list.

“The ethics committees are encouraging corruption because they don’t do anything,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW. “If they’re not going to enforce ethics rules, how can you expect members of Congress to abide by them?”

In a statement, Turner said, “This is not news. It is a politically motivated attack on my family three weeks before Election Day.”

“This campaign should be about protecting Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, growing jobs, and reducing wasteful government spending,” Turner said via email in response to Roberts' call for an investigation. “It should not be about end-of-campaign publicity stunts or untrue desperate attacks on my family.”

Turner was first elected in 2002.

CREW is partly financed by a grant from Open Society Foundations, whose chairman is billionaire George Soros.

This year’s list of “most corrupt members” lists 10 Democrats and 16 Republicans. This is Turner’s first appearance on the list, although in 2008 the organization gave him what it calls a “dishonorable mention.”

The Daily News reported in 2008 that the Turner Effect, a marketing firm whose president is Lori Turner, had been named the lead contractor by the development coalition for a $1.5 million advertising campaign.

The coalition, which includes business, government and education officials, lobbies members of Congress, including Turner, for federal dollars for area projects.

Lori Turner voluntarily withdrew from the contract after the Daily News’ stories, saying she did not want to jeopardize the marketing initiative.