Ohio Attorney General Makes Recommendation on Frankie Coleman

An investigation has found that Frankie Coleman, the wife of Columbus Ohio's mayor who was given a position in Ohio's Department of Development has found that Coleman didn't work a full day, or missed work entirely for 13 days in her first few months on the job. The Ohio Attorney General's office also found that Lt. Governor Lee Fisher's office reportedly ignored many warnings that Coleman's personal problems were interfering with her overall job performance.

I have resisted the urge to weigh in on this bizarre case, as I have repeatedly written about what I feel it is terrific leadership being displayed by the new administration in Ohio of Governor Ted Strickland. Time after time Strickland has shown that a combination of little things done today, will add up to big gains in the future, and he also show that he is willing to lead by example, most notably with his meal tab limits and his not accepting his Ohio health care coverage he is entitled to as Governor, instead opting for paying for his own coverage until all Ohioans have adequate coverage.

However, this case, which rests now squarely at the door of Strickland's Lt. Governor, Lee Fisher, a tremendous asset during the campaign as a highly visible figure in Ohio politics, has gone on a bit too long for me not to comment on and report the findings of the state's attorney general's office.

The investigation and reports on this situation started somewhat quietly, and I am guessing that was because that Coleman just resigning from her $70,000 Department of Development position would satisfy detractors and allow the case to continue to be "politically debated." Then came the announcement that Coleman was entering an inpatient alcohol treatment program, after which more details came to light about Coleman seemed to come and go as she pleased for a variety of reasons, none of which were DOD related.