State Sen. Timothy Grendell, a Republican from Chesterland, introduced the “Ethics Law Violations” bill Wednesday morning, which prohibits any member of state government including employees, board and commission members, from serving on boards and commissions if they have been convicted of ethics violations.
The prohibition is for five years if the conviction was a misdemeanor and for life if the conviction is a felony.
The bill comes in response to the case of Brian Hicks, a member of the Ohio State Board of Trustees who was convicted of first-degree misdemeanor ethics charges Friday.
Hicks, formerly chief of staff to Gov. Bob Taft, was found guilty of not disclosing that he paid less than fair market value for family vacations he took to the Florida home of Tom Noe – the central figure in an evolving scandal of unreported losses and theft from investment funds at the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
Hicks did not return phone calls made by The Lantern.
“I believed then and I believe now that I paid a fair rate for these accommodations and no disclosure was necessary on my part,” Hicks said in a statement released Friday.
Lara Baker, chief legal counsel of the criminal division at the Columbus City Attorney’s Office, said Hicks was wrong.
“The evidence we gathered indicated the money Hicks paid still was not any where near fair market value,” she said.
According to The Columbus Dispatch, Hicks said in a courthouse statement Friday he had no intention of resigning from the OSU or the Ohio Water Development Authority boards.
Taft appointed Hicks to both boards.
The Columbus Dispatch reported Wednesday that, according to Hicks’ “confidential plea agreement” it obtained, Hicks could face additional charges.
“Prosecutors reserve the right to charge Hicks, now a lobbyist, with either a felony or with violating Ohio’s revolving-door law for representing clients too soon after leaving Taft’s office,” The Dispatch reported.
Grendell said if Hicks remains on the OSU Board, it sends the wrong message to OSU students.
“We’re trying to teach honesty and integrity and you don’t do that by retaining members convicted of ethical violations,” he said.
“We tell the students, ‘Don’t cheat,’ but how do you reinforce that?” Grendell asked.
Four Democratic state legislators, Sen. Marc Dann of Youngstown, Reps. Joyce Beatty and Dan Stewart, both of Columbus, and Rep. Peter Ujvagi of Toledo, gathered on the steps of the Ohio Union on Tuesday to urge Taft to remove Hicks from his positions on the OSU and Ohio Water Development Authority boards.
“There’s no connection between Brian’s failure to disclose and his service on those boards,” said Mark Rickel, spokesmen for Taft. “Ultimately, the decision as to whether Brian can effectively serve on those boards is one for Brian to make.”
Each of the legislators said they were co-sponsoring or supporting Grendell’s bill.
“This is a bipartisan issue because it is the right thing to do,” Beatty said. “We will not stop here. Today is just the beginning if (Taft) does not heed our call” to remove Hicks from the boards.
Ujvagi sent a letter to Taft that said: “Ohio’s colleges and universities rely on their Board of Trustees to provide vision, guidance and direction. The members of these Boards, therefore, must demonstrate sound judgment and character, and must be willing to deal with the consequences of their actions. Especially at a university like Ohio State, which so readily and continually turns out the leaders of tomorrow, we must make sure that those who serve on its highest body of governance lead with integrity and impeccable moral fiber.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Hicks’ actions have called into question his ability to serve and have cast doubt upon his ability to issue good decisions.”
Robert Duncan, Vice Chairman of the OSU Board, said he had no comment. Board Chairman Dan Slane was unavailable for comment as he was out of the county.
Suzanne Sharer, USG president, issued the following statement Tuesday: “Hicks, as an Ohio State alumnus and past Student Body President, has shown over the years his dedication to The Ohio State University. Certainly, members on any professional board should be held to a high ethical standard and I am confident that Hicks will make the right decision based on the needs of this university.”
Sharer said USG would debate what reaction, if any, USG might have in September.
