Dayton Daily News | Dayton, Ohio, News and Information

The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Big donors helped pay ex-county GOP chief's salary

Documents show 13 donors contributed $688,000 between 1998 and 2003; Jacobson was paid $382,925 during that period.

Staff Writer

Thursday, June 28, 2007

State Sen. Jeff Jacobson wrested huge secret contributions from big donors like former Iams Co. owner Clay Mathile during Jacobson's time as chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Party, then pocketed a lion's share of the money for his work as chairman, according to party documents obtained by the Dayton Daily News.

Thirteen people contributed $688,000 to the county party's secret operating fund between 1998 and December 2003, when Jacobson, R-Butler Twp., stepped down as chairman, according to the documents.

Extras

The fund, since outlawed, was used to pay Jacobson's salary, bonuses and interest totaling $378,534 — or 55 percent of the total contributed by the big donors — during that period.

The same people contributed generously to Jacobson's state legislative campaigns, oftentimes the maximum allowed by law. Since 1995, Jacobson's campaign committee received $160,370 in contributions from the 13 donors, including Mathile; his wife, Mary; and businessmen M.O. Diggs and John W. Berry Jr.

"It looks like there are backroom deals being cooked up," said Mark Owens, chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Party. "When the public sees that, they say, 'Are they going to get special treatment from the legislator because they essentially bought him, secretly bought him?' "

Jacobson said he was not swayed by the money.

"I have never had anyone suggest that is the case," Jacobson said. "Nor at any point in time was I influenced by any money the party received or that my campaign received."

Jacobson said the secret contributions and payments were legal and the donors simply wanted to support their local county party. The law has since changed and parties must now report all contributions for operations.

"First of all the small amount that I got out of any donation that people made versus the amount of work I performed, I think it's not an issue," Jacobson said. "I know I was never overpaid."

> Comment on this story

Comments

By Steve

June 30, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this

I guess DDN cannot find enough to write about other than a party leader getting paid $45000 per year. Perhaps thier math is weak. $400,000 is a lot of money but over 13 years it is a low average payment. I guarantee you that the $350,000 Bill Clinton gets for each public speaking event he is hired for is funnelled too him by many of his party cronies. I did not get the DDN the day this story broke because I wanted as small of a subscription as I could get to get the funnies on Sunday. I Know why

By mkat

June 29, 2007 12:07 AM | Link to this

The Dayton Daily News is beating a dead horse. Wasn’t this story reported years ago after the Blackwell investigation? Maybe trash like this and the obvious bias of this newspaper is why subscriptions are down. Just an idea? Maybe the DDN needs to smarten up. You’ve lost the attention of a good deal of the Dayton community as a result. Who cares what you think because NOBODY is paying attention.

By Jacobsonwatcher

June 28, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this

Why would anyone be a bit surprised? It is NOT the amount of money over a five year period…I would tend to agree with Jacobson that he wasn’t overpaid. It’s the means by which the money was acquired. Jeff Jacobson is just another political hack clown that will line his pockets by treading the tenuous line between corruption and legitimacy, dipping his toes on either side as he finds convenient. You keep voting for him…you get what you deserve.

By joe

June 28, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this

This really is horrible reporting. very misleading. Even for the Dayton Daily Worker.

By mike

June 28, 2007 2:24 PM | Link to this

Crooked like other Republicans. No wonder I left the party. At least he’s a local guy. Oops, he lives in Columbus.

By GivemeaBreak!

June 28, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this

Hiding the payment of $450,000 to the party chairman is no big deal huh? I must have found the only handful of people that can possibly think that! By the way “Danny”, most county party chairman do the job for free. I’ve never heard of any county chairman ANYWHERE making even close to $450,000 over ANY amount of time. Dennis Lieberman (former Dem chair) was a more successful chair than crook Jacobsen could ever dream of being, and he was never paid a dime.

By JIM

June 28, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this

WHAT ELSE WOULD EXPECT FROM A REPUBLICANS.

By Jennifer

June 28, 2007 1:30 PM | Link to this

Over 13 years, he made less than $35,000/year. What’s the big deal?!? If anyone should be questioned, it should be Mr. White.

By Jennifer

June 28, 2007 1:30 PM | Link to this

Over 13 years, he made less than $35,000/year. What’s the big deal?!? If anyone should be questioned, it should be Mr. White.

By John

June 28, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this

Republicans give prostitutes a bad name.

By John

June 28, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this

Republicans give prostitutes a bad name.

By Cathy

June 28, 2007 12:14 PM | Link to this

It’s not a question of the money. The issue is why they felt a need to keep this a secret.

By Chad

June 28, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this

I first read this story and couldn’t believe how much money he was paid, it actually made me mad, but then saw that is was what he made for 5 years.

What a p**s poor way to report a story. Totally deceptive and misleading. This is simply journalism trash. Lynn Hulsey should go back to the frier at McDonalds.

By Danny

June 28, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this

A little over $63K a year. That’s about the normal salary for someone to run an outfit like that. No big deal in my opinion.