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Dann's scheduler planned to accompany boss on overseas trip
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
COLUMBUS — When Alyssa Lenhoff canceled plans to accompany her husband, Attorney General Marc Dann, on an international exchange trip to Turkey last June, Dann's scheduler Jessica Utovich moved quickly to go on the trip.
Utovich called Don Parker at the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, which sponsored the exchange trip, from Washington, D.C., where she was trying to get a passport, said Powell Police Chief Gary Vest, past president of the association. Utovich needed Parker to confirm that she had a ticket to Turkey, Vest said.
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The association paid airfare for Utovich to go to Turkey and billed it to a federal homeland security grant but she later canceled her trip. It's unclear who paid the cost of the canceled ticket — the grant or the association, Vest said.
Dann spokesman Ted Hart said "Marc is routinely staffed when he is on state business, whether that is to Dayton, New York City or places beyond."
Until senior staff killed the idea, Utovich was set to be the staff person and "help the attorney general stay on schedule, stay on time" as well as keep in touch with the Columbus office, Hart said.
It's also unclear why Dann, 46, would have needed his 28-year-old scheduler on an international exchange trip that typically draws police, prosecutors, sheriffs and other law enforcement officials.
In the end, Dann and Tomi Dorris, Dann's general counsel for law enforcement operations, led an Ohio delegation to the International Conference on Democracy and Global Security, June 14-16 in Turkey. Dann's trip cost nearly $3,000 — $1,552 paid by the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and $1,425 paid by the Turkish National Police, according to Dann's annual financial disclosure statement.
Dann spokesman Ted Hart, Utovich and Lenhoff did not return telephone messages seeking comment.
E-mails between Utovich and Dann show they shared a close, casual relationship. And a sexual harassment complaint filed by two 26-year-old employees against Dann's friend, Anthony Gutierrez, says Utovich was at Dann and Gutierrez' apartment in her pajamas one evening. Dann has said Utovich has never been to his house wearing pajamas.
