DAYTON — Among the e-mails that Helen Jones-Kelley, director of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, sent to the Obama for President campaign in July from her official government computer were two regarding a campaign event at Stivers School for the Arts.

The department released the e-mails Friday, Nov. 7, in response to a Ohio Public Records Law request.

The Dayton Daily News received the e-mails following their release to the Columbus Dispatch, which asked for any Jones-Kelley e-mails connected to then-Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The request followed reports that her department searched for internal records related to Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, "Joe the Plumber," after he became a prominent character in the presidential campaign. Jones-Kelley's Obama-related e-mails are now in the hands of the Ohio Inspector General.

According to federal law, government officials are barred from using government resources such as computers in connection with political campaigns.

"Thank you — this is wonderful," wrote Michael O'Neil at barackobama.com on July 8 to Jones-Kelley at Helen.Jones-Kelley@jfs.ohio.gov. "This is a great help and I appreciate your taking the time to assist our efforts!"

O'Neil worked for the Obama campaign out of Chicago, the home base of the senator from Illinois who was elected the 44th U.S. president on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Attempts to reach O'Neil on Friday night were unsuccessful.

The e-mails indicate that Jones-Kelley was forwarding some names of likely high-dollar donors.

She ticked off some names — including Montgomery County Administrator Deborah Feldman and her husband, as well as other Dayton likely donors including some former officials and people of prominence.

There's no e-mail indicating Feldman was copied on the exchanges or that she attended the event.

Feldman did not return a call from the Dayton Daily News on Friday night seeking comment.

Michael O'Neil, in responding to Jones-Kelley:

"You have been wonderful. I would appreciate your $2,500 contribution to our efforts and join us on Friday of course."

He adds: "I would like anyone who can give $5,000 or $2,500 to pick up their tickets tomorrow starting at noon and bring their checks made out to the 'Obama Victory Fund' (form attached.) Tickets for the Stivers event can be picked up at Montgomery County Democratic Party Headquarters."

The new development involving fundraising and Jones-Kelley drew a pointed response from Kevin DeWine, deputy chairman of the Ohio Republican Party.

"Gov. Strickland showed poor judgment by rushing to defend these questionable practices before getting all the facts," DeWine said. "And his decision to wait until five o'clock on a Friday afternoon after the election to take action smacks of a cover-up."

DeWine said "it's completely unacceptable that his administration has apparently turned state government into a giant political party machine."

Mark Owens, chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Party, said, "Clearly, he (Strickland) is investigating it... You shouldn't hang a person until you get all the facts. It's an appropriate thing. There's no need to politicize it."