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Prosecutor seeks info from Cordray

By Laura A. Bischoff

Staff Writer

Thursday, January 08, 2009

COLUMBUS — On his last day as state treasurer on Tuesday, Jan. 6, Democrat Richard Cordray received a public records request from the Franklin County prosecutor's office for e-mails, contracts, payments and other documents relating to bond broker Montford S. Will and Wachovia Securities.

In October, the Dayton Daily News reported that Cordray agreed to return a $10,000 campaign contribution given under Will's step-daughter's name after Will admitted the money came from his wife. Giving campaign contributions in someone else's name is prohibited.

Under Cordray's tenure, Wachovia grabbed 37.5 percent of the state's bond trading business, a big leap for the St. Louis based company that had done a little less than 1 percent in the previous six years under Republicans Joe Deters and Jeanette Bradley.

Cordray has said there is no connection between campaign contributions and state contracts. He won election as attorney general to fill out the remaining two years of Marc Dann's term. Gov. Ted Strickland appointed former Columbus City Councilman Kevin Boyce as state treasurer.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien, a Republican who has considered running for attorney general, sent the same records request to the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and the State Teachers Retirement System.

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