💵 Garage renovation: The state will extend a new $3 million loan to the developers undertaking the Air City Garage renovation in Dayton.
🔎 An immigrant’s journey: Youssef Elzein has been living in Dayton for nearly three decades, and his journey included multiple twists.
Also today, we recap our most recent coverage of the legal proceedings involving Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Mike Foley and share what he says he has learned from the experience.
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‘I have learned from my mistakes’: Clerk of Courts Foley pleads guilty to misdemeanor charges, felony counts dropped
A visiting judge convicted Foley on misdemeanor charges last Monday.
• Plea agreement: Foley pleaded guilty to lesser charges — unlawful campaign solicitation violations — as part of a plea agreement. This agreement dropped felony charges of theft in office related to the misuse of county property and time.
• Punishment: The charges come with $2,000 in fines levied against Foley, as well as court costs that must be paid within 24 months. The judge also put Foley on 24 months of community supervision and suspended up to 180 days in jail. Foley will also have to serve 40 hours of community service and undergo ethics training.
• What the judge said: Visiting Judge Jonathan Hein said Foley’s actions demonstrated “ignorance of clear ethical laws or callous disregard for them.”
• What Foley is saying: “I have learned from my mistakes. I have restructured my office with a group of ethical professionals who have acted swiftly to institute measures and safeguards to ensure that these inadvertent actions never occur again.”
Background on the case
Over three years, the case against Foley was full of twists and turns. Political jabs, a proposed suspension, plea agreements, reversals on those agreements and allegations of a murder plot were all woven into a complicated legal web.
• Office raid, investigation: The Ohio Auditor of State in November 2022 raided the Montgomery County Clerk of Courts office as part of an investigation into information received by the state auditor’s special investigation unit.
• Focused of allegations: The state’s investigation partly focused on allegations his campaign manager and former employee Elle Sollenberger used county resources and time to work on his campaign, among other claims about employees feeling pressured to put yard signs out during their boss’ reelection campaigns.
• Indictment: Foley was indicted in July 2024 on several counts. Foley’s attorney Jon Paul Rion told the Dayton Daily News that his client “100%” denied claims against him.
• Suspension proceedings: An attempt to remove Foley from his seat was initiated with the Ohio Supreme Court. A three-judge panel was tasked with determining if Foley’s charges “adversely” impacted the functions of his office, and the panel ultimately ruled against suspending Foley.
• Reelection: In the November 2024 race for clerk, Foley won 52.5% of the vote.