Strickland names McLin to lottery commission

COLUMBUS — Former Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin has emerged as part of lame duck Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland’s effort to strike back at the Republican-controlled Senate in an escalating dispute over his authority to make appointments.

Strickland appointed McLin to the State Lottery Commission for a term ending Aug. 1, 2013, although it’s not certain that she will get to serve that long.

The job pays $5,000 a year.

McLin, also a former state legislator, served on the lottery commission earlier as an appointee of Democratic Gov. Richard F. Celeste.

“I look forward to the challenge,” she said Wednesday.

She was one of 14 appointments Strickland made Tuesday after the Senate rejected 78 appointments the governor made earlier. Strickland called that “a raw power grab wrapped in the patina of principle.”

Incoming Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, said, that he expects that the new Senate that takes office in January would have the authority to approve or reject McLin and the 13 others. Republicans will be in control, 23-10.

It’s “not safe to assume,” however, that McLin and other Strickland appointees automatically would be rejected, he said.

“We have the constitutional responsibility to advise and consent and that’s what we’ll do,” Niehaus said.

John Barron, chief legal counsel to the Senate, said that if the legislature — both the House and Senate — adjourns for good within 10 days after appointments are submitted and no action is taken, the next session of the General Assembly may take up the appointments.

The Senate is expected to adjourn within that time frame, but the Democratic-controlled House also would have to adjourn within that span for the new Senate to be able to review the appointments.

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