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Democrats And Republicans Debate Role Of AG - Now Candidate For Governor - In ECOT Scandal

Former Rep. Steve Dyer, now with the progressive think-tank Innovation Ohio, holds an ECOT-branded Tiffany paperweight next to ECOT's mascot at a press conference Monday. The paperweight and mascot costume were auctioned off last month after ECOT closed.
Daniel Konik
Former Rep. Steve Dyer, now with the progressive think-tank Innovation Ohio, holds an ECOT-branded Tiffany paperweight next to ECOT's mascot at a press conference Monday. The paperweight and mascot costume were auctioned off last month after ECOT closed.

Democrats have been blasting Republican Attorney General and candidate for governor Mike DeWine for not doing more about the multi-million dollar scandal involving the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, the now-closed online charter school. But Republicans are pushing back.

A finding from Republican Auditor Dave Yost that ECOT submitted fraudulent student data to the state was turned over to federal prosecutors and the Republican Franklin County prosecutor.

Yost, a former prosecutor running for attorney general, said that’s because prosecutions happen locally. “So when Attorney General DeWine says he has no jurisdiction, he's just stating what is a well-known legal fact and frankly shame on the people that are on the other side that know better," Yost said.

But Rep. Tavia Galonski (D-Akron), a former Summit County magistrate, disagreed. “Ohio law gives the Attorney General broad powers for bringing criminal charges against entities that misuse public funds,” Galonski said.

Galonski asked DeWine to appoint a special prosecutor to look into criminal charges regarding ECOT. DeWine has appointed outside counsel to handle the ECOT case.

Copyright 2018 The Statehouse News Bureau

Contact Karen at 614/578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.