Video-Poker-Play

By Reginald Fields, The Plain Dealer

March 02, 2010, 3:48PM

The Ohio Supreme Court has given a small victory to a conservative group seeking to stop an investigation into its funding source by the secretary of state.

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner last month launched an investigation and issued subpoenas to members of LetOhioVote, the group formed to block slot machines from being installed at Ohio’s horse racing tracks.

LetOhioVote members Thomas Brinkman, Carlo LoParo and Gene Pierce on Monday sued Brunner to stop her probe. And the court on Tuesday temporarily halted Brunner’s probe and ordered both sides to submit information backing up their positions.

The court could make a final decision within a couple weeks.

Brunner is still able to pursue her case against other members associated with LetOhioVote, including Tim Crawford and Norman Cummings, both of Virginia, who were not part of Monday’s lawsuit.

LetOhioVote was formed last year to block an attempt by Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland to authorize 17,500 slot machines at Ohio’s seven race tracks to create new revenue for the cash-strapped state. Brunner is also a Democrat.

Brinkman is a former Republican state representative. LoParo and Pierce are both Republican consultants who formerly worked on the 2006 GOP gubernatorial campaign of Ken Blackwell, who lost to Strickland that year.

LetOhioVote sued Strickland last year and won a victory from the all-Republican Supreme Court, which said such a move to legalize gambling is subject to a vote of the people.

The group then launched an effort to put the issue on the November ballot, which all but killed the governor’s plan. But LetOhioVote has refused to explain where its funding is coming from.

Many have speculated that Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert or Penn National Gaming, the two entities that own rights to build and operate casinos in Ohio, would be motivated to snuff out slots and eliminate gambling competition.

While Penn has said it is not behind the effort, Gilbert has declined to answer whether he is involved, telling a group at Landerhaven last month “we do not comment publicly one way or the other on any political support we do or do not engage in.” He added, “whatever we support, we disclose publicly.” 

When LetOhioVote did finally have to file a campaign finance report, it listed all $1.55 million of its cash as coming from one source — New Models, an entity formed to engage in political activities that is required only to file reports with the Internal Revenue Service.

Crawford is president of New Models. He and Cummings also have connections to Blackwell.

Brunner said her investigation is intended to find out who actually is behind LetOhioVote’s funding, determine if money was legally moved through New Models and ensure Ohio’s campaign finance laws have not been violated.

LoParo has insisted that LetOhioVote has complied with Ohio law.