December 5, 1973

Gilligan Gang Most Corrupt

Governor Gilligan's special session of the Ohio Assembly to legitimize the corruption of his administration has ended in a stalemate, and the legislators have drifted home for the holidays.

Ostensibly, the governor called the special session to "reform" election campaign practices so that Watergate-type practices could not occur in Ohio.

I have observed and reported politics for more than 30 years, and rarely have I heard a more cynical rationale for a cover up.

The Gilligan Gang employs the political shakedown with a ruthlessness that would astonish the ward bosses of a century ago.

I personally know of three major instances of attempted graft in Wayne County by Gilligan agents - the intended victims told me about it.  They wanted the racket exposed, but publication was not possible inasmuch as the agents were careful to make their demands in private, without witnesses.

The cases involved a $500 "contribution" to the Democrat Party in return for renewal of a liquor license, a ten-cent kick back on every license plate sold, and a "substantial contribution" to Gilligan's campaign fund in return for action on a long-stalled state building permit.

The disgusted liquor dealer sold his license to another.  The threat of publicity caused Gilligan's henchmen to back away from the license plate kickback and the building permit holdup.  Yet, one wonders how many other instances in the other Ohio counties are festering unnoticed?

Though lack of evidence kept me from publicizing the shakedowns I knew about, a colleague was more persistent.

Gene Jordan, public affairs editor of the Columbus Dispatch, made a detailed study of campaign funds last September and published a page-full of examples where large contributors to Gilligan and-or the Democrat party were rewarded with state contracts.

Former Vice-president Spiro Agnew, who was driven from office for allegedly taking kickbacks from contractors and "consultants", was a piker in comparison to Gilligan.

Just one example taken at random from Jordan's list: E. S.  Preston of Preston Associates, Inc., of Columbus, contributed $1,000 to Gilligan's campaign in 1970 and $5,500 since then to the Democrat party.  In return, Preston's firm has done over $2 million worth of business for the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Highway Transportation and Research Center.

It should be remembered that E.S.  Preston was highway director under former Gov. Michael V.  DiSalle.

It is impossible to know the full amount of public money channeled to Democrat party favorites, but Jordan puts his finger on at least $20 million.

In addition there have been kickbacks in almost every other department of the Gilligan administration.

Richard Sensenbrenner, son of the former Columbus mayor and now vice president of W.A.M.  Builders, Inc., gave the Democrat party $2,000.  Shortly after he leased a building to the state for $46 thousand a year.

James Friedman, a stockholder of U.S. Realty contributed $4,300 to Gilligan's 1970 campaign.

Last January Gilligan announced the state would build a $15 million office building in Cleveland on a site owned by U.S. Realty Investments.  Stockholders of the company are James Friedman, Sheldon Guren and Edward Ginsberg who, together, contributed $18,800 to Gilligan's 1970 campaigns.

Friedman, a wealthy attorney, also was named by Gilligan to the part-time job as chairman of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission with a salary of $11,794.

If you find this account of sleazy politics as incredible as I do, write the "Columbus Dispatch" for a copy of its article.  You will have to write if you want the information because the daily papers of Cleveland and Akron - which crucified the Republicans for a phony "state house loan scandal" - are steadfastly avoiding publication of Gilligan's thuggery.

It is apparent, now, that Gilligan hoped that the Watergate hysteria would embarrass the Ohio Republican legislators into cutting off their own sources of income while legalizing the Democrat sources - principally the AFL-CIO and the Ohio Education Association.

It was a cute maneuver, but the Republicans wouldn't stampede.

All contributions by corporations were to be prohibited, but union donations by involuntary pay check deductions of $10 per member were to be permitted.

Gilligan's success in blackmailing hundreds of state suppliers and keeping it all secret perhaps made him too bold.

Ohio Republicans are inept in many ways, but they're not stupid.  Suicide they don't need.

While the left-wing liberals froth at the mouth over Watergate and the stealing of political party information, Gilligan's Gang builds a corrupt political machine unparalleled in state history - and with public money.

We should, indeed, worry about political morality; but the place to start cleaning up is in our own back yard.

Author: Lindsey Williams