Fisher faces accusations of favoritism

Columbus mayor's wife's hiring, pay probe at issue

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Reginald Fields and Aaron Marshall

Plain Dealer Reporters

Columbus -- Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher gave the wife of a powerful political ally a $70,000-a-year state job without a clear job description and without interviewing anyone else.

During her first weeks at the Ohio Department of Development, Frankie Coleman -- wife of Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman -- told co-workers that she wasn't sure what her job would be or even what title she should put on her business cards.

Fisher is director of development. His hiring of Coleman and questions about whether she cheated on payroll timesheets have ignited accusations of political favoritism and a state investigation in the early months of the administration of Demo cratic Gov. Ted Strickland, who has vowed to rid state government of corruption.

The timesheet issue was raised by Glenda Williamson, Coleman's supervisor and a holdover from the previous Republican administration. Fisher fired Williamson two days after she confronted Coleman.

Fisher said Williamson's termination was based on his wish to bring in his own leadership team and was not related to her complaints about Coleman.

For years, Michael Coleman has been important to Fisher and Strickland.

He signed on in 1998 as a running mate in Fisher's unsuccessful campaign for governor and more recently helping Strickland - a former congressman from Appalachia - connect with urban and black voters.

Mayor Coleman was the Democratic gubernatorial front-runner in late 2005 before his campaign imploded, clearing the way for Strickland to win the party's nomination.

His wife's drunken-driving crash and arrest in October 2005 was among Coleman's campaign setbacks. When Frankie Coleman was arrested, her blood-alcohol level was more than three times the state's legal limit.

Michael Coleman stayed in the background for months but emerged last June to publicly back Strickland. After winning the governorship, Strickland appointed Mayor Coleman to head his transition team.

 

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