From The Associated Press, 5/31/06:
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/14708248.htm
Coin dealer changing plea on charges of illegal donating to Bush
JOHN SEEWER
Associated Press
TOLEDO, Ohio -
A rare coin dealer who has donated thousands of dollars to Republican
candidates was set Wednesday to change his not guilty plea on federal
charges that he illegally funneled donations to President Bush's
re-election campaign.
He is accused of arranging a contribution scheme to fulfill his
promise to generate $50,000 for a Bush fundraiser.
He asked May 10 that he be allowed to switch his not guilty plea, and
he was to appear in U.S. District Court Wednesday afternoon to make
the change.
Prosecutors and Noe's attorneys have not said what his new plea will
be, and Noe declined to comment before the hearing began.
Noe is charged with exceeding federal campaign contribution limits,
using others to make the contributions and causing the Bush campaign
to submit a false campaign-finance statement.
Federal prosecutors said in October the case was the largest campaign
money-laundering scheme prosecuted under the 2002 campaign finance
reform law, which set limits on donations.
Noe also is charged in an ill-fated $50 million coin investment that
he managed for the state workers' compensation fund.
The investment scandal has been a major embarrassment for Ohio's
ruling Republicans and given Democrats a better shot at winning state
offices this year.
Investigators have not been able to find out if Noe used money from
the state coin fund for campaign contributions.
Prosecutors said Noe gave $45,400 directly or indirectly to 24 friends
and associates, who made the campaign contributions in their own
names, allowing him to skirt the $2,000 limit on individual
contributions.
Noe wrote several checks just under the cap to avoid suspicion,
according to prosecutors.
All the checks were written in the eight days leading up to a
fundraiser in October 2003 at a downtown Columbus hotel.
___________________________________________________________________
The Republican culture of corruption.
Harry
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