Ohio Republicans' Risky Rare Coin Investment

A $50 million dollar investment in rare coins. Two coins totaling $300,000 lost in the mail. A total of 121 coins deemed missing. $850,000 of tax-payer dollars used to write off a debt between two rare coin merchants. An coin fund manager with a felony record for faking a coin transaction to cover up drug money. The same manager was paid a $25,000 a month salary - with your tax dollars! Tax-payer dollars diverted to a real estate venture that some Toledo residents claim is blighting their city. Just another day at the office for Gov. Bob Taft and his band of fiscally irresponsible followers. Update 05/01/05Toledo Blade - List of Lost State Coins Jumps To 121 Click Here to Read the Article Blade reporters report on a 2004 audit of the state's rare coin investment that determined 121 coins totaling $393,000 were missing - or stolen. Update 04/29/05Toledo Blade - FBI Raids GOP Donor Noe's Condo Clikc Here to Read the Aricle Update 04/22/05Toledo Blade - Ex-Coin Associate Has Felony Record Click Here to Read the Article The Blade article reveals Noe hired an ex-con named Mark Chrans to help run the taxpayer funded rare coin boondoggle. Mark Chrans was once convicted of faking a coin transaction to launder dirty drug money. Read the Toledo Blade's exclusive interview with Gov. Bob Taft. (LINK) Responding to Taft's assertion that the state is making money off the investment scheme with Republican Party donor Tom Noe, The Blade cuts to this story's bottom line, saying "The bottom line is if you'd asked for your $50 million back he probably couldn't give it to you." The Blade also takes issue with the fact the Tom Noe was appointed to the Ohio Board of Regents despite the fact that Mr. Noe doesn't have a college degree.