COLUMBUS - A former high-ranking aide to Gov. Bob Taft, who was demoted in the aftermath of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation losing $215 million in a hedge fund, can start lobbying in June on matters that he handled while in the governor's office, the Ohio Ethics Commission said yesterday.
Shortly before resigning from his job in the Taxation Department, James Samuel asked the Ethics Commission in a Sept. 7 letter whether the state's "revolving-door" law applied to him because Mr. Taft removed him on June 17 from his post as executive assistant for business and industry in the governor's office.
"Since the separation was involuntary [meaning not by choice or consent], does the revolving door apply to that employment?" Mr. Samuel asked.
In an advisory opinion approved yesterday, the Ethics Commission said the revolving-door law applies to Mr. Samuel. The law covers former public officials or employees and it doesn't matter whether they resigned or were removed from their post, the commission said.
"For one year from June 17, 2005, Mr. Samuel is prohibited from representing any person, before any public agency, on any matter in which he personally participated during his service as executive assistant for business and [industry] for the governor's office, regardless of when he participated in the matter," the commission ruled.
Yesterday, Mr. Samuel said he does not plan to become a lobbyist, but he would discuss it if a client expressed interest.He said his firm, Capitol Strategy Group, has lined up two clients.
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