Ohio Government Given a ‘D’ on Corruption Scale

The report breaks down the score using 15 different criteria, with Ohio failing in the categories of Lobbying Disclosures, Redistricting and Legislative Accountability. The highest grade that Ohio received was a B, in the category of Internal Auditing. Ohio’s overall grade was D, which isn’t a positive mandate, but no state was awarded an A.

Gov. John Kasich’s office declined to comment for the story, but spokesman for the governor Rob Nichols told the Cincinnati Enquirer that they won’t comment on the study until the groups involved disclose their list of donors.

“The same group that criticizes us about transparency is not willing to share their donor list,” he said. “We don’t know who they are. If they’re willing to share, then we’ll comment.”

The report on Ohio’s ethical history and the reasoning for the scoring was done by State Integrity Investigation reporter Jon Craig, who highlighted the worst of Ohio politics as he went through the history of pay-to-play politics and influence peddling at all levels of Ohio government.

The list was released at a bad time for the Ohio Statehouse after sittingRep. W. Carlton Weddington was indicted on bribery charges earlier this month.

New Jersey was given the highest score of any state in the country, a B+. The garden state’s tumultuous history of ethics problems has made corruption a big talking point for New Jersey’s state lawmakers. The result is the toughest reform laws in the country, making New Jersey now the least corrupt state in the country according to the study.

The complete list can be found on their website.