OH-18: Newspaper Joins Harris (R) in Calling for Padgett (R) Financial Records

Dick Farrell, editor of the New Philadelphia Times-Recorder, has published an editorial in which he joins primary candidate James B. Harris (R-Zanesville) in calling for disclosure of the financial records of Rep. Bob Ney's hand-picked successor, State Sen. Joy Padgett (R-Coschocton). The question posed by Harris is how Padgett could have defaulted on a $737,000, 15-year SBA loan (ultimately guaranteed by the taxpayers) after only one year. Bankruptcy records suggest that the operational losses of the office supply store run by Padgett and her husband were only $100,000 per year, not enough to deplete the proceeds of the loan in such a short period of time. Where did the money go? Harris wants to see the books. Farrell writes, "I don’t know about you, dear reader/voter/taxpayer, but I’d like to see the books, too."

Farrell also expresses doubt that Mayor Richard Homrighausen (R-Dover) really dropped out of the primary for the reasons stated (family concerns and wanting to complete city projects):

It’s also apparent to me that someone in the Republican Party had a little chat with Dover’s mayor, although I’d wager a couple of instant lottery tickets that he would deny that fact. In other words, I don’t think family or Dover issues had much to do with his decision to get out of it.

Farrell speculates that perhaps Homrighausen was irritated at being passed over by his friend Ney, or held a grudge against his law director, Democratic candidate Zack Space (D-Dover), or was a "fallback candidate" in case Padgett was not allowed to run. Whatever, he writes, it's "all too wierd." Indeed.