TAFT ACCUSED OF BID TO DERAIL PETITION DRIVE

Columbus -- Gov. Bob Taft, his wife, Hope, and two state agency directors
have illegally conspired to derail a proposed ballot issue that would
permit treatment for drug offenders, according to a complaint filed
yesterday with the Ohio Inspector General.

The complaint, filed by the Ohio Campaign for New Drug Policies, alleges
the officials infringed on citizens' rights, have improperly used state
funds and misused their public offices. It also names Luceille Fleming,
director of the Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, and
Domingo Herraiz, director of the Office of Criminal Justice Services.

The ballot initiative campaign wants a proposition on the November ballot
that would allow nonviolent first- and second-time drug offenders to
receive treatment in lieu of jail time. State officials want to thwart that
effort, as is evident from over 2,000 public documents, said Ed Orlett, the
campaign's manager.

"They seem to have an obsession against this issue," Orlett said. "It is
especially onerous for them to do this at taxpayer's expense."

Mary Anne Sharkey, communications director for Taft, said the governor has
said he opposes the initiative because he believes it is tantamount to
legalization. An opposing campaign will be waged if it makes the ballot,
Sharkey said.

"We're not interfering or infringing now," Sharkey said. "We're opposing
something and that is different from legal infringement."

Sharkey defended the strategy meetings and the costs. Documents indicate
the state paid $468 for the first lady and a staff member to fly to
Washington for a strategy session.

Furthermore, the state paid to bring Florida officials, who have been faced
with a similar ballot issue, to Ohio for a strategy meeting in October.
Other records show the state intends to use money from a federal
law-enforcement grant to conduct polling. Orlett has asked state Auditor
Jim Petro for a special audit.

Stephanie McCarty, spokeswoman for the Office of Criminal Justice Services,
said about $3,000 from the general revenue fund paid expenses for the
October meeting. No grant money has been spent, but polling, permitted by
the grant, could be conducted later, McCarty said.

Inspector General Tom Charles acknowledged receiving the complaint.

On Monday, a screening committee will consider whether an investigation is
warranted, he said.

The campaign must gather 335,000 signatures on petitions by August to meet
a deadline to put the initiative on the ballot.