Democrat Dirty Laundry: Zack Space Makes a Mockery of Transparency

Zack Space Makes a Mockery of Transparency

Ohio Democrat Funnels Campaign Funds into a Mythical Company

SPIN CYCLE: Speaker Pelosi Vowed To End a ‘Culture of Corruption,’ Restore Openness and Transparency to Washington

“Democrats declare that it is time to end the culture of corruption prevailing through all levels of government. We are committed to immediate change to lead this country in a new direction, to put an end to business as usual, and to make certain this nation’s leaders serve the people’s interests, not special interests. Our responsibility to our constituents and to our nation is to represent

all of the people, not just the powerful.” (Nancy Pelosi’s “A New Direction for America, Page 21).

RINSE CYCLE: Zack Space Writes Checks to Nonexistent Company, Violates FEC Rules

Democratic congressman Zack Space of Dover, Ohio, owns commercial property that he has rented to various tenants, including a dress shop, a florist and some lawyers. As a candidate for reelection, his campaign organization rented it, too, paying $900 a month through 2008 and into May of this year.

That’s a common practice, and ordinarily there would be no mystery to the Federal Election Commission reports that show the Zack Space for Congress Committee wrote checks payable to Space Rental Company.

Except there is no Space Rental Company.

No such company is on file with the Ohio secretary of state. The Space campaign confirms the company does not exist.

So where did the rent go? The congressman’s political organization says — and financial disclosure statements to the House of Representatives suggest this as well — that the rent went to Space and his wife and they used it to pay the building’s mortgage.

There’s nothing wrong with that, except that it begs the question: Why would Space list a mythical company? Why not just tell the FEC that his campaign was paying him directly?

—

Space’s campaign said that it used the name “Space Rental Company” merely for accounting purposes — a way to identify rental income that is deposited into a bank account that Space and his wife have for their rent deposits. The campaign suggested it is a common practice for small busines owners who rent property.

But the National Republican Congressional Committee, which first raised this issue, says the listing of a nonexistent company makes a mockery of transparency.

“While Ohioans struggle to find work, Zack Space seems to be managing his campaign cash as irresponsibly as he manages taxpayer dollars,” said NRCC spokesman Tory Mazzola. “First he funneled government money to a stimulus that has yet to create jobs, and now he’s dumping campaign funds into a business that he is not disclosing in accordance with the law. This could raise serious ethical and legal questions.” (Stephen Koff, “Zack Space’s rent payments create mystery, GOP says,” The Plain Dealer, 09/24/2009)

To read the full article, click here: http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2009/09/zack_spaces_rent_payments_crea.html

###