For Immediate Release: August 10, 2005

Board of Equalization Member Claude Parrish Refuses to Return Campaign Contribution Stolen From Ohio Public Funds; Watchdog Calls For Its Return

Despite mounting evidence that Tom Noe's many campaign contributions were made using money stolen from public funds, California Board of Equalization Member Claude Parrish is still refusing to return a $5,000 contribution to his State Treasurer campaign committee from Noe. Noe is the Ohio coin dealer under investigation by state and federal authorities for laundering campaign contributions and for stealing millions of dollars from Ohio's fund for injured workers. Campaign finance watchdog TheRestofUs.org called on Parrish to stop making excuses and return the stolen money to its rightful owners.

"This money trail is a straight line: from the Ohio Worker's Compensation fund to Tom Noe's pocket to Claude Parrish," said Ned Wigglesworth, analyst for TheRestofUs.org. "The only thing for Parrish to decide here is whether he should include interest when he returns the money stolen from the people of Ohio."

Noe's company Vintage Coin and Collectibles, the same company he listed as his employer on his $5,000 donation to Parrish, was one of the primary vehicles for siphoning off public funds into his personal accounts. Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro, who has returned the $6,000 in contributions he received from Noe, has stated "there was an absolute theft of funds going on." (Toledo Blade, July 22)

"Noe was able to steal millions of dollars from Ohio in large part due to the campaign contributions he made to politicians," said Derek Cressman, director of TheRestofUs.org. "By hanging on to this money, Claude Parrish is perpetuating the Ponzi scheme perpetrated on the people of Ohio by a primetime political donor."

"It is quite simply bizarre for a person running for state treasurer, a guy who presumably wants voters to trust him with public money, not to recognize the importance of returning stolen public funds," said Wigglesworth.

Including the $5,000 from Noe, Parrish has accepted at least $19,000 from the coin dealing industry, and as a member of the BOE has lobbied against legislation opposed by coin dealers. Of the many federal and state officials who received campaign contributions from Noe, Parrish is the sole official who refuses to disgorge the money from his campaign account.

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TheRestofUs.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to make democracy work for ordinary citizens. TheRestofUs.org is involved in campaign finance ballot measures in Oregon and Ohio and independent redistricting policy in California, Florida, and Ohio. We have filed an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review and uphold Vermont's mandatory spending limits. We also support federal efforts to eliminate the 527 loophole for soft money electioneering.