Malone: 'I had nothing to do' with bookkeeping

Cincinnati Councilman Sam Malone, chairman of the group that fought to keep Article XII in the city's charter last year, said he was not involved in the "internal operations" of the Equal Rights Not Special Rights Committee and could not speak to its fund-raising efforts.

Through his chief of staff, Stephen S. Hill, Malone gave this response to the complaint filed today with the Ohio Elections Commission alleging that the conservative group illegally hid the identity of contributors to the anti-gay rights campaign:

I served on the committee and lent my name to the campaign because I believed in the campaign, and in keeping Article XII on the books. I had nothing to do with the internal operations and truly believe the people at Citizens for Community Values will always do their jobs with dignity, integrity and professionalism.