Pepper: Fly me away? Leis: Take a hike

At this morning's CrimeStopper's annual breakfast, Democrat Hamilton County Commission candidate David Pepper casually asked Sheriff Simon Leis Jr. (pictured) for a free helicopter ride.

"I asked him which football game he was going to drop me off at," Pepper said this morning with a sly grin.

Pepper was referring to a Wednesday Enquirer blog item that revealed his opponent, Republican incumbent Commissioner Phil Heimlich, rode in the Sheriff's publicly funded helicopter to deliver a game ball at a Sept. 15 Northwest High football game.

Heimlich said the event had nothing to do with politics or his re-election bid. Rather, he said, he was invited on the helicopter by executives from Rumpke Consolidated Cos. who were delivering a ceremonial key to the new Northwest High weight room that Rumpke donated $165,000 to build.

A Sheriff's spokesman said Leis was unaware Heimlich was on the helicopter.

At the CrimeStoppers breakfast, Leis told Pepper that he "had over a hundred calls" complaining about Heimlich being on the helicopter.

Leis' spokesman said it cost taxpayers nothing for the helicopter flight because it was done during a regular shift.