GOP reacts to stolen-data report

Ohio Republican Party Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine had this reaction today to Inspector General Thomas P. Charles' investigative report about a stolen computer backup tape: "This is an unbelievable case of cover-up, mismanagement and interns managing interns. If it wasn’t a sad reality, it would be laughable."

"The Strickland administration apparently ignored the warnings of a state auditor and its own transition team while putting sensitive personal data for millions of Ohioans into the hands of interns," said DeWine, a state legislator from Fairborn. "They attempted to cover up critical details of the theft and then took more than a month to figure out what they had lost. Ohioans are now being strapped with a $2 million bill to fix a problem that could have been prevented with a little common sense."

"Just a few weeks ago, the Inspector General was questioning the management ability of the lieutenant governor," DeWine said, "and now he’s raising serious concerns about the oversight of Ohio’s security procedures. Ohioans deserve better from an administration that promised more."

More on Charles' report can be found below, and in Saturday's Enquirer.