State's No. 2 Dem in hot water

The Associated Press is reporting:

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Newly named Senate Democratic Leader Ray Miller, whose new post involves overseeing the finances of his caucus, owes a downtown hotel more than $26,000, according to public records obtained by The Associated Press.

Miller’s ongoing monetary struggles with the Hyatt Regency Columbus, which stemmed from a 2006 banquet of his National Progressive Leadership Caucus, add to a host of other revelations about Miller’s activities that threw his new position temporarily into jeopardy Tuesday.

Senate Democrats voted unanimously to keep Miller, a long-serving Columbus Democrat, as their leader during a lengthy closed-door caucus meeting. The vote affirmed the decision made Wednesday to oust Sen. Teresa Fedor of Toledo as minority leader amid concerns that she had failed to focus campaign money on key races or to hold the caucus together on important votes. Miller had previously held the caucus’ No. 3 spot.

Records show that the National Progressive Leadership Caucus, founded by Miller, hosted a dinner at the hotel and was billed $46,278. After an initial payment of $20,000, the remainder of the debt remained unpaid, the records show. Message were left with Miller’s office and the hotel seeking further details.

The debt was not listed on Miller’s 2007 financial disclosure form for the state, which covered calendar year 2006.

Public officials aren’t required to report debt incurred during normal business activities. There is, however, a space on the form for listing all names under which an official and family members do business. Miller did not list the Leadership Caucus there, nor does it appear as a registered corporation, nonprofit or political entity in state or federal databases.

The Center for Urban Progress, which Miller listed as his employer in that year, failed to file its statement of continued existence in 2005 and had its business status canceled, state business filings show.

Fedor and her second in charge, Sen. Tom Roberts of Dayton, sent letters Monday to Senate President Bill Harris, a Republican from Ashland, rescinding their earlier resignations, citing weekend news reports of campaign finance irregularities and earlier ethical questions faced by Miller.