BY SANDY THEIS
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS -- Despite a criminal record and a sex scandal, former Ohio Auditor Thomas Ferguson is circulating petitions to run as an independent candidate for governor, the Enquirer has learned.
If he qualifies for the ballot, his candidacy could harm Lee Fisher, the presumptive Democratic nominee and the man who appointed the special prosecutor who nailed Mr. Ferguson four years ago. While calling Mr. Ferguson "a friend," Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Leland said he thinks Mr. Ferguson should not enter the race.
"I would hate to see Tom Ferguson, who always has been a loyal Democrat, be remembered as a person who hurt the Democratic Party at this critical time," Mr. Leland said.
Mr. Ferguson could not be reached for comment. Mr. Fisher declined to comment about Mr. Ferguson's possible entry into the race.
Mr. Ferguson's actions come as Democrats are beginning to coalesce around Mr. Fisher's candidacy.
Today he is scheduled to receive an endorsement from the family of former House Speaker Vernal G. Riffe of Wheelersburg, whose past endorsements -- or lack of them -- have helped make or break statewide candidates.
"We're doing this to keep his (Speaker Riffe's) spirit alive," said his son, Scioto County Commissioner Skip Riffe. "This is something our father was definitely going to do if he had recovered."
Mr. Riffe, who died last July, once tried to line up primary opposition for Mr. Fisher. Just days before his death, however, Mr. Riffe wrote Mr. Fisher a letter of endorsement -- a letter he never had the opportunity to sign or send.
Former Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Paul Tipps, who helped facilitate the endorsement, said Mr. Riffe's past anger stemmed from then- Attorney General Fisher's appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Mr. Ferguson's fund-raising activities. In April 1995, a Franklin County grand jury indicted Mr. Ferguson on 25 criminal counts, including theft in office, for his role in a broad-based scheme to solicit his employees for political donations. Four of his top aides were indicted as well, including Joe Buck of West Liberty, whom Mr. Ferguson has tapped to be his running mate. Mr. Ferguson pled to misdemeanor charges of soliciting campaign contributions from employees. A Franklin County judge imposed a one-year suspended jail sentence and $2,500 fine.
The case against him unfolded for nearly six years, nudged forward by the prosecutor, as well as by a former Ferguson appointee who said he forced her into a sexual relationship. Mr. Ferguson, who is married, admitted the liaisons but said they were consensual. Mr. Riffe was among dozens of high-profile Democrats who were once opposed to -- or ambivalent toward -- a Fisher candidacy.
In addition to anger over the Ferguson case, some Democrats objected that Mr. Fisher, while attorney general, challenged some of Democratic Gov. Richard Celeste's death row commutations. "There was this sense that Lee Fisher is a great candidate but he does not have a history of great campaigns," explained Mr. Tipps. Mindful of his intra-party troubles, Mr. Fisher unsuccessfully sought a meeting last summer with Mr. Riffe, who was hospitalized. Instead, he wrote him a letter. Mr. Tipps delivered it.
Over time, Mr. Riffe began to understand why Mr. Fisher appointed the special prosecutor -- although he still disagreed with the decision to do so, Mr. Tipps said.
"He began to see Lee as the best candidate for '98," Mr. Tipps recalled.
To qualify for the ballot, Mr. Ferguson needs to collect 5,000 signatures from registed voters by May 4.
Mr. Fisher is expected to officially win his party's nomination May 5. Toledo millionaire Bruce Douglas (who had support from some of Mr. Celeste's closest friends) dropped out of the race this month. Private meetings with large groups of Mr. Celeste's past supporters have helped Mr. Fisher mend additional fences.
Gayle Channing, who served in the Celeste Cabinet, attended one of those meetings.
"He was -- I guess the only word for it is -- humble," Ms. Channing said. "He talked about not taking people for granted. He was the one who brought up the whole sentence commutation issue."
Mr. Fisher will face Secretary of State Bob Taft, a Cincinnati native, in the fall.
