(The following story by Ted Wendling appeared on the Cleveland Plain Dealer website on July 8.)
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A national rail carrier and Ohio’s legislative watchdog are in a showdown over the company’s reporting of money it spent to lure bass-fishin’ politicians to its Florida fishing retreat.
On June 30, CSX amended its lobbying report to disclose that it spent $508.86 on lodging, meals and beverages for Rep. Bill Seitz during the Cincinnati Republican’s March 18-20 stay at CSX’s lodge on the St. Johns River in Welaka, Fla.
Tony Bledsoe, the state’s legislative inspector general, informed the company Wednesday that Ohio law requires an itemized accounting, not the all-inclusive statement CSX sent. Bledsoe also has asked the firm to correct previous filings.
But CSX spokesman Gary Sease said all of the company’s reports dating to 2002 — the year CSX began hosting the fishing junkets — are accurate. They indicate that the firm spent no money on Ohio lawmakers between 2002 and 2004.
Sease also contended that the all-inclusive statement meets Ohio’s legal requirements.
Sease would not identify the state officials who have accepted the trips, but he said they “have not included more than five legislators in total.” He said all but Seitz “have either reimbursed CSX or made provisions to reimburse us,” relieving both the lawmakers and the company of their obligations to report the junkets.
Seitz accepted the vacation to one of the country’s premier bass-fishing waterways, along with several utility lobbyists, while CSX and the utilities were lobbying the House on the budget, tax reform and transportation bill.
He was accompanied by fellow GOP Rep. Chuck Blasdel of East Liverpool, the No. 2 official in the House. Blasdel has until next April to either repay CSX or report the trip as a gift on his ethics filing.
CSX’s previous Welaka trips only became public after House Speaker Jon Husted admitted that he accepted the company’s invitation in 2002.
Husted initially said he fully reimbursed CSX by paying $200 for the four-day trip, but he later conceded that the company undervalued it. Last week, Husted sent a second check to CSX for $262.18.
Husted also paid NCR Corp. $600 last week to compensate the firm for flying him and three companions to the Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl game in San Antonio. He previously had paid $600 for four seats on the firm’s corporate jet.
Although the charter normally would cost several thousand dollars, Bledsoe said legislators are required to pay only the equivalent of a ticket for a commercial flight.