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Editorial: Deny Corrupt Politicians a Pension

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(WOIO) - The federal investigation that has netted County Auditor Frank Russo and others has cost a small fortune and it's possible that what was stolen by them amounts to an even larger fortune. 

But what's even more shocking is that Russo and some of the others may also end up collecting a lifelong pension even while languishing in a prison cell.

Investigative Reporter Carl Monday outlined this scandalous possibility in a report last week.  He discovered that after 36 years in government office, Russo would be eligible for almost 88 thousand dollars a year in taxpayer-financed pension. 

And Monday revealed that sources inside the county building believe that Russo applied for his pension before cutting a deal with the Feds to plead guilty on charges of corruption.

Federal prosecutors or the judge who will preside over the sentencing can ask for restitution or forfeiture of pension money but it's unknown what deal if any Russo and the others have cut. 

The only sure way to deny corrupt politicians pension money is a state law….which has been proposed but so far the politicians in Columbus have not enacted it.

I'm Bill Applegate. Write and let me now what you think. 

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