Democrats have been blasting Republican Attorney General and candidate for governor Mike DeWine for not doing more about the multi-million dollar scandal involving the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, the now-closed online charter school. Republicans are pushing back.
A finding from Republican Auditor Dave Yost that ECOT submitted fraudulent student data to the state was turned over to federal prosecutors and the Republican Franklin County prosecutor. Yost, a former prosecutor running for attorney general, says that’s because prosecutions happen locally.
“So when Attorney General DeWine says he has no jurisdiction, he's just stating what is a well-known legal fact and frankly shame on the people that are on the other side that know better,” he said.
But Democratic Rep. Tavia Galonski, a former Summit County magistrate, disagrees.
“Ohio law gives the Attorney General broad powers for bringing criminal charges against entities that misuse public funds,” she said.
She asked DeWine to appoint a special prosecutor to look into criminal charges regarding ECOT. DeWine has appointed outside counsel to handle the ECOT case.
