Culture of Corruption - Ohio Democrat Style

Democrats turn corruption attacks on themselves in primary :

WASHINGTON - Democratic candidates in one House race in Ohio - the state Democrats have declared the epicenter of Republican corruption - have turned to criticizing each others' integrity. One candidate's special-interest travel is under fire, and another is getting flak for her testimony in a bribery trial.

Adding to the party's concern, Lorain Mayor Craig Foltin, the likely GOP nominee, has had strong Democratic support each time he was elected.

Three Democratic candidates have raised doubts about rival and shopping mall heiress Capri Cafaro, whose father was sentenced to probation in 2002 for bribing former Rep. James Traficant, who was convicted of taking gifts and kicked out of Congress.

Cafaro invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate herself during a grand jury appearance, but her lawyer, David Betras, said that was just part of the normal process for receiving immunity.Cafaro acknowledged in her testimony making political donations using her father's money and receiving reimbursement from him after making donations. Campaign finance law prohibits skirting individual contribution limits by making donations through others, but Betras said the money from Cafaro's father was simply her college
allowance.

One candidate, Gary Kucinich, the brother of U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, put out a pamphlet questioning why Cafaro received immunity if she was innocent. In response, Cafaro's lawyers sent letters to her rivals and some media outlets threatening defamation lawsuits if they stated or published that she received immunity but had done something illegal. After newspaper editorials criticized the letter, Cafaro's lawyer said it was not intended to threaten the media, just her opponents.

Dems redefine 'unclean hands'.