Now can we get an audit?

Gongwer is reporting that the Dems have withdrawn a complaint against Mary Taylor that had been in front of the Ohio elections Commission. Even though the OEC has come under a bunch of fire recently for its seemingly slow and ineffective, but ultimately irrelevant, proceedings... An official finding of deception is something that would be bound to come up in 2010, and wouldn't look good for the current standard-bearer for the GOP. The complaint wasn't dropped for lack of merit:

Days before the Nov. 7, 2006 election in which Ms. Taylor defeated Democrat Barbara Sykes for the auditor's post, a four-member review panel found probable cause of false statements and referred the matter to the full commission.

Attorney Donald McTigue said Thursday that counsel for Ms. Taylor subsequently asked Mr. Redfern to seek dismissal of the case, and that the chairman agreed to do so. The commission unanimously accepted the request to withdraw the complaint.

So why was it withdrawn by the Dems if it was true and had some potential utility in future elections as a legitimate point against Taylor? I don't really know how these things work. It could have been a courteous letting of bygones to be bygones. Or, perhaps, Taylor might have something the Dems want in exchange. I can think of something. Brunner has been calling for an official audit of the SoS office as it was run by Ken Blackwell. Ms. Taylor has been less than enthusiastic. In the spirit of a new Hannibal Lecter movie coming out, let me be the first to hiss:

 

Quid pro quo, Mary. Quid pro quo.