Ohio State Highway Patrol officer says investigation was called off at Governor's Mansion

Ohio State Highway Patrol 

officer says investigation was

called off at Governor's Mansion

Three high-ranking Ohio State Highway Patrol officials have accused Gov. Ted Strickland's administration of blocking an undercover operation at the governor's mansion in January to protect Strickland from political embarrassment, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported last week.

The Strickland administration has denied interfering with the investigation.

"Patrol officers were about to execute what they assumed was a drug bust outside the governor's suburban-Columbus home Jan. 10 while Strickland hosted a dinner party inside. Instead they were told to drop their sting and warn their suspect not to go through with her plan," The Plain Dealer reported.

The newspaper quoted OSHP Maj. Robert Booker (ret.) as saying, "We were told that we should try to warn the suspect. That it would be better to try to prevent a crime."

Booker said patrol superintendent Col. David Dicken ordered the sting stopped "because it is the governor's residence and we have to keep this quiet."

Booker said at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing the investigation involved illegal drugs. Booker said "in 33 years with the patrol, I've never seen this kind of interference with a criminal investigation."

Columbus TV station Channel 10 WBNS (http://www.10tv.com) reported that "What began as an aborted drug sting at the Governor's Residence in Bexley now appears to involve one of the closest advisers to Gov. Ted Strickland. New information uncovered by 10 Investigates reveals a pattern of communication between Strickland's office, and those who warned a woman suspected of trying to leave drugs for inmates working the residence grounds in January." 

  Senate hearings into the matter are scheduled to resume in two weeks.  

Three high-ranking Ohio State Highway Patrol officials have accused Gov. Ted Strickland's administration of blocking an undercover operation at the governor's mansion in January to protect Strickland from political embarrassment, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported.

The Strickland administration has denied interfering with the investigation.

"Patrol officers were about to execute what they assumed was a drug bust outside the governor's suburban-Columbus home Jan. 10 while Strickland hosted a dinner party inside. Instead they were told to drop their sting and warn their suspect not to go through with her plan," The Plain Dealer reported.

The newspaper quoted OSHP Maj. Robert Booker (ret.) as saying, "We were told that we should try to warn the suspect. That it would be better to try to prevent a crime."

Booker said patrol superintendent Col. David Dicken ordered the sting stopped "because it is the governor's residence and we have to keep this quiet."

Booker said at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing the investigation involved illegal drugs. Booker said "in 33 years with the patrol, I've never seen this kind of interference with a criminal investigation."

Columbus TV station Channel 10 WBNS (http://www.10tv.com) reported that "What began as an aborted drug sting at the Governor's Residence in Bexley now appears to involve one of the closest advisers to Gov. Ted Strickland. New information uncovered by 10 Investigates reveals a pattern of communication between Strickland's office, and those who warned a woman suspected of trying to leave drugs for inmates working the residence grounds in January." 

  Senate hearings into the matter are scheduled to resume in two weeks.