Photo courtesy of here.

(Editor’s Note:  I decided to post this media release from David Pepper’s office because I am hoping that Nate Livingston will have a chance to respond to the allegations against him.)

Tosses Out Complaint; Plan Opponents Don’t Even Make Appearance

(September 20, 2007). The Ohio Elections Commission today ruled in favor of Sheriff Leis, Commissioners Todd Portune and David Pepper, finding no probable cause that they and other supporters of the Comprehensive Safety Plan made false statements when talking about the county’s safety crisis.

"Although wholly expected, today’s ruling allows us to continue to make our message clear ... that we do not have the space or money to properly house inmates or make the County safe.” said Commission President Portune. “Unfortunately, it is the cold hard truth.”

The independent panel took only a few minutes to toss out the complaint, which alleged that certain statements (such as that the system was overcrowded, that the Queensgate facility was not a safe place to house prisoners, and that the Butler County rental situation was not sustainable) were not true.  The complainant, Nathaniel Livingston, one of the vocal opponents of the safety plan, didn’t even bother to show up at the hearing.  The County and other defendants were forced to send a team of staff and attorneys to Columbus to defend against the frivolous complaint.

“The bottom line is that we have important work to do to solve our safety crisis, so we applaud this common sense ruling,” Pepper said.  “Apparently, the opponents of the plan are more interested in filing frivolous complaints like this one that waste time and taxpayers’ money.”

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