The full report.

The summary.

Meet the New AG
Tuesday, June 3
The story of the scandal-plagued attorney general’s office has taken a decidedly different turn with the naming of a new Top Cop: Nancy Hardin Rogers. The former Dean of Ohio State’s law school is our guest Tuesday morning. We’ll talk about what it will take to restore integrity to the AG’s office and why she wants what has to be the toughest job in Columbus right now. Now, it’s a temporary post for Rogers, so we’ll also speak with legal and political analysts about who might occupy that post after November. Join us Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock.

Guests:
Nancy Hardin Rogers, 48th Attorney General of Ohio
Geoffrey Mearns, Dean, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
Mark Naymik, politics reporter, The Plain Dealer

Looking forward to it.

University of Kansas, Social Work undergrad degree – YES!!

Worked at Legal Aid – YES!!

See?

Sigh of relief.

Update of coverage:

The Plain Dealer

Columbus Dispatch

Sarah Cole of OSU Law School on the ADR Prof Blog:

Governor Strickland has made an inspired choice in tapping Nancy for
this post. As dean of Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law since 2001 and
faculty member since 1976, she has served the university and the law
school with great distinction. The people of Ohio are fortunate that the
state’s new top attorney has the highest degree of integrity, widely
respected legal skills and strong leadership qualities.

Crains’ Cleveland Business

Progress Ohio – post and video of swearing in, and of the Governor’s announcement

A little analysis:

Ohio Daily Blog

Pho’s Akron Pages

Highlights:

-Ohio Governor Ted Strickland spoke about the progress yesterday

-There’s a pool of about 40 people

-There’s been no decision to include or exclude any particular individuals

-There’s been no decision whether to appoint someone who won’t run or who will be expected to run to fill out the remainder of the term (through 2010)

-As to Bill Mason, the clip reports that Strickland said that “it would be unreasonable to conclude” that Mason won’t be in the pool

-Lee Fisher will stay where he is unless he asks Strickland to be appointed in which case Strickland reportedly said that it would be difficult not to appoint Fisher

-the Ohio Republican Party has formed a 26 member screening committee, that includes Rob Frost and Betty Montgomery; it will select the individual who will run in November for the Attorney General position’s remaining term

It started with this excellent post by Jeff at Ohio Daily Blog and ends with a full slate of MSM and blogger stories on Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann’s resignation.

The Video

The Live-blog – Pho-style

The Live-blog – Jill-style

Even solidly conservative Ohioans recommend against the scorched-earth tactics Ohio Republican Party Kevin DeWine is gesticulating about.

Plunderbund has a post with info on the new Interim Attorney General, Tom Winters.

The Cleveland Free Times’ Free Blog has a sensationalistic story up about a woman who allegedly had an affair with Dann in the late 1980s.

I was privy to rumors galore today – frankly, it was pretty sickening – not the rumors themselves but the pace of the emails with them and the range of what they alleged.  I didn’t research a single one, for a variety of reasons.

I actually didn’t sense Dann to be as contrite as I thought Eliot Spitzer was, but I do believe that he is relieved – he has got to be relieved in some way.  I still believe that he is facing a much harder challenge, and more pain, by going home and doing what he must to salvage, repair and continue on with his family and home life.  But we really do only have one life to live – seriously.  No job, title or threat is worth screwing all that up.

I thought Ted Strickland spoke at a perfect pitch in general and in response to the questions.  Again, people should enjoy underestimating him, because four out of five times, he’s still going to come out on the right side of it all.

As for what’s next, the impeachment articles most likely will be dropped very soon, but the inspector general investigation that began today with a raid and seizure of computers from the AG’s offices will continue.  There was no deal related to dropping them (and Strickland said no other kind of deal related to anything else either).

Tom Winter, a deputy in the office, will become interim AG – I don’t know if that’s interim or acting.  But Strickland can appoint someone to fill the role through to January 2009, though in November, there will be an election to fill the AG post through January 2011.

With Marc Dann’s departure, I am ceasing operations of The Daily Dann.  There’s just way too much else going on and there’s an appointment and an election to consider.  Never a dull day in the heart of it all.

From the Port Clinton News Herald:

Ohio Republican Party Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine released the following statement on Attorney General Marc Dann’s resignation:

“This embarrassment is far from over. Marc Dann’s resignation is overdue, and the investigation into his mismanagement and corruption must continue.

“We’ve spent the past 15 months pointing out that Marc Dann was not suited to be Ohio’s attorney general, and now that it’s politically expedient the Democrats finally decided to join us.

“The first priority right now is restoring the integrity of the attorney general’s office. We will then begin the process of identifying a Republican candidate who will make Ohioans proud of their attorney general again.”

One of the reasons Governor Strickland’s ratings are as high as they are is because he projects a combination of compassion and conviction. He is cautious and does not rush to judgment, he is humble when necessary and speaks his mind without being terrified of what everyone else says. He may not always move far enough or quickly enough, but he recognizes people as being humans.

Once again, the ORP is in danger of appearing to lack all sense of humanity. DeWine is acting like a merciless bully who is only out for his own gain at the expense of others. I don’t glad dance, but he really should be thinking twice about his strategy and the risk of loss from it in a bigger way than the GOP is already poised to lose.

I’ll see if I can find a transcript as well.

Check out Scott’s transcription of Ohio Governor Ted Strickland press conference which followed Marc Dann announcing his resignation.

Watch live here. More soon.

You can read a bit here.

Tom Winters, the first assistant AG will takeover for now.