Columbus City Council’s second in charge is stepping down from her position and won’t run for re-election.
Columbus Council President Pro Tem Michelle Mills announced the resignation Monday.
Her resignation comes while the FBI continues to investigate lobbyist John Raphael, who she accepted a trip from last year, but did not disclose on her ethics statements.
Within hours of her resignation, a committee replaced Mills’ name on the ballot with that of Elizabeth C. Brown, daughter of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. Brown had applied to a position on Columbus City council in 2014.
Mills has been linked to embattled lobbyist John Raphael, and went on a trip arranged by Raphael to the 2014 Big 10 Football Championship Game in Indianapolis. The trip was not listed on Mills ethics report.
Three other council members reported being on the same Dec. 31, 2014, trip. Council President Andrew Ginther listed the trip as a $250 donation from Centerplate, the company hosting the party. Council members Shannon Hardin and Eileen Paley listed the trip as a gift on their campaign finance reports.
In a letter sent to her fellow council members, Mills said she was resigning to devote more time to working at St. Stephens Community House. She also told council members, “I have worked hard to build a reputation of care, trust and integrity across this community and on Council, one that I am proud of.
Brad Sinnott, chairman of the Franklin County Central Committee, questioned why Mills didn’t list the trip on her campaign finance reports and questions reports from other council members that the trip was worth $250.
"I think anybody who was interested in attending the Big 10 Championship game would have jumped at the opportunity to be picked up in Columbus, taken to Indianapolis see the game in a suite with food and drink provided and then returned home for the price of $250. We all know that $250 is not the fair market value of that sort of treatment," Sinnott said.
FBI officials refuse to comment on the investigation; however multiple sources confirm that the FBI remains active in request information surrounding Raphael, who serves as both the lobbyist for Redflex and for Centerplate.
News of the investigation became public after former CEO Karen Finley pled guilty to attempting to bribe Columbus officials. Finley’s company, Redflex, had the city’s exclusive contract with the city to run red light cameras.
Finley was expected to be sentenced in Chicago on Aug. 11 to bribery charges associated with public officials there. That hearing, though, was postponed late yesterday to Aug. 20, court officials confirmed.
Mills announcement leaves several points of uncertainty. Mills wrote to fellow council members that when the time is right she hopes to return to public office. Mills resignation from council is effective Sept. 4.
Who will fill in on the rest of her term from Sept. 4 to Dec. 31 is unclear.
Council spokesman John Ivanic said council will “soon announce an appointment process to fill the vacancy.” He would not comment if Brown would receive that appointment.
According to her resume, Ms. Brown was the former deputy director and executive director of the Ohio Democratic Party. She also served as the executive director of the Ohio House Democratic Caucus and communications manager for the Ohio House of Representatives.
Attempts to reach Ms. Brown late yesterday were not immediately returned.
