Today’s Ohio Capital Journal reported that, “A former city employee received a $195,000 settlement from the city of Columbus after claiming she was illegally required to work on the 2023 reelection campaign of Mayor Andrew Ginther.”

“Ohio law prohibits the use of public resources, such as a public employee’s hours worked, on political campaigns. Columbus’ policy forbids office holders and employees from engaging in political activity forbidden by state law.”

“Bauer, a six-year mayor’s office employee last paid the equivalent of $85,010 a year," claimed in the suit that Ginther and other city staff “could command where, when and how much labor” she performed and she largely was on call, even when off work, a vast majority of the time. She said she regularly worked 50- to 60-hour weeks without extra pay.” https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2024/10/04/ex-columbus-employee-gets-195k-settlement-after-claim-she-was-required-to-do-ginther-campaign-work/

Controversy and trouble have followed Ginther’s political career since his days as a Columbus School Board member and the data scrubbing scandal. As Chairman of the Board's Audit Committee, Ginther ignored concerns from whistleblowers about “grade and attendance alterations" – one directly warned of “data cleansing” under the “authority of CIO Steve Tankovich.”

Ginther made headlines when he solicited and accepted a $21,000 campaign contribution from the red-light camera vendor Redflex. The contribution was laundered through John Raphael to the Ohio Democratic Party and then to Ginther’s campaign committee.  Just prior to Redflex, Ginther traveled to Lucas Oil Stadium for the Big Ten Championship football game with several others. The trip was arranged by John Raphael and included tickets and accommodations in food vendor Centerplate's suite. Centerplate had just been awarded the food contract for the Columbus Convention Center. Ginther and others paid $250 for a trip that was later determined to be valued at about $750. Raphael would later plead guilty to federal corruption charges for steering the contract to Centerplate.

Ginther’s Public Service Director Jennifer Gallagher allegedely violated Ohio ethics laws when her husband performed work on the Little Turtle Roadway Project. A complaint filed against Ms. Gallagher with the Ohio Ethics Commission in November of 2021 has yet to be settled. Ginther should have demanded Ms. Gallagher’s resignation in 2021.

In October of 2023, Judge Stephanie Mingo claimed in court documents that Mayor Ginther committed an ex parte communication regarding the Greyhound bus terminal case. Ginther admitted to talking to the judge in a May 27, 2024 interview with WSYX TV stating:  "I think it's really important as elected officials that we share information with other community leaders about what's on people's mind," Ginther told ABC 6 News in January. "I called the judge after there was a homicide at that bus station that weekend to let her know how concerned people were. People in that neighborhood were afraid; they were scared, they wanted us to everything we could to make them safer.” After I filed charges in December of 2023 against the Mayor and special prosecutor Brad Nicodemus was appointed by the Columbus City Attorney to investigate my complaint nearly 10 months ago, the investigation has not yet been completed. Nicodemus has purposely dragged his feet while delaying justice.

Today’s news about Andy Ginther’s former executive assistant’s lawsuit claiming she was “forced to resign on August 3, 2023 after raising concerns with unidentified supervisors about the political work for Ginther” is just one more example of alleged criminal and unethical events that have followed his political career since his days on the Columbus School Board. His recent mistruths and handling of the data breach and now this? Voters of Columbus are scratching their heads asking themselves why did I vote for this guy? He is unfit to serve as a public official.