Butler County: Insurance Bids

One of the things that I think would improve the image of the Republican brand nationally, regionally, and locally is if we took proactive action against even the appearance of impropriety.

Do I think this transaction with the county employees is illegal or immoral? Not in the slightest, but it does look fishy. Intrepid reporter Josh Sweigart tells this story better than I would, so let's go the blockquote, shall we?

While the county is locked into a contract with CEBCO for its employees' health insurance, other companies offer supplemental, voluntary products, such as long-term disability, vision programs or life insurance.

Under a 1997 contract, Lang Radcliff Agency manages flexible spending accounts for employees that pay for some of these benefits, and handles the county's deferred compensation plan.

The company is now the Lang Agency, owned by West Chester Twp. Trustee George Lang.

Lang's former partner, Mike Yoakum, describes this as a questionable inside deal.

Yoakum said his firm, Harbour Companies, bid on these contracts when Lang was working for him in 1995. It was a done deal, Yoakum said, secured with Lang's connections with the Butler County Republican Party.

"We didn't have any competition," Yoakum said. "We had put out enough political pad money to get it."

But Yoakum said Lang switched the name on the bid to his own company at the last minute, robbing him of the contract.

This does sound pretty bad on the part of Mr. Lang. In fact, this is the second instance where Mr. Lang's name has come up in a shady deal, the first being the infamous Dynus fiasco. While the Dynus deal was bad for the county, I think this deal was just bad for Yoakum. What makes me say that? The next sentence Josh writes is this one:

Yoakum sued Lang, Lang counter-sued. The two settled in 1997 with Lang agreeing to pay $10,000 of Yoakum's court costs.

If Yoakum were in the right, I don't think he'd have settled for court costs. I don't know anything about Mr. Yoakum other than what is presented in the article, but it sounds like this is a guy who is still angry that he got outplayed.

So what is the lesson in all of this for the county? Again, Josh puts this front and center:

Butler County leaders say they have no system in place to determine what companies can offer employees insurance products. And some worry this leaves the process open to political favoritism.

Within the next month, county Personnel Director Douglas Duckett will seek bids to hire a consultant to improve controls over which insurance companies approach county staff.

Of course the point gets buried behind all the lies, sex and videotape of who's get who's money and whatnot. And on that point, I think Yoakum is exaggerating again:

The county pays Lang roughly $800 a month to administer the FSA. He also gets a portion of each deferred compensation transaction, though that's voluntary for employees. How much he makes from this isn't public, but Yoakum ventures it's "millions." Lang offers that it's thousands.

Back to the point: these new procedures are important and ought to be in place as quickly as possible. Nothing is more important right now to the county and the Butler County Republican Party than making sure that the shenanigans are put to a stop.

My goal: Make Josh have to write positive stories about Butler County Republicans because that is all he can find.

UPDATE: Josh has a second article on this subject that is worth taking a look at too. This one brings on to the playing field one Don Spurlock, another connected member of the Butler County GOP who is in the insurance business. The importance of this bit is that it illustrates that being in the party is not enough, you still have to win the selection process (whatever that process is/was).

I think it is also worth noting the other names mentioned with Lang's in this piece: Kay Rogers and Mike Fox. This gem is a perfect illustration of why Mike Fox ought to say "no comment" when asked questions from the 527 media:

"Generally, you look for people who are qualified that have been your friends rather than your enemies," Fox said. "When you have the discretion to get something done, the first goal is to find someone who can do something capable and do something well ... you don't give high priority to people who've been your enemies."

Instead of taking a good opportunity to demonstrate that Fox had a lick of good sense, he went ahead and opened his mouth and removed all doubt that he's an idiot. Mike, here's a hint, the answer you were looking for -- and the best part is, you said it -- "Generally, you look for people who are qualified." Period. End of sentence, next question, please.