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Robert Alphonso Taft III (born January 8, 1942) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 67th governor of Ohio from 1999 to 2007. A member of the Taft political dynasty and Republican Party, Taft previously served in the Ohio House of Representatives, then as Hamilton County commissioner, and as Ohio Secretary of State under governor George Voinovich. He is a son of Senator Robert Taft Jr., a grandson of Senate majority leader Robert A. Taft, and a great-grandson of President William Howard Taft.

Key Information

Taft was born in Boston and raised in Cincinnati. His first public office was representing the 65th district in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1977 to 1981. He then served as commissioner for Hamilton County from 1981 to 1990. Taft ran for lieutenant governor in 1986 but was unsuccessful. After that, he was elected Secretary of State of Ohio in 1990 and was reelected in 1994. Taft won the 1998 Ohio gubernatorial election with 50 percent of the vote and became governor in January 1999. In his first term, he had high approval ratings and was easily reelected in 2002, defeating his opponent by 628,083 votes.

In August 2005, as a result of the Coingate scandal, Taft was indicted with four misdemeanors related to him receiving undisclosed gifts and accepting illegal campaign contributions, making him the first Ohio governor charged with a crime while in office.[2] He pleaded no contest to the charges and was fined $4,000. Despite his fallout from the conviction, Taft continued to serve as governor until his second term expired in January 2007. After leaving office, Taft worked for the University of Dayton, beginning August 15, 2007.[3]

Early life and education

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Taft was born in 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts, to U.S. Senator Robert Taft Jr. and Blanca Duncan Noel. Bob's paternal grandfather was U.S. Senate Majority Leader Robert Alphonso Taft Sr.; his patrilineal great-grandfather was U.S. President and Chief Justice of the United States William Howard Taft; and his patrilineal great-great-grandfather was Attorney General and Secretary of War Alphonso Taft.

He was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he attended the Cincinnati Country Day School through the ninth grade and graduated from The Taft School. At Yale University, he was a member of the Yale Political Union, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government in 1963. From 1963 to 1965, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer, teaching in Tanzania.[4] He later attended the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, receiving a Master of Arts degree in government in 1967. In 1976, he received his Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Early political career

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Taft with President Ronald Reagan, 1984
Taft greets President George H. W. Bush, 1990

Taft was elected as a Republican to the Ohio House of Representatives and served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1977 to 1981, and then was Hamilton County commissioner from 1981 to 1990. He ran for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio on the ticket with Jim Rhodes in 1986, but was unsuccessful. In 1990, he was elected Ohio Secretary of State, defeating incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown. He was re-elected in 1994, defeating Democratic candidate Dan Brady.

Campaigns for Governor

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1998 campaign

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Main article: 1998 Ohio gubernatorial election

In December 1996, Taft announced he would run for Governor of Ohio, becoming the first candidate to enter the race.[5] He had been preparing for his run since 1995, raising money and securing the endorsement of term-limited incumbent George Voinovich.[6][7] It was reported that a deal was made in 1990 that the state Republican Party would clear the field for Voinovich and in trade, they would clear it for Taft in 1998, but both men denied any deal taking place.[8][9] Taft won the May 5, 1998 primary to become the Republican nominee.[10] He then defeated Democrat Lee Fisher, the former Ohio Attorney General, in the November 3 general election with 50 percent of the vote. He was sworn in for his first term on January 11, 1999.[11]

2002 campaign

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Main article: 2002 Ohio gubernatorial election

In January 2002, it was reported that the governor had raised nearly 6 million dollars for his reelection campaign.[12] Taft had high approval ratings going into the election (near 70 percent according to some polls), and experts predicted he would easily win.[13] In the November 5 general election, Taft defeated Democrat Tim Hagan by nearly 20 points, 58%-38%. He was sworn in for his second term on January 13, 2003.[14]

Governor of Ohio (1999–2007)

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Third Frontier

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The Third Frontier program, started under the Taft administration, as of 2009 was considered an enormous success in modernizing Ohio's 21st century economy. The program focuses on issuing funding for research, development, and commercialization projects to the biomedical, alternative energy, and the advanced propulsion industries and institutions, among others. Between 2003 and 2008 it dispersed $681 million, resulting in a $6.6 billion economic impact return and 41,300 jobs.[15]

Governor's Cup awards

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During Taft's tenure, Ohio was awarded the Governor's Cup twice, in 2003 and 2006. The award, selected by Site Selection Magazine, is given to the state that attracts the most business developments over $1 million, creates over 50 jobs, or constructs over 20,000 new square feet of business area during the course of a year. The honor is deemed as being considered the best state in the country for business development, attraction, and capital investment.[16]

Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine

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In 2003, the state awarded $19.4 million for the creation of the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine. Taft personally delivered the award to the institution in Cleveland. The state awarded another $8 million in 2006 from their Biomedical Research Research and Commercialization Program, which the Taft administration contributed to creating through the Third Frontier program.[17][18] By 2009, the center had become recognized as a regional leader and had spun off four companies, conducted 51 clinical trials, treated over 250 patients with adult stem cells, and treated over 60 patients with other cell therapies.[19]

Education

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When the Taft administration took over, the state was faced with an education crisis as nearly half of students were failing mandatory tests and were attending failing districts. Taft's "Rebuilding Ohio Schools" was an ambitious project that would pour $10 billion over 12 years into new school construction. The Taft administration ultimately presided over the largest increase in education funding in state history.[20] According to the U.S. Department of Education, Ohio student scores increased during Taft's tenure, including 4th and 8th grade math scores every period, with Ohio students scoring above the national average every period in every subject.[21] The number of high school graduates increased,[22] and for the 2006-2007 school year Ohio produced the most advanced percentage of 8th grade science students in the country.[23]

Taft signed legislation creating the Ohio Educational Choice Scholarship Pilot Program, which extended choice to students in failing schools, and the Ohio College Opportunity Grant, which extended grants to 11,000 new students.[24]

Tort reform

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In January 2003, Taft signed Ohio Senate Bill 281 into law, which limited non-economic damages in medical injury lawsuits. The bill limited non-economic damages to $350,000 and imposed a statute of limitations.[25] Taft then signed Ohio Senate Bill 80, introduced by Sen. Steve Stivers, into law in January 2005, which placed further caps on lawsuit awards in general.[26]

Veterans affairs

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In December 2000, Taft signed House Bill 408, which designated Interstate 76 as the "Military Order of the Purple Heart Memorial Highway".[27] In July 2001, he signed legislation to permit school districts to award high school diplomas to veterans of World War II from the United States who were called into service before obtaining their diploma.[28] In November 2001, with the ensuing War on Terror set to begin, Taft signed Ohio Senate Bill 164, called the Military Pay Bill, into law. The bill protected the benefits of state employees called into full-time active service.[29] In 2003, he signed Ohio Senate Bill 47, introduced by Sen. Steve Stivers, which provided additional time to soldiers on active duty to pay their property taxes, interest free.[30] In 2004, he signed legislation renaming the "Michael A. Fox Highway" to the "Butler County Veterans Highway",[31] and proclaimed November to be "Hire a Veteran Month" in Ohio.[32]

In 2005, Taft signed legislation creating the Military Injury Relief Fund, which allowed taxpayers to donate a portion of their tax refund to help fund grants for injured veterans.[33] He successfully lobbied, along with others, in 2006 to have the Royal Netherlands Air Force join the Ohio Air National Guard in training missions in Springfield.[34] Taft signed numerous other pieces of legislation extending benefits to service members, and in 2006 was honored with the National Guard Association of the United States' Charles Dick Medal of Merit, in which the press release stated "Taft fought to ensure that Ohio's Soldiers, Airmen and their families were cared for in all aspects of their service, and presided over an unprecedented expansion of state benefits for Guardmembers and their families." Ohio's adjutant general Maj. Gen. Gregory L. Wayt stated about Taft that "he epitomizes what a commander-in-chief of a National Guard should be. During his term he has stood strong with the National Guard."[35]

His wife, Hope, started the "On the Ohio Homefront" initiative, which is an online database of businesses and charities that provide discounts and services catered toward veterans.[36]

Highway construction

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Taft addresses local media, 2001

In 2003, Taft unveiled his "Jobs and Progress Plan", which was a $5 billion, 10-year agenda to improve Ohio's highways and roads.[37] Among the notable projects were the $97 million Wilmington Bypass project,[38] the $1 billion Cleveland Inner Belt project,[39] and the $220 million Veterans' Glass City Skyway in Toledo.[40]

Taxes

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In 2003, Taft signed legislation enacting the largest tax increase in state history, a temporary two-year, 1% sales tax which generated $2.9 billion in revenue during the national recession. In 2005, Taft signed major tax reform, including a 21% personal income tax cut over five years, a reduction of the sales tax by 0.5%, elimination of the corporate franchise tax over five years, and the elimination of the personal tangible property tax over four years. The legislation also included nominal tax credit increases, including $50 for personal and dependent exemptions, and $88 in deductions for deposits made into Ohio Medical Savings Accounts.[24] In 2006, Taft signed Substitute House Bill 49, which provided a 25% tax credit for historic rehabilitation projects.[41]

Alternative energy and Energy Action Plan

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In 2001, Taft, along with other state leaders, met in Cleveland to unify in calling on the U.S. Congress to grant a funding request for the NASA Glenn Research Center, which was researching projects that included alternative and more efficient energy, and to designate NASA Glenn for the leadership role in biotechnology research.[42] In 2005, Taft mandated that the Ohio Department of Transportation use 1 million US gallons (3,800 m3) of B20 biodiesel and 30,000 US gallons (110,000 L) of E85 ethanol per year, while selecting flex-fuel vehicles for new purchases. ODOT had been using alternative fuels since 1999, and owned 193 flex-fuel vehicles when this announcement was made. Taft also mandated that ethanol tanks be constructed at all new ODOT facilities.[43] Later in 2005, Taft urged the U.S. Congress to extend tax credits to those who install fuel cell electricity stations. As part of the Ohio Third Frontier program, $100 million in grants had already been issued for the research of fuel cells.[44]

In early 2006, Taft announced his "Energy Action Plan", which included doubling the use of E85 ethanol in state fleets from 30,000 US gallons (110,000 L) to 60,000, increasing the use of biodiesel in state fleets by 100,000 US gallons (380,000 L) annually, while mandating the purchase of flex-fuel only vehicles for the state fleet, and allocating $3.6 million from the Energy Loan Fund to make state buildings energy efficient. The plan also called for $25 million from the Energy Loan Fund to be set aside over five years for wind turbine producing companies, and to set aside a grant of 1.2 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity produced by wind energy. Taft called for a pilot program to create jet fuel from coal, moving Ohio's geological information on fossil fuel sources to digital formats, and reaffirming the state's commitment to FutureGen, a clean coal initiative.[45]

Between 1998 and 2007, Ohio's green industry sector grew at the fourth highest rate in the country, 7.3%.[46]

Great Lakes initiatives

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Taft spent considerable time during his administration promoting the Great Lakes, which included lobbying the U.S. Congress for funding devoted to restoration projects,[47] and signing pacts that included 8 Great Lakes states and 2 Canadian provinces to preserve the area.[48] These pacts included "The Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes", which called for a $20 billion investment, cleanup, and renewal of the lakes, "The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement", which aimed to prevent new damage to the region, and "The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact".[49] In 2001, Taft agreed to "Annex 2001", an addition to the Great Lakes Charter.[50] In 2008, he joined the Board of Directors of the Alliance for the Great Lakes to help promote effective implementation of the Compact.

Amy's Law

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In May 2005, Taft signed House Bill 29, also known as Amy's Law into law, tightening restrictions on bond for suspects accused of domestic violence.[51]

Concealed carry

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In February 2006 Taft vetoed legislation passed by both houses of the Ohio General Assembly removing the 'Plain Sight' provision from the state's concealed carry law. The bill would have also kept The Plain Dealer from publishing the names and home addresses of licensees.[52] Nevertheless, this provision passed into law when the General Assembly overrode his veto, the first veto override in Ohio in over 30 years.[53][54]

Spending and economy

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Taft in October 2002

Taft was criticized during his tenure for permitting state spending and state taxes to rise.[55] Critics also argued that Taft was responsible for the lagging Ohio economy during that time period, despite federal trade policies that were out of his control, resulting in the loss of 13,432 employment positions to international trade alone in 2006, and 71,242 employment positions lost overall between 1995 and 2006. Those figures are based on the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program figures, which has stringent standards that do not count all the employment positions truly lost to international trade.[56] [57]

Capital punishment

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Taft presided over the reintroduction of capital punishment in Ohio. During his term, 24 people were put to death by lethal injection, more than any other state outside the South. He granted one commutation.[58] However, in 2021, Taft co-authored an op-ed with former Ohio Attorneys General Lee Fisher and Jim Petro, calling for the state to abolish capital punishment.[59]

Controversies

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Naral v. Taft

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Taft was the subject of a federal lawsuit in 2005, NARAL v. Taft, over his decision to allow "Choose Life" license plates to be sold by the state to raise funds for pregnancy crisis centers and adoption centers. They were considered by the American Civil Liberties Union to be "viewpoint discrimination", thus unconstitutional. The district court dismissed the ACLU's lawsuit, and they later withdrew their appeal from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.[60]

Coingate

[edit]
Main article: Coingate scandal

In 1996, the Republican-controlled Ohio General Assembly passed a law that struck the requirement that the Ohio state government invest solely in bonds. Various fund managers and other brokers then scrambled to offer their services.

During Taft's Tenure, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) invested hundreds of millions of dollars in high risk or unconventional investment vehicles run by Republican Party supporters who had made large campaign contributions to senior Ohio Republican officials. One was a rare coin investment fund run by Tom Noe which attracted particular scrutiny since two coins worth more than $300,000 were reportedly lost.

Further investigation into GOP operative Noe revealed that coins backed by state investments worth $10–$12 million were missing and that only $13 million of the original $50 million invested could be accounted for. Tom Noe was convicted of running a criminal enterprise, the theft of $13 million from the fund, and of keeping a second set of books to cover for it.[61]

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) ultimately invested hundreds of millions of dollars in high risk or unconventional investment vehicles run by people closely connected to the Ohio Republican Party who had made large campaign contributions to many senior Republican party officials.

Taft's conviction was grounds under the Ohio Constitution for impeachment and removal from office by the Ohio General Assembly; however, impeachment proceedings did not occur and Taft remained in office until the end of his second term.

Criminal golf games

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In 2001, a ruling by the Ohio Ethics Commission made clear that any free rounds of golf paid for by lobbyists which were valued over $75 were to be disclosed.[62] Taft stated he was not aware of the opinion until 2005 after news reports surfaced about the Coingate scandal. In a 2003 questionnaire for a possible appointment to the Ohio Turnpike Commission, Thomas Noe, at the center of the Coingate investigation, indicated to Taft he was not doing business with the state, although he had been.[63] Taft personally notified the commission of possible disclosure failures, and offered his cooperation in correcting the issues in voluntarily triggering an investigation.[62]

On August 17, 2005, Taft was charged with four criminal misdemeanors stemming from his failure to disclose golf outings paid for by lobbyists, as well as some undisclosed gifts. The Associated Press reported the total value of at least 52 undisclosed gifts as about US$5,800, they included:[64]

  1. Two undisclosed gifts including golf with coin dealer Thomas Noe, a Republican fundraiser then under investigation, and later convicted, for his handling of a $50 million investment of state money in rare coins, and diverting $2 million to personal use. Taft claimed of Tom Noe that "He fooled people from one end of Ohio to the other."[62] (See Coingate scandal.)
  2. Six undisclosed gifts including golf outings with political strategist Curt Steiner and Robert Massie, president of chemical information services giant CAS, worth $700. Taft later lobbied the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services against expanding scientific directories that would compete with CAS.
  3. Undisclosed gifts including dinner and Columbus Blue Jackets hockey tickets from Jerry Jurgeson, chief executive officer of Nationwide Insurance
  4. A book and artwork from the consul general of the People's Republic of China worth $100
  5. A photograph and framed medal from the Defense Supply Center worth $85
  6. A portfolio and clothing worth $119 from the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce.

This was the first time an Ohio governor has ever been charged with a crime while in office.[2]

At his arraignment in Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus on August 18, Taft pleaded no contest and was fined $4,000 plus court costs. Judge Mark Froehlich also ordered Taft to apologize to the people of Ohio as well as state employees.[65] Taft was quoted after sentencing stating "I offer my sincere and heartfelt apology, and I hope the people will understand that these mistakes, though major and important mistakes, were done unintentionally, and I hope and pray they will accept my apology."[66] During the sentencing it was noted that Taft had a 30-year unblemished record as a public official.[65]

In addition to the criminal sanctions, Taft was issued a public reprimand by the Ohio Supreme Court on December 27, 2006 for accepting and failing to report gifts and golf outings worth more than $6,000.[67] This reprimand was attached to Taft's license to practice law in Ohio.[68]

After the fallout from his conviction, Taft called for a ban on executive-level government officials from accepting gifts of any amount from lobbyists.[69]

Job approval

[edit]

At the beginning of his governorship in 1999, Taft had an approval rating of 49 percent.[70] His approval rating had reached 63 percent by November 1999,[71] and 69 percent by November 2001.[72] By May 2002, his approval rating had fallen to 59 percent, but by July it had recovered to 62 percent.[70] Going into the 2002 gubernatorial election, Taft had approval ratings in the high 60s.

Shortly after beginning his second term in January 2003, his approval rating fell to 40 percent, with disapproval at 48 percent.[73] By May 2003, his disapproval rating grew to 50 percent, a level unseen for an Ohio governor in 20 years.[74] Taft's sudden dip in approval ratings was likely due to Ohio's lagging economy and tax increases.[75][76]

In early 2004, Taft's approval rating showed signs of recovery at 47 percent.[77] In early 2005, when the Coingate scandal was revealed, Taft's approval rating slumped to 34 percent, which was at the time the second lowest approval rating found for an Ohio governor.[78] In late 2005, after his conviction for his involvement in the scandal, polls found the governor had an approval rating of just 15 percent—the lowest approval rating ever found for an Ohio governor.[79] Other polls found that Taft's approval rating was even lower at 6.5 percent, according to Zogby, giving him quite possibly the lowest polled approval rating ever by a United States politician.[80] A SurveyUSA poll that same month gave Taft a rating of 18 percent. In a response, a spokesman for Taft told the Associated Press, "the governor doesn't govern by the polls, he governs by good public policy and making a difference for Ohioans".[81] A late-2005 article in Time named Taft as one of the three worst governors in the country.[82]

During 2006, Taft's final year in office, his approval hovered in the low-to-mid 20s.[83] Taft's unpopularity contributed to major Democratic gains in the 2006 election, including the defeat of Republican Ken Blackwell by Democrat Ted Strickland in the race to replace Taft as governor. In polling conducted by Quinnipiac University in December 2006, Taft left the governorship with an approval rating of only 16 percent.[84]

Post-gubernatorial activities

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After Taft left the governorship, he and his wife made a trip to Tanzania in February 2007 where he had served as a Peace Corps volunteer. Taft said the trip was invigorating and that the buildings where he taught and lived 40 years earlier were still there.[85]

Taft joined the University of Dayton in August 2007 as a distinguished research associate for educational excellence. His job is to help the university launch the Center for Educational Excellence, which encourages students to study science, technology, engineering, and math. "We've got to figure out how to get more students in college, and that's a challenge that I really look forward to."[3] Thomas Lasley II, dean of the School of Education and Allied Professions, stated Taft was the first professional who refused his salary offer for being too high. Lasley was quoted "I think the more people have gotten to know him [Taft] the more they realize he is a very ethical individual".[86]

In November 2008, he joined the Board of Directors of the Alliance for the Great Lakes to help advance Great Lakes education and policy initiatives, such as the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin Water Resources Compact, started during his tenure as Chairman of the Council of Great Lakes Governors.

As of 2017, he is on the board of directors for Battelle for Kids,[87] an education-focused not-for-profit organization.[88]

Taft is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.[89]

Family

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The Taft family has been involved in Republican politics for over a century. Bob Taft's patrilineal great-great-grandfather Alphonso Taft was Secretary of War, Attorney General, and an Ambassador. His patrilineal great-grandfather William Howard Taft was President and Chief Justice of the United States; patrilineal great-grandmother Helen Louise "Nellie" Taft was First Lady. Paternal grandfather Robert Alphonso Taft, Sr. and father Robert Alphonso Taft, Jr. were both U.S. Senators. First cousin William Howard Taft IV acted as Secretary of Defense for two months in 1989.[90] Uncle William Howard Taft III was an Ambassador. His patrilineal great-granduncle Charles Phelps Taft was a U.S. Representative from Ohio and, for a time, an owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Patrilineal great-great-great-grandfather Peter Rawson Taft I was a member of the Vermont legislature. Other prominent relatives include Seth Chase Taft, Charles Phelps Taft II, Peter Rawson Taft II, Henry Waters Taft, Walbridge Smith Taft, and Horace Dutton Taft. Kingsley Arter Taft was a U.S. Senator from Ohio and Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. Taft serves as an advisory board member of the Society of Presidential Descendants.[91]

Legacy

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The Taft Coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair in Columbus, Ohio, was renamed in honor of Taft on July 28, 2010.

See also

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Bob Taft

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Robert Alphonso "Bob" Taft III (born January 8, 1942) is an American Republican politician and attorney who served as the 67th governor of Ohio from 1999 to 2007. A member of the influential Taft political dynasty, he is the son of U.S. Senator Robert A. Taft Jr., grandson of U.S. Senator Robert A. Taft, and great-grandson of President William Howard Taft. Prior to his governorship, Taft held the position of Ohio Secretary of State from 1991 to 1999 and earlier served in the Ohio House of Representatives. Taft's administration emphasized economic development through initiatives like the Third Frontier program, which aimed to advance Ohio's high-technology sector and foster innovation in biomedical and advanced materials industries. He also pursued education reforms, including efforts to improve school standards, accountability, and funding allocation toward disadvantaged districts. These policies sought to position Ohio as a leader in the knowledge economy by attracting high-paying jobs and enhancing services for seniors and infrastructure like the Great Lakes restoration. However, Taft's tenure was marred by ethical controversies, culminating in 2005 when he pleaded no contest to four charges for failing to disclose gifts, including meals, golf outings, and tickets, from a state contractor; this made him the first sitting governor to be criminally convicted. The scandal occurred amid the broader "Coingate" investigation into state investment mismanagement, which damaged public trust and contributed to Republican losses in subsequent elections. Following his second term, Taft joined the as a distinguished research associate in .

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Ancestry

Robert Alphonso Taft III, known as Bob Taft, was born on January 8, 1942, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Robert Alphonso Taft Jr. (1917–1993) and Blanca Duncan Noël (1917–1968). His father, a Republican U.S. Senator from serving from 1971 to 1976, previously held positions as a Cincinnati city councilman and U.S. Representative. Taft's , born in New , , came from a family with ties to the American South; little public record details her ancestry beyond her marriage into the Taft lineage in 1941. Taft's paternal grandfather, Robert Alphonso Taft Sr. (1889–1953), was a prominent U.S. Senator from (1939–1953) and , renowned for conservative opposition to expansive policies. His patrilineal great-grandfather, (1857–1930), served as the 27th (1909–1913) and later as of the U.S. (1921–1930), marking the as one of America's enduring . The family's progenitor, Robert Taft (c. 1640–1725), emigrated from England to , around 1679, establishing roots in colonial with descendants holding various public offices across generations. This lineage positioned Taft within a tradition of Republican leadership in Ohio politics, emphasizing and , though maternal ancestry contributed less documented influence on his early environment. Raised primarily in , , after his birth in —owing to his father's naval service—Taft grew up immersed in the expectations of inherent to the Taft heritage.

Academic and Professional Preparation

Taft earned a degree in government from in 1963. He subsequently received a degree in government from in 1967. Taft completed his legal training with a from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1972. Prior to his election to the in 1976, Taft gained initial professional experience through service as a Peace Corps volunteer teacher in . He also held an early government role with the Illinois Bureau of the Budget. These positions, combined with his , provided foundational preparation for his subsequent public service career in .

Pre-Gubernatorial Political Career

Service in Ohio Legislature

Robert Alphonso Taft II, commonly known as Bob Taft, entered elective politics as a Republican member of the , representing the 65th district in Hamilton County from 1977 to 1981. The district covered suburban areas near , aligning with Taft's residence and early professional base in the region. Elected in 1976 following a campaign launched the prior year, his service spanned the 102nd and 103rd General Assemblies, during which he participated in routine legislative duties amid a period of Republican minority status in the House. Taft's legislative record emphasized fiscal restraint and local governance issues, reflecting the conservative principles inherited from his family's political tradition, though specific sponsored bills from this era remain sparsely documented in . He did not seek re-election in , opting instead to pursue a position as Hamilton County , marking the transition from state legislative service to county-level administration. This early tenure established Taft's reputation as a methodical public servant focused on practical policy over partisan spectacle.

Hamilton County Commissioner

Taft was elected to the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners in November 1980 as a Republican, taking office on , 1981, and serving a full decade until December 31, 1990. The position involved oversight of county administration, including budget approval, public infrastructure projects, and in the region, which faced challenges like urban decline and industrial shifts during the . In 1986, Taft campaigned for as the to incumbent Republican James A. Rhodes, aiming to succeed the term-limited executive amid a competitive race against Democratic Richard F. Celeste seeking re-election. The Republican ticket lost the general , with Celeste and Paul Leonard securing victory by a margin of approximately 13 percentage points, reflecting Democratic gains in amid national trends favoring the party under President Ronald Reagan's second term. Following the defeat, Taft returned to his commissioner duties, emphasizing continuity in local governance until successfully running for in 1990.

Ohio Secretary of State

Robert Alphonso Taft III served as Ohio's Secretary of State from January 1991 to January 1999. He was first elected on November 6, 1990, defeating Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown by a margin of approximately 52% to 47%, assuming office on January 14, 1991. Reelected in 1994 against Democrat Greg Locke, Taft won with 55% of the vote, securing a second term that extended until he resigned to become governor in 1999. As , Taft oversaw the administration of state , including the 1992 and 1996 presidential , managed , certified results, and maintained official state records such as business charters and notaries public. His office processed over 100,000 business filings annually during the and issued licenses to thousands of notaries. Taft emphasized efficiency in processes, implementing procedural improvements to reduce errors in counting and reporting. A key focus of Taft's tenure was advocating for campaign finance reform to address perceptions of undue influence in state politics. Running on a platform to limit contributions, he supported legislative efforts that culminated in 1995 when the enacted caps on donations to legislative candidates, limiting individual contributions to $1,000 per election and (PAC) contributions to $2,500 per election. These reforms aimed to curb "pay-to-play" dynamics, though critics argued the limits were modest and did not fully address soft money or independent expenditures. Taft's advocacy reflected his commitment to enhancing transparency, as evidenced by his public statements highlighting growing public concern over campaign funding in early 1991. Taft also worked to modernize the office's operations, including expanding computerized systems for voter records and business registrations, which improved accessibility and reduced processing times. During his service, the office handled significant election volumes, such as the 1996 that saw over 4 million votes cast in . His tenure as positioned him as a proponent of administrative integrity, though later controversies during his governorship somewhat overshadowed these efforts.

Gubernatorial Elections

1998 Campaign and Victory

Bob Taft, Ohio's since 1991, announced his candidacy for in early 1998, positioning himself as a continuation of the and economic policies of term-limited incumbent Republican . Taft secured the Republican nomination without opposition in the May 5 primary, leveraging his experience in state government and the prominent political legacy in . In the general election campaign, Taft paired with running mate Maureen O'Connor, former Ohio State Treasurer, and focused on education accountability, requiring high school diplomas to signify meaningful skills for employment, alongside broader economic growth initiatives. Debates highlighted contrasts with Democratic opponent Lee Fisher, the former state Attorney General, particularly on reforming education to better prepare students for jobs rather than expanding untargeted spending. Taft's platform emphasized pragmatic governance over Fisher's proposals, which critics viewed as less focused on measurable outcomes. On November 3, , Taft won the governorship with 1,678,721 votes (50.0 percent), defeating Fisher, who received 1,498,956 votes (44.7 percent), and minor candidates Zanna Feitler and John A. Eastman, who together garnered about 4.9 percent. The margin of victory exceeded 179,000 votes, reflecting strong Republican turnout amid a statewide GOP sweep of all five executive offices, including , , and . This outcome marked Taft's transition to the governorship effective January 11, 1999, amid Ohio's economic expansion and voter preference for continuity in Republican leadership.

2002 Re-election

Incumbent Republican Governor Bob Taft sought re-election to a second term in the , held on November 5, 2002. His running mate was Jennette Bradley, the incumbent . Taft faced Democratic challenger , a former Cuyahoga County Commissioner who had won his party's nomination after defeating state Senator Leigh Herington in the May primary. The campaign centered on economic performance, education funding, and accountability. Hagan criticized Taft for failing to resolve an 11-year funding impasse and portrayed the state as in crisis, emphasizing as a core theme. Taft defended his record on and fiscal management, while polls consistently showed him leading by double digits, exceeding 20 percentage points in the weeks before the . The candidates participated in debates, including a second one marked by pointed exchanges, after Hagan accused Taft of initially avoiding direct confrontations. Taft secured victory with 1,865,007 votes, or 57.76% of the total, defeating Hagan who received 1,236,924 votes or 38.26%. The margin of victory was 628,083 votes, or approximately 19.5 percentage points. Hagan conceded around 10:00 p.m. on election night as results confirmed Taft's lead. Republicans also swept other statewide offices, maintaining control amid a broader national Republican gains in the 2002 midterms. Hagan carried only six of Ohio's 88 counties, primarily in urban Democratic strongholds.

Governorship (1999–2007)

Economic Development Initiatives

Taft's administration emphasized transitioning Ohio toward a knowledge-based economy through targeted investments in high-technology sectors. The cornerstone initiative was the Ohio Third Frontier Project, established in 2002 to fund research, commercialization, and startup development in areas including , , and alternative energy technologies. The program authorized grants and expanded the state's Technology Investment Tax Credit, allocating $20 million for credits covering 25% of qualified investments up to $250,000 per project to incentivize private capital in tech ventures. In July 2003, Taft convened the first meeting of the Third Frontier Commission to oversee fund distribution and project selection, aiming to create high-wage jobs by bridging innovation gaps between universities and industry. By fiscal year 2005, the initiative received an additional $100 million in state funding, including $10 million for operating grants to tech centers focused on non-bioscience fields. Voters approved a $500 million bond issue in 2005 to sustain the program, which Taft had initially proposed as a means to retain talent and attract amid manufacturing declines. Complementing these efforts, Taft proposed a Jobs Bill in January 2004 to enhance competitiveness via regulatory reforms, workforce training expansions, and a dedicated Jobs Cabinet to match companies with skilled labor. This included new tools such as tax incentives for job creation and upgrades. In parallel, the 2003 Jobs and Progress Plan outlined a $5 billion, decade-long commitment to modernize highways and roads, facilitating logistics efficiency and supporting business expansion. These measures sought to reverse job losses in traditional industries by promoting innovation-driven growth, though outcomes varied amid national economic cycles.

Fiscal and Tax Policies

During his governorship, Bob Taft prioritized fiscal restraint amid economic challenges, including recurring budget deficits exacerbated by the and increased spending mandates from court-ordered school funding reforms. To address a projected $1.2 billion two-year deficit in , Taft relied on spending reductions, draws from the state's rainy day fund, and reallocations from tobacco settlement revenues rather than broad increases, signing corresponding in December 2001. In his second term starting January 2003, facing what he described as the toughest budget balancing in 50 years—with deficits persisting for the third time in two years—Taft again emphasized structural adjustments over new revenue sources, though he indicated openness to targeted increases if necessary. Taft's signature fiscal achievement was the enactment of House Bill 66 on June 30, 2005, which overhauled Ohio's tax code to promote economic competitiveness by reducing reliance on income and taxes in favor of broader-based levies. The phased in a 21 percent reduction in tax rates across all brackets—implemented as 4.2 percent annual cuts from tax year 2005 through 2009—while eliminating the for individuals earning under $10,000 annually. It replaced the corporate with a new Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) at 0.26 percent on gross receipts exceeding $150,000, aimed at simplifying taxation and capturing from out-of-state entities, and phased out the tangible tax on inventory and equipment. These reforms sought to restore structural balance to the state budget, with Taft's FY 2006-2007 executive proposal limiting General Revenue Fund appropriations to $25.4 billion—a 1.1 percent increase over prior estimates—through spending controls and the revenue-neutral shifts. Left-leaning analysts, such as Policy Matters , argued the changes disproportionately benefited high-income earners, projecting average savings of $8,080 for the top 1 percent versus minimal relief for lower brackets, though the rate cuts applied uniformly. Taft defended the package as essential for job growth and fiscal sustainability, aligning with Republican principles of lower income taxes to stimulate investment. The biennial budget maintained 's constitutional requirement without resorting to general obligation debt for operating expenses.

Education Reforms

During his governorship, Taft prioritized education reforms aimed at improving literacy, school infrastructure, academic standards, and parental choice, often emphasizing and targeted funding for underperforming districts. His administration launched the OhioReads program in 1999, allocating approximately $25 million annually in grants to support early-grade interventions and recruit volunteer tutors, ultimately enlisting over 45,000 volunteers to assist students struggling to meet the state's fourth-grade reading proficiency guarantee. Taft's "Building Blocks for Student Success" initiative, unveiled in 2001, outlined a five-point strategy to enhance educational outcomes, including establishing a rigorous core as the default for high schools, bolstering and health services, improving school safety measures, expanding teacher training, and increasing parental involvement. Complementing these efforts, the administration advanced standards-based reforms under the Student Success agenda, implementing aligned academic standards, enhanced assessments, and redirected funding toward high-need classrooms to promote accountability. In infrastructure, Taft proposed and supported a 12-year, $10 billion program funded partly by tobacco settlement revenues to construct and renovate schools statewide, addressing widespread facility deficiencies and enabling safer learning environments. To expand options for students in low-performing public schools, Taft signed the Ohio Educational Choice Scholarship Pilot Program into law in 2005, providing scholarships of up to $5,000 annually to as many as 14,000 eligible students for attendance at participating private or alternative public schools. In 2006, he proposed requiring all high school students to complete more advanced math and science courses to align curricula with college and workforce demands. These measures sought to foster competition and elevate performance, though implementation faced legal challenges and debates over equity.

Healthcare and Biotechnology Efforts

Governor Bob Taft's administration prioritized biotechnology development through the Third Frontier Project, a state-funded initiative launched in 2002 to bolster high-tech research and commercialization, including biomedical sectors. The program allocated over $1.1 billion by 2010 across various grants, with significant portions directed toward biotechnology startups and research centers, such as the Biomedical Research and Technology Transfer Trust Fund. In December 2006, Taft announced $168 million in Third Frontier awards for nine projects, many focused on biotech innovations to drive job creation and economic growth in Ohio. Taft supported embryonic stem cell research by vetoing a provision in Ohio's 2006-2007 budget on July 1, 2005, that would have barred Third Frontier funds from such work, deeming the restriction overly limiting to scientific progress. This decision aligned with efforts to establish the Center for and in , funded partly through state investments to position as a hub for regenerative therapies. The Industry Organization praised Taft's leadership in advancing state-funded stem cell initiatives, highlighting their potential for medical breakthroughs despite federal restrictions under President . In healthcare policy, Taft launched the Healthy Ohioans initiative in coordination with the Ohio Department of Health, a multiyear campaign starting around 2004 to promote physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco cessation, aiming to reduce chronic disease prevalence. The program recognized schools, communities, and businesses for wellness efforts, with Taft honoring participants in 2003 for fostering healthy lifestyles. He also backed the SmokeFreeOhio campaign, advocating for smoke-free public spaces to combat tobacco-related deaths, which claimed nearly 20,000 Ohioans annually. To aid seniors, Taft introduced the Golden Buckeye Card in January 2001, offering prescription drug discounts and other benefits to low-income elderly Ohioans. However, facing budget pressures, his administration proposed restraints, including a two-year provider rate freeze and reductions in optional services like dental, , , and vision care, to control costs amid rising enrollment. Taft also endorsed measures allowing small employers to pool for access, reflecting a market-oriented approach to coverage expansion without broad mandates.

Public Safety and Criminal Justice

Taft prioritized bolstering and during his governorship. In May 2005, he directed $77.8 million in federal grants toward enhancing capabilities for local and police departments, emphasizing protection against and emergencies. Earlier, in 2003, he convened the State Security to coordinate responses to potential threats, reflecting post-9/11 priorities in state-level preparedness. Additionally, Taft issued an in 1999 creating the Family Violence Prevention Center within the Office of Services to address through coordinated prevention and response efforts. In policy, Taft signed Senate Bill 184 in 2003, which strengthened Ohio's registration and notification laws following the abduction and murder of a Wooster girl by a previously convicted rapist on , aiming to impose stricter community monitoring and residency restrictions. He also enacted legislation in 2004, authorizing law-abiding citizens to obtain permits for hidden firearms after training, a measure backed by state troopers and sheriffs as a deterrent to . On , 2006, Taft approved the Ohio (Senate Bill 9), which expanded authority for in investigations of and , mirroring federal expansions while requiring judicial oversight for certain intercepts. Ohio's violent crime rates trended downward during Taft's tenure, consistent with national patterns. The state's violent crime rate fell from approximately 447 per 100,000 residents in 1999 to 355.4 per 100,000 by 2007, ranking 25th lowest nationally that year. In capital punishment, Ohio carried out 24 executions between 1999 and 2007 under the 1981 , the first such series post-Gregg v. Georgia reinstatement; Taft granted clemency to death row inmate Jerome Campbell in June 2000, commuting his sentence to based on rehabilitation evidence and victim family input. No major prison overcrowding reforms or sentencing overhauls were enacted under his administration, though routine departmental policies faced federal challenges on issues like execution procedures.

Infrastructure and Environmental Policies

During his governorship, Bob Taft prioritized transportation infrastructure improvements, particularly highways and bridges, to support and job creation. In January 2003, Taft unveiled a transportation funding plan aimed at bolstering Ohio's system amid concerns over deteriorating . This initiative culminated in signed by Taft in 2003 that increased annual revenue for and bridge maintenance by approximately $540 million through adjustments to motorist fees, including a proposed 6-cent gasoline tax hike to fund the Ohio and projects. The broader "Jobs and Progress Plan," announced in August 2003, allocated $5 billion over 10 years for and enhancements, targeting congestion relief and connectivity to foster , though some projects faced delays due to later budget shortfalls. Taft also advocated for increased federal funding to address Ohio's disproportionate contributions to the , testifying before Congress in 2002 to reform allocation formulas that disadvantaged the state. On the environmental front, Taft championed the Clean Ohio program, a voter-approved initiative via Issue 1 in 2000 that generated $400 million from bonds for land conservation, brownfield remediation, and urban revitalization. Outlined in his 2000 , the program funded preservation of open spaces and farmland, cleanup of nearly 400 contaminated sites across all 88 counties, and enhancement of areas, emphasizing practical restoration over regulatory expansion. Taft supported ethanol production for its renewable attributes and domestic sourcing, viewing it as an environmental and measure. He endorsed voluntary measures to curb greenhouse gases through economic incentives rather than binding treaties excluding developing nations, and in 2003 urged federal action against invasive threatening waterways. As chair of the Great Lakes Governors' Council, Taft opposed diversions of basin water, prioritizing regional conservation agreements. In 2006, his Energy Action Plan sought to expand Ohio's renewable sector, aligning with later state goals for 25% alternative energy by 2025, though implementation varied under successors. Additional efforts included directing environmental penalties toward tree-planting and marking cleanup milestones, such as the Black River's progress from pollution hotspot to improved status by 2004.

Social Services and Veterans Affairs

During his tenure as governor, Bob Taft prioritized fiscal restraint in while supporting targeted programs for vulnerable populations, including seniors and low-income families. He advocated for maintaining federal Block Grant funding to sustain state-level welfare and assistance efforts. Taft also endorsed the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), emphasizing aid for heating costs among Ohio's poor in May 2000. His administration continued Ohio's welfare reforms, including TANF allocation through county-state partnerships established in the late 1990s, which aimed to promote work requirements and reduce dependency by devolving administration to local levels for more flexible service delivery. Taft focused on enhancing services for seniors to enable , aligning with broader efforts to position as supportive of its elderly population amid budget pressures. However, his 2003 budget proposal sought to close several state psychiatric hospitals, redirecting funds to community-based care to close a fiscal shortfall without raising taxes; critics argued this risked inadequate transitions for patients with severe needs, potentially straining local resources. On , Taft's administration advanced infrastructure for elderly veterans by opening a new Veterans Home in Georgetown on October 26, 2004, replacing older facilities and providing modern for qualifying residents. This initiative reflected a commitment to state-supported housing and medical services for veterans, though broader departmental restructuring occurred later. Overall, Taft's approach balanced program preservation with cost controls, avoiding expansive new entitlements in favor of efficient administration.

Major Controversies

In 2005, Governor Bob Taft became embroiled in a major ethics tied to the broader "Coingate" involving the Bureau of Workers' Compensation's $50 million in rare coins managed by Republican donor Tom Noe, which resulted in at least $10–12 million in losses and allegations of missing coins. Taft's administration had approved the in 1998, prior to his , but scrutiny intensified under his tenure as investigations revealed irregularities in Noe's handling of funds. While Taft was not directly implicated in the losses, he faced charges for failing to disclose personal gifts from Noe and lobbyist Kevin Fogarty, who represented Noe's interests. On August 17, 2005, Taft was charged with four misdemeanor counts under Ohio Revised Code 102.02(D) for knowingly filing false financial disclosure statements by omitting 52 gifts received between 2001 and 2004, including golf outings at Inverness Club, dinners, Barons hockey tickets, and other items valued at nearly $6,000. The following day, August 18, 2005, he pleaded no contest in Franklin County Municipal Court, admitting the violations and receiving the maximum $4,000 fine plus one year of ; this made him the first sitting convicted of a criminal offense. Two aides, including Jason Mauk, were also convicted in related probes for similar nondisclosures and accepting improper gifts. The scandal eroded Taft's public standing, with approval ratings dropping from the mid-50s to the low teens by late 2005, fueling Democratic gains in the 2006 elections where they captured four of five non-judicial statewide offices. Calls for resignation came from both parties, including U.S. Senator , though Taft refused, citing his intent to complete his term and focus on state business. In December 2006, the issued a public against Taft for the breaches, reinforcing the findings of the ethics commission. The episode damaged the Taft political dynasty's reputation, long associated with integrity in Republican circles, and highlighted lapses in oversight within his administration amid the Coingate probe that yielded 19 convictions overall.

Job Approval and Political Impact

Taft's job approval ratings as Ohio governor remained relatively stable in the early years of his tenure, hovering around or above 50 percent following his 2002 re-election, but began to decline amid fiscal challenges and emerging scandals. By early 2005, following revelations of the "Coingate" scandal involving improper investments by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation that resulted in significant losses, his approval rating had fallen to 34 percent. The scandal implicated state officials close to Taft, though he was not directly charged in the investment losses, eroding public confidence in his administration's oversight. Personal ethics violations further accelerated the drop in Taft's popularity. In August 2005, Taft pleaded no contest to four counts of failing to disclose gifts, including meals, golf outings, and tickets received from lobbyist Tom Noe, who was central to Coingate; he was fined $4,000 and ordered to issue a public apology. This led to approval ratings plunging to historic lows, with a Columbus Dispatch poll in October 2005 recording just 15 percent approval—lower than any U.S. governor or president in modern polling history at the time. By November 2005, some surveys showed ratings in single digits, and as he left office in January 2007, a poll reported a 16 percent approval rating against 69 percent disapproval. The scandals and resultant unpopularity had a pronounced negative impact on Ohio Republicans. Taft's diminished standing, with approval dipping to 19 percent by 2006, hampered GOP candidates in the midterm elections, as voters associated the party with and mismanagement. In the 2006 gubernatorial race, Democrat defeated Republican 60.5 percent to 36.7 percent, marking the first Democratic gubernatorial victory in since 1990 and ending 16 years of Republican control. Democrats also flipped both chambers of the , gaining supermajorities that persisted for several cycles, which observers attributed in part to anti-incumbent sentiment fueled by Taft-era scandals. This shift weakened the Ohio Republican Party's dominance in state politics, contributing to a broader national Democratic wave in 2006 and delaying GOP recovery until subsequent cycles.

Post-Gubernatorial Career

Academic and Advisory Positions

Following his tenure as governor, Taft joined the in 2007 as a Distinguished Research Associate in the School of Education and Health Sciences, later affiliating with the College of Arts and Sciences in . In this capacity, he serves as full-time faculty, teaching courses on legislative politics and . He also oversees the university's Statehouse Civic Scholars summer program, which provides students with practical experience in state government. Taft has held advisory roles on nonprofit and governmental commissions. In 2019, he joined the statewide advisory board of Children's Defense Fund-Ohio, where he contributes expertise to shape policy priorities addressing the needs of children and families in the state. In 2022, Congressman appointed him as a commissioner on the independent War Commission, established by the Fiscal Year 2022 to review U.S. decisions during the war and recommend improvements for following the 2021 withdrawal. The commission comprises 16 members selected by congressional leaders to conduct a nonpartisan analysis honoring service members and evaluating strategic failures.

Public Engagement and Recent Activities

Following his tenure as , Bob Taft adopted a lower public profile while selectively participating in commissions and bipartisan dialogues. In 2023, he was appointed as a to the bipartisan Afghanistan War Commission, tasked with investigating U.S. decisions, operations, and reconstruction efforts in from 2001 to 2021; the commission, established by under the for Fiscal Year 2023, aims to produce a comprehensive report by mid-2025. Taft has engaged in public forums emphasizing amid . On April 1, 2025, he co-headlined a bipartisan event with former Democratic Governor Richard Celeste at , discussing the value of leadership, , and cross-party collaboration during national challenges, including reflections on Ohio's school funding reforms post his governorship. The conversation highlighted Taft's advocacy for institutional reforms over partisan attacks, drawing on his experience navigating Ohio's budget crises and judicial rulings on education equity. In media appearances, Taft has addressed contemporary issues sparingly but directly. During a 2022 interview, he criticized escalating partisanship in U.S. , voiced reservations about former President Donald Trump's influence on the Republican Party, and reaffirmed support for the death penalty under strict conditions, consistent with his prior executive actions commuting sentences in . These engagements reflect Taft's preference for substantive policy critique over frequent public advocacy, aligning with his post-office focus on advisory roles rather than electoral .

Legacy

Policy Achievements and Criticisms

Taft's administration launched the Ohio Third Frontier program in 2002, a $2.3 billion initiative aimed at fostering advanced development, applied , commercialization, and entrepreneurial support to transition toward a knowledge-based . The program has since awarded hundreds of grants totaling hundreds of millions, supporting startups in fields like , , and software, contributing to the creation of high-tech jobs and positioning as a hub for innovation. In education, Taft implemented the Building Blocks for Student Success plan, which emphasized rigorous core curricula, increased funding for needy s, and reforms, alongside a $10 billion construction and renovation effort over 12 years to modernize facilities statewide. He also expanded through the Ohio Educational Choice Scholarship Pilot Program, enabling vouchers for students in underperforming public s, and proposed mandates for advanced math and courses to align high school standards with college and workforce needs. Despite these efforts, Taft faced substantial criticism for Ohio's economic performance during his tenure from 1999 to 2007, marked by significant job losses—approximately 180,000—and a net decline of around 250,000 jobs overall amid a national and structural shifts, with only 9,000 jobs added in his final term from 2003 to 2007. Critics attributed the lagging to insufficient diversification from traditional industries and state policies that failed to stem , which rose notably during his governorship, despite initiatives like the Third Frontier. His administration's scandals further eroded , including the 2005 Coingate affair involving improper investments by the state fund, which led to convictions of aides and relatives but no direct charges against Taft, and his own guilty plea to four misdemeanor ethics violations for failing to disclose gifts such as meals, outings, and event tickets from a lobbyist between 1999 and 2004. These events contributed to plummeting approval ratings below 20% by 2006 and perceptions of within the Republican establishment, overshadowing policy gains and damaging the Taft political legacy.

Historical Assessment

Taft's governorship (1999–2007) is historically evaluated as a period of substantive policy advancements overshadowed by ethical scandals that eroded public trust and contributed to Republican electoral setbacks in Ohio. Initiatives such as the Third Frontier program, which invested over $1.1 billion in biomedical research, technology, and workforce development, positioned Ohio as a leader in innovation and helped attract high-paying jobs in emerging sectors. Similarly, Taft oversaw significant education reforms, including enhanced standards, accountability measures, and increased funding directed toward under-resourced schools, marking the largest such expansion in state history. These efforts reflected a pragmatic conservatism aimed at economic competitiveness, yet their long-term impact has been debated amid broader critiques of state fiscal management during a period of economic slowdown. The Coingate scandal, involving mismanagement of $50 million in state funds invested in rare coins by businessman Tom Noe, severely damaged Taft's reputation. In August 2005, Taft pleaded no contest to four violations for failing to disclose 44 outings and other gifts from Noe and associates, resulting in a $4,000 fine and marking him as the first sitting convicted of a . This, coupled with related allegations, drove his approval rating below 10% by 2006—one of the lowest for any U.S. —and facilitated Democratic gains, including control of the . Historians and analysts note that while Taft's administration avoided deeper systemic corruption, the scandals amplified perceptions of within Ohio's Republican establishment, hastening a partisan realignment. In retrospective analyses, Taft is often characterized as a well-intentioned but ineffective steward whose tenure exemplified the perils of on efficacy, with policy gains like and initiatives receiving qualified praise but failing to offset the enduring narrative of ethical lapses. His conviction's in 2014 did little to rehabilitate his image, as it underscored rather than mitigated the original failures. Overall, Taft's legacy endures as a cautionary example in political history, where administrative competence was undermined by personal oversights, influencing subsequent reforms in state oversight.

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  83. https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/ohio-governor-grants-clemency
  84. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp2/122/887/2580453/
  85. https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/f2c35bed/files/uploaded/vol12-no1.pdf
  86. https://www.toledoblade.com/news/state/2003/03/27/Legislators-send-Taft-road-bridge-legislation/stories/200303270022
  87. https://www.toledoblade.com/news/state/2003/03/09/6-cent-gasoline-tax-increase-likely-to-get-Ohio-green-light/stories/200303090052
  88. https://irontontribune.com/2003/08/06/state039s-highways-are-of-major-importance/
  89. https://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20061218/SUB/61215021/odot-shelves-7-projects-due-to-budget-shortfall
  90. https://www.cleveland19.com/story/683040/ohio-governor-pushes-congress-to-increase-highway-spending/
  91. https://www.clarktcc.com/clean-ohio/
  92. https://www.greaterohio.org/blog/tag/Bob%2BTaft
  93. https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/library/files/robert-taft-taft-pdf/
  94. https://www.citybeat.com/news/environmentalists-adding-green-luster-to-bob-taft-s-dull-image-12170505/
  95. https://www.cleveland.com/open/2011/06/former_gov_taft_joins_environm.html
  96. https://www.wosu.org/2025-10-24/25-generation-by-2025-where-did-ohios-clean-energy-law-go
  97. https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/epa.ohio.gov/Portals/47/facts/1999ar.pdf
  98. https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/epa.ohio.gov/Portals/35/tmdl/BlackRiver_news_apr04.pdf
  99. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20060810_TANFOhio.pdf
  100. https://www.neoch.org/issue-50-articles/2012/7/31/taft-proposes-closing-psychiatric-hospitals.html
  101. https://www.facebook.com/ohiodepartmentofveteransservices/videos/ovh-georgetown-20th-anniversary-video/1074710267283860/
  102. https://www.toledoblade.com/coingate
  103. https://www.governing.com/archive/Tarnished-Coin.html
  104. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8986519
  105. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/19/us/ohio-governor-fined-over-unreported-gifts.html
  106. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2005/08/19/taft-admits-ethics-violations/d40f1a49-6048-40b4-9030-0c78366b6bc0/
  107. https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/state/2018/02/05/two-ohio-scandals-that-helped/15278562007/
  108. https://time.com/archive/6918842/a-governor-in-trouble/
  109. https://www.wthr.com/article/news/politics/ohio-gov-taft-reprimanded-over-ethics/531-821e0489-1b70-4161-af57-96cfed3ce402
  110. https://www.toledoblade.com/news/state/2005/06/26/Emerging-scandals-put-Taft-family-s-reputation-in-peril/stories/200506260020
  111. https://www.toledoblade.com/news/state/2005/10/03/Taft-approval-rating-plunges-to-15/stories/200510030033
  112. https://www.npr.org/2005/11/01/4984210/scandals-damage-gop-candidates-in-ohio
  113. https://www.cleveland19.com/story/3929650/poll-taft-approval-rating-reaches-historic-low/
  114. https://www.toledoblade.com/local/politics/2005/11/29/Taft-s-approval-ratings-sink-into-single-digits/stories/200511290064
  115. https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release-legacy?releaseid=997
  116. https://time.com/archive/6921169/campaign-2006-the-battle-for-ohio-round-two/
  117. https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=39&year=2006&f=0&off=5&elect=0
  118. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/us/politics/ohio-democrats-win-races-for-senate-and-governor.html
  119. https://www.childrensdefense.org/childrens-defense-fund-ohio-welcomes-the-honorable-bob-taft-to-its-ohio-advisory-board/
  120. https://turner.house.gov/2022/10/rep-turner-appoints-former-ohio-governor-robert-taft-to-serve-on-afghanistan-war-commission
  121. https://www.sent-trib.com/2025/04/01/former-governors-share-insight-on-public-service/
  122. https://bgindependentmedia.org/bucking-the-norm-celeste-and-taft-show-that-civil-discourse-across-party-lines-still-possible/
  123. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2022/04/16/former-ohio-gov-taft-talks-partisanship-donald-trump-death-penalty/7287571001/
  124. https://www.ohiomfg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ohio_third_frontier_program_overview.pdf
  125. https://ecinnovates.com/entrepreneurs-center-helped-secure-3-6m-for-ohio-startups/
  126. https://votesmart.org/public-statement/150313/taft-promotes-education-reform-agenda-in-canton
  127. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6090776
  128. https://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/2010/10/ohios_job_performance_under_te.html
  129. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/18/us/governor-of-ohio-is-charged-with-breaking-ethics-law.html
  130. https://www.news-herald.com/2007/02/26/tafts-bad-legacy-still-haunts-ohio/
  131. https://www.toledoblade.com/local/politics/2014/04/29/Taft-says-his-criminal-record-related-to-Coingate-has-not-been-expunged/stories/20140429198
  132. https://publicintegrity.org/politics/state-politics/ohio-gets-d-grade-in-2012-state-integrity-investigation/
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