Ohio Democratic Party criticizes Josh Mandel for taking 'shady cash'

The Ohio Democratic Party has attacked Josh Mandel, the Republican candidate for state treasurer, for accepting a $2,000 campaign contribution from a New York executive who worked for a company that paid $250 million in fines to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The donation from Roger Hertog, of AllianceBernstein L.P. in New York, showed up on Mandel's campaign finance report filed on Friday.

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The Democratic Party released a statement on Monday that was especially critical of Mandel for taking Hertog's cash because it had already chastised him for accepting the man's money last year. The party included Hertog in a list it compiled in April of "shady" contributions to Mandel's campaign.

"Once again, Josh's fund-raising practices show a lack of judgment and an inability to learn from his past rookie mistakes," Ohio Democratic Party spokesman Seth Bringman said in a statement.

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AllianceBernstein's corporate history includes a $250 million fine from the SEC in 2003 for defrauding mutual fund investors and the loss of $335 million in Florida's state pension funds, according to the Democratic Party's research.

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Hertog's $2,000 contribution on June 2 brought his total donations to Mandel to $13,300.

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