A funny thing happened to Treasurer Josh Mandel and U.S. Rep.Jim Renacci on their way to November’s elections. The two Ohio Republicans find themselves mired in a messy case involving indicted Canton businessman Benjamin Suarez, who will stand trial in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, beginning Monday, on money laundering charges.

The basic scheme, as revealed by Suarez’s convicted treasurer Michael Giorgio, who blabbed in a a plea deal, turned on having a couple of dozen company employees drop in $5,000 each to fill the political pot, with assurances from Suarez that their “gifts” would be reimbursed. Nothing very imaginative, […]