DomiNoe, DC Style

The Toledo Blade has a story today about Tom Noe's dealings in Washington. It looks like Noe was rapidly working his way through DC the same way he worked through the state republican party. The White House created a new committee for Noe to chair, and Mike Oxley changed the rules to allow him to get that chairmanship From The Toledo Blade:

In April, 2003, President Bush signed a bill establishing the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, which replaced the Citizens Commemorative Coinage Advisory Committee, a panel that advised the treasury secretary on commemorative coin designs.

According to e-mails, the White House played a key role in helping Mr. Noe win a seat on the newly minted committee.

Officially, House Speaker Hastert, an Illinois Republican, recommended Mr. Noe to Treasury Secretary Snow, but an e-mail from Ms. Marchessault to Kim Nickles, a treasury liaison to the White House, revealed that Mr. Noe was an “original White House recommendation,” whom she was “finally able to get on the committee through the congressional recommendations.”

In February, 2003, during a visit to the White House, Mr. Noe was expected to take part in an “Ohio political strategy session” with Karl Rove, who is considered the architect of President Bush’s political career, and Ken Mehlman, who was later named the President’s campaign manager.

The legislation that created the new coinage committee — which passed through the House Financial Services Committee chaired by Congressman Oxley (R., Findlay) — changed the rules for selecting the panel’s chairman, making it easier for someone such as Mr. Noe to become the leader.

Under the new rules, the chairman was picked by the treasury secretary rather than by members of the committee.

Now, the position isn't a paid one, but does offer reimbursements for travel, meals, lodging and other incidentals, so the question has to be asked. Was Tom Noe turning in travel expenses he incurred while helping out the Bush campaign in the 2004, and was the US Mint also paying the bills for these meals in the Caucus Room? From The Blade:

Mr. Noe told Ms. Marchessault that he had reserved the back room at the Caucus Room and “it is under my name and company name … will be about 15 to 20 people there … we get in at 5 p.m. on private plane at [Baltimore-Washington International Airport].”

Fifteen to twenty people at the Caucus Room with wine, and they have over 4,000 varieties, is probably going to land you a four figure check.

The Treasury Department is investigating.