The Ohio Ethics Commission has opened another investigation into allegations of wrongdoing within Columbus City Hall, a move Democrats criticized as politically motivated and without merit.

The Ohio Ethics Commission has opened another investigation into allegations of wrongdoing within Columbus City Hall, a move that Democrats criticized as politically motivated and without merit.

One current and two former Columbus City Council members have been subpoenaed for records by the commission. They include Mayor Andrew J. Ginther, the former council president; Councilwoman Priscilla R. Tyson and Michelle M. Mills, The Dispatch has confirmed through five sources within the Franklin County Democratic Party and Columbus City Hall.

The investigation centers on the nonprofit groups that council members have worked for while serving on the council. Those nonprofits received relatively small grants from the city over the last five years.

Greg Davies, Ginther�s chief of staff, said the city has opinions from the ethics commission in 2010 about elected officials working at nonprofit groups. He said council members followed the recommendations to abstain from voting and remove themselves from conflicts of interest.

�We�re following their opinion, so we�re confused as to why now there is an investigation,� Davies said. �We�ve got nothing to hide and we�re complying with the request and will provide all the records.�

Ginther worked for the last few years for the Children�s Hunger Alliance, a group that advocates for hungry children. Tyson serves as a director for Alvis House, a nonprofit that offers employment and other help to ex-felons who are trying to turn their lives around.

Mills, who resigned from the council in August, is the chief executive of St. Stephen�s Community House, which provides help to families, such as food, education and guidance.

City records show that last year the council approved about $450,000 in social service grants to Alvis House. The council has approved $140,000 for St. Stephen�s since 2014.

The council has not considered any grants for the Children�s Hunger Alliance in the last four years.

Mills and Tyson have abstained many times when the council voted on contracts that involved their nonprofit groups or other nonprofits that do similar work.

The ethics commission previously initiated an investigation of a trip that four council members took to the Big Ten Championship game in 2014 between Ohio State and Wisconsin.

The guest list included Ginther, Mills, former, Councilman Shannon G. Hardin and former council member Eileen Y. Paley. That investigation centers around the fact members were on a chartered bus and watched the game in a suite provided by the food vendor Centerplate.

The group was escorted by John Raphael, Centerplate�s lobbyist and board member of the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

Just days before the trip, Centerplate had been awarded the food vendor contract with the convention center.

The city received the new subpoenas from the commission regarding the nonprofit work last week and has until Jan. 12 to turn over records.

Mills has declined to comment about the investigation through her attorney, Larry James.

Local Democrats called the investigation a partisan attack and a reprisal from Republicans who are upset that Democrats control Columbus City Hall.

They point out that three of the four commission members are Republican. The commission is supposed to have six members, three Republicans and three Democrats.

There are two open seats that are slotted for Democrats, and those seats have been vacant for months. Gov. John Kasich has yet to appoint anyone to fill them.

�It�s clearly an abuse of the principles of a nonpartisan board. It�s absurd,� said David Pepper, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. �They�re supposed to be above politics, and they�ve decided to abandon that. They should not be moving forward with anything until those seats are filled.�

City officials produced two opinions from the ethics commission dated in 2010 in response to inquiries from elected officials in Cleveland who worked for nonprofit groups. In both of those opinions, the commission stated that nonprofits positions are suitable for elected officials as long as their agencies don�t profit or benefit in any way.

Paul Nick, executive director of the ethics commission, said he could not comment on any investigation or confirm that one existed. He said, while responding to a question about general procedures, that the commission�s board members have to approve opening an investigation before subpoenas can be issued.

The commission usually opens investigations because it receives a formal complaint.

Nick dismissed Pepper�s comments about bias.

�I flatly deny the assertion that any factual review by the commission is or ever has been motivated by partisanship,� he said.

Based on its actions over time, the commission has been seen as above partisan politics since its creation 42 years ago.

In the past, it charged former Republican Gov. Bob Taft with crimes related to undisclosed golf trips and former Attorney General Marc Dann, a Democrat, for receiving improper compensation and lying on financial disclosure statements.

Elected officials are not prohibited from working for nonprofit groups, and the law does not bar their organizations from receiving public dollars. Ohio�s ethics law prohibits public officials from taking part in decisions that affect them, their businesses, their employers or their family members.

Conviction for a conflict of interest can carry penalties of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. A conviction for an unlawful interest in a public contract carries maximum penalties of up to 18 months in prison and a $2,500 fine.

lsullivan@dispatch.com

@DispatchSully