Republican Congressman says housing deal 'pretty much' legal

Michael Roston

Published: Friday May 11, 2007 Print This Email This

A Republican Congressman from Ohio described a curious deal to buy and build a house in his home state as 'pretty much aboveboard' when quizzed about the arrangement by the Toledo Blade on May 4.

Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-OH), now in his tenth term, bought a $1 million house on a golf course near his district. The house was bought and built by a trust that is managed by a law firm called Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, which has donated $6,500 to Mr. Gillmors campaigns since 1997.

When contacted about the curious ownership arrangement by Toledo Blade reporter Joshua Boak, Gillmore apparently called "the arrangement behind his new house 'pretty much above-board.'"

An editorial in the paper suggested that the Ohio Republican had a guilty conscience.

"We think we detected a Freudian slip on the part of U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor as he explained why he bought a million-dollar home...and tried to hide the transaction behind a subsidiary of a politically friendly Columbus law firm," the paper noted.

The editorial also assailed the fact that the mansion is not located in the district he represents in Congress.

"In that context, his attitude suggests that of a royalist French duke who prefers Paris: 'Ill be happy to serve the 5th District, just dont expect me to live among the serfs,'" the Blade opined.

While Gillmor's staff initially told Boak that the house was purchased for his family, he later said any properties he owns outside his district are "only real estate investments."

Boak's article can be read at this link. His paper's editorial is available at this link.

Note: The story about Gillmor's house was noted in this morning's "In The Loop" column at the Washington Post.



