E-mails obtained by The Dispatch show that Helen Jones-Kelley's account was used to assist the presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama in raising money.

Strickland asked Inspector General Thomas P. Charles to investigate the "unconfirmed" matter, and the governor named Jan Allen, secretary of his cabinet, as acting director of the department.

The state e-mails show that Jones-Kelley provided the Obama campaign with the names of 17 potential Dayton-area contributors ahead of the candidate's July 11 appearance there.

On July 8, the director offered to write a $2,500 check to the campaign to join Obama at his appearance, volunteered to contact would-be contributors and offered to help arrange an event for Obama's wife, Michelle.

At least one of the potential donors identified by Jones-Kelley contributed $9,600 to the Obama Victory Fund and Obama for America on July 31, according to Federal Election Commission records. Jones-Kelley also gave $2,500.

The e-mails that led to Jones-Kelley's suspension came to light through a public-records request by The Dispatch, said Keith Dailey, spokesman for Strickland. The newspaper requested the records Oct. 26, before Obama won Tuesday's election.

The inspector general already was investigating whether computers in Jones-Kelley's department were used illegally to obtain confidential information on "Joe the Plumber," a Toledo-area man popularized by Obama's Republican opponent, John McCain.

Jones-Kelley could not be located for comment. Obama's Ohio campaign spokesman did not return calls.

Jones-Kelley lives in Dayton and is the former director of the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services.

Strickland administration polices forbid the use of state time or property for election-related purposes. Jones-Kelley sent a memo to all her employees on Oct. 21 reminding them of the prohibition.

Meanwhile, the State Highway Patrol is providing security for Jones-Kelley because of numerous threats she has received regarding her agency's checks into Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, aka "Joe the Plumber." Sgt. Timothy Karwatske said Strickland's office requested the security.

After The Dispatch reported that state child-support computers were checked for potential information on Wurzelbacher, Jones-Kelley said checks are made on newsworthy figures who might have come into money.

She later said that state computers also were used to conduct checks to determine whether Wurzelbacher was receiving welfare assistance or owed unemployment compensation taxes. Republican lawmakers suggested the checks were politically motivated, a charge denied by Strickland and Jones-Kelley.

Ohio Republican Party Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine said in a news release yesterday that the Strickland administration now presides over an apparent "political party machine."

"The Strickland administration has already demonstrated a profound and reckless disregard for personal privacy, and now they're apparently abusing government resources to raise political contributions," DeWine said.

Dispatch reporter Catherine Candisky contributed to this story.

rludlow@dispatch.com