Gov. Ted Strickland spent all or part of 44 days since June 1 campaigning for presidential candidate Barack Obama and other Democrats, according to a schedule provided by his office yesterday.

Seven members of Strickland's staff also took varying amounts of unpaid leave to work for Obama or other Democrats. For example, Chief Operating Officer Aaron Pickrell ran Obama's Ohio campaign.

That activity came after Strickland took time during 22 days from last November through the March 4 primary to stump for Democrat Hillary Clinton, meaning he had campaign activity on 18 percent of the days during the past year.

Strickland appeared at rallies with Obama and running mate Joe Biden across the state and campaigned on his own for the ticket, especially in his home southern and southeastern Ohio. The 44 days includes five days that Strickland spent at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August.

The governor also campaigned on behalf of House Democrats this fall in their successful bid to regain control of the Ohio House, as well as for Democrat Richard Cordray, who won the race for state attorney general.

In fact, the governor spent every day of the two weeks before the Nov. 4 election involved in some campaign activity, according to his office.

"It will be nice, candidly, to have the governor back running state government, as opposed to all the time he spent on the campaign trail," Kevin DeWine, deputy chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, quipped last week.

Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey insisted that no state business was neglected while Strickland was campaigning. He noted that the governor stays in frequent contact with his staff and hosted 11 education forums this summer and fall.

Dailey also noted that 11 of the 44 days during which the governor spent at least some time campaigning fell on a weekend.

"This is a governor who it's not uncommon to find working from early morning until late evening, not only Monday through Friday but weekends as well," he said.

Unlike Strickland, who does not have formal off-duty time, state workers cannot engage in election-related activity on state time.

The staffers in Strickland's office were allowed to take up to six months of unpaid leave with the approval of their supervisors, after using any available vacation or compensatory time, Dailey said.

State employees and officials cannot use state equipment for political purposes, and Helen Jones-Kelley, director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, is being investigated by Inspector General Thomas P. Charles based on allegations she might have used an e-mail account to raise money for Obama.

Charles also is investigating the legality of inquiries using agency computer systems to seek personal information on Toledo-area resident Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, also known as "Joe the Plumber."

Strickland placed Jones-Kelley on paid leave after questions about the e-mail surfaced but said this week he's confident those allegations are an isolated occurrence.

"I don't want to minimize what may have happened here," Strickland said Monday. "But worst-case scenario, there is no evidence of any systematic, wide-spread abuse of government resources."

mniquette@dispatch.com

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Unpaid leave

Members of Gov. Ted Strickland's staff who took unpaid leave to work for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama or other campaigns: (Some staff members also might have used vacation or compensatory time before their unpaid leave began.)

• Chris Cupples, governor's personal assistant: took leave May 17; not planning to return

• Todd Rensi, chief of staff to first lady Frances Strickland: took leave May 24; has not returned

• Aaron Pickrell, chief operating officer: took unpaid leave June 12; has not returned

• Malik Hubbard, deputy director of boards and commissions: took leave July 11, has not returned

• Jennifer Lynch, executive policy assistant: took leave Aug. 28; has returned

• Angela Woodson, director of outreach for the Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives: took leave Sept. 29; has not returned

• Allison Kolodziej, deputy press secretary: took leave Oct. 1; has returned

Source: governor's office