On Friday, August 23, 2024, The Columbus Dispatch reported that the Ohio Disciplinary Counsel has dismissed a complaint that was filed against Franklin County Municipal Judge Stephanie Mingo regarding her handling of an improper contact from Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther in a case last year.
According to the article, Donald J. Byrnes, who operates a local political newsletter called “The Rooster”, received a letter from Joseph Caligiuri, state Disciplinary Counsel, stating that Byrnes’ complaint against Judge Mingo that was filed in January had been dismissed, and the case was now closed. Meanwhile, Jodi Andes, spokesperson for the Municipal Court, confirmed that there is “no disciplinary action against Judge Mingo” and that “the matter has been dismissed.” However, Caligiuri said he could not confirm or deny any investigation took place due to state confidentiality rules.
The incident stemmmed from a lawsuit filed last October where the city attempted to shutdown a new intercity bus depot located in a former gas station. Judge Mingo had received a phone call from Mayor Ginther regarding the case, where Ginther reportedly told Mingo how she should rule to close down the bus station for the good of the community. When Ginther began instructing her decision, Mingo ended the call. She later notified attorneys of the improper contact but did not name the caller at first.
It was not until December 8, after Ginther’s re-election, that Judge Mingo finally disclosed it was the Mayor who contacted her in the inappropriate exchange. Caligiuri noted in his letter that evidence indicated Mingo was unaware of the topic when she returned Ginther’s call. While Mingo recused herself from the case, her initial reluctance to name Ginther as the caller was criticized by professors interviewed in January, who saw no reason for the delay in transparency.
However, Caligiuri wrote that in the Disciplinary Counsel’s opinion, Judge Mingo “handled this matter in exemplary fashion” and that her response “served to enhance the public’s perception of the judiciary.”
Separately, an ongoing investigation into whether Ginther violated any laws in attempting to influence Mingo’s decision is still being conducted by attorney Brad Nichodemus, who was appointed special prosecutor by Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein.
Source: The Columbus Dispatch
