The Noe File (Coingate Timeline)

“The Toledo Blade, 2005-10-28”:http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051028/NEWS24/51028001/-1/NEWS

* April 3, 2005: The Blade reports the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation invested $50 million in rare coins with Maumee coin dealer Tom Noe, a prominent GOP donor and a Bush “Pioneer” for raising at least $100,000 for the President’s re-election campaign.

* April 27, 2005: U.S. Attorney’s office acknowledges an investigation into possible campaign finance violations involving the Bush-Cheney
campaign and Mr. Noe.

* May 26, 2005: Mr. Noe’s lawyer admits that $10 million to $12 million is missing from the rare-coin funds, a figure later amended to $13 million.

* June 1, 2005: A federal grand jury in Toledo convenes to investigate Tom Noe and political contributions made to the Bush-Cheney campaign. City Council Member Betty Shultz, Lucas County Commissioner Maggie Thurber, and former Toledo Mayor Donna Owens testify. H. Douglas Talbott, a former aide to Gov. Bob Taft and former Gov. George Voinovich, also testifies.

* June 21, 2005: After questions by The Blade, Governor Taft reveals he did not report golf outings on financial disclosure records required by the Ohio Ethics Commission. Among others, he played golf with Mr. Noe in 2002 at the Inverness Club.

* July 29, 2005: Two former Taft aides, Brian Hicks and Cherie Carroll, are convicted for not properly disclosing gifts from Mr. Noe. Each is fined $1,000.

* Aug. 18, 2005: Governor Taft pleads no contest and is convicted of four ethics violations for not properly reporting gifts. He becomes the first sitting Ohio governor convicted of a crime. He is fined $4,000 but
avoids jail time.

* Sept. 29, 2005: Attorney General Jim Petro accuses Tom Noe of stealing millions from the state’s coin funds.
Mr. Petro, in a lawsuit, charges that Mr. Noe engaged in check forgery, presented false profits, and stole millions from the state’s $50 million rare coin investment.

* Yesterday: A federal grand jury in Toledo returns a threecount indictment against Tom Noe for laundering political contributions to the Bush-Cheney 2004 re-election campaign.

* Today: Mr. Noe is expected to appear in federal court for an initial appearance where the charges against him will be read and bond will be set. He will be fingerprinted and will have a mug shot taken.