Dana Rinehart was the Republican mayor of Columbus, OH. Back in 1978, when he was the county treasurer, it was alleged that he molested his 13-year-old babysitter. He was not indicted and the prosecutor’s decision to let him testify to the grand jury on his own behalf. Even more irregular, a psychiatrist who had never interviewed the young girl testified that she likely dreamed the entire thing. This is even after the girl passed a police polygraph while Rinehart proffered a private polygraph from someone he hired.
But sixteen years later, the young woman maintained that he molested her. Her mother sued Rinehart and a police detective who confessed to spying on them in order to be able to intimidate them into not pursuing the case further. Rinehart denies any knowledge of this but his claim is belied by people who discussed the cop’s findings with him. Don’t you think if it were a dream, she would not be pressing the issue sixteen years later?
AP: 1978 Sex Abuse Charge Still Follows Popular Columbus Mayor
17 Mar 1989
26 Mar 1989