Ted Strickland: Dummy Detective

When Ted Strickland gets voted out of office in November, he'll need to start doing some job searching. That won't be easy in this economy.

And one job he clearly can't apply for is private investigator.

If you'll remember, not too long ago an inmate got drunk at the Governor's mansion by slyly chugging six beers he found in the fridge.

Soon after, the Governor informed us that "it was obvious, after reading the note, that he did this purposefully knowing that it would certainly have the result of him being removed from the program."

Weird, I know.

Well, we finally got word of what was in the note.

...the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation released it this morning. It says: "Todd, Thank you for being you! Just wanted to say I appreciate you putting up with all of my nervousness. I'm in a tough situation; yet, I have been made stronger for it. Thanks to you, I have seen leadership at its best!!"

Someone want to tell me how in the hell the Governor gets, "I love jail" out of that note?

The Dispatch looked deeper into the story:

The letter doesn't specifically refer to Hoaja wanting to leave the program, and according to an Ohio Highway Patrol investigative report released yesterday, Hoaja told investigators that he "had not been having any problems with anyone prior to this incident, and did not want out of the work program at the Governor's Residence."

According to statements released today by the patrol, Hoaja was asked, "Did you write any letters to Todd Rensi saying you wanted out of working at the Governor's Residence?" and he replied, "I do not have any recollection of that."

Even after the inmate states that he never wanted out of the program, that still didn't stop Strickland from reasserting his belief that inmate wanted out of the program.

"It just seemed to me that he was taking the opportunity to say thank you to Todd and, in a sense, say goodbye."

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.