GOP Prosecutor Drops Investigation, Damage Is Already Done

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell has closed his investigation “after Elam agreed to pay costs for his initial letter to the public and sent out a new one saying some of his statements were ‘not appropriate.’”

We are glad to see this come to a just end.  But the damage has been done.  School officials throughout the state will think twice before criticizing Kasich’s school funding plan – as even the most benign criticism could be interpreted as “political” and lead to a criminal investigation.  It’s called “chilling” of speech, and the fact that this has been resolved doesn’t mean that Fornshell’s actions are acceptable or defensible.