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Letter to the editor

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Cover-up at Wright State

Editor:

In an Aug. 22 news article, “Plan for WSU fails to sway trustees” there’s compelling evidence the three-year cover-up has a life of its own. No less than five agencies have investigated allegations ranging from H-1B visa abuse to nepotism involving carving out a six-figure salary job for a trustee’s relative to shady real estate deals to pay-for-play schemes to lobbyists disguised as consultants … nothing has been done except firing a few fall guys.

The Ohio Attorney General, Ohio Auditor, Ohio Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice and Air Force Office of Special Investigations have joined an investigation starting in 2015. All these agencies have subordinate jurisdiction to the Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security, at least in the H-1B visa abuse case, perhaps the most serious charge under investigation.

A quick look at immigration law firm Shihab and Associates’ website describes three levels of penalties/fines defined by the Department of Labor. The minimum penalty for H-1B visa violations is a “slap on the wrist” fine of up to $1,000 with penalties increasing with nefarious activities including attempts to cover-up or conceal malfeasance. It appears that if the investigation was referred to the Department of Labor for audit early on it could have been settled years ago for a few thousand dollars, saving Wright State’s reputation in the process.

Of course Wright State needs to reinvent itself, but the trustees who nixed President Schrader’s plan to put Wright State on track are in fact architects of the Wright State culture of corruption. This is a similar pattern we see in Washington. After decades of public corruption President Trump has initiated a movement to unwind the swamp, fix illegal immigration, renegotiate one-sided trade deals and advance the living standards and safety of all Americans. The political class in both parties sees this as a threat to their survival and would rather take down Trump and all the good things he is doing in exchange for maintaining their dominance over we the people.

— John Mitchel, Beavercreek