Danngate: Likely Replacement Scenario

[UPDATE: The scenario I heard late yesterday is reported in the Dispatch this morning; I didn't see it until after I posted this.]

Late yesterday I heard that the following plan for the aftermath of the Dann mess is under active discussion and appears to be gaining traction:

* Strickland's Chief Legal Counsel Kent Markus will be appointed interim Attorney General following Dann's resignation or removal but will not run for election in November;

* Treasurer Rich Cordray will run for Attorney General in the special election without giving up his current post; and,

* If Cordray wins the special election he will then give up his seat and Strickland will appoint a replacement, presumably a high-profile county treasurer and/or an officeholder with statewide campaign experience. From my northeast Ohio perspective, Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher [scratch that, total non-starter] come immediately to mind but there are many others who would fit the bill.

The appeal of this plan is that everybody involved is a blue chip individual and nobody gives up an elected post to participate. In that regard, here are some salient points:

* Markus served as Chief of Staff to Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher when the latter was Attorney General and Deputy Chief of Staff to former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno;

* Markus is a close ally of Governor Strickland, making him an attractive person for the difficult role of rebuilding the Attorney General's office in a temporary caretaker role;

* Cordray has a stellar career as a government attorney, having served as Ohio's first Solicitor General and having handled cases in the U.S. Supreme Court: and,

* Cordray's performance as Ohio Treasurer and Franklin County Treasurer before that has been truly exceptional, and he was a state representative as well.

Some other names that I've heard or read as possibilities for interim appointment as Attorney General and/or candidate for that spot in November are former Attorney General primary candidate Subodh Chandra, former state senator and current Executive Assistant Attorney General Ben Espy, County Prosecutors Julia Bates (D-Toledo), noted for her role in prosecuting Coingate; Bill Mason (D-Cleveland), and Matt Heck Jr. (D-Dayton); Hamilton COunty Commissioner Todd Portune; and Columbus City Attorney Richard Pfeiffer. Note that any county prosecutor who runs in November would be giving up their shot at re-election.