COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A report by the state watchdog says the Ohio lottery director sent 100 lottery tickets to a state trooper who stopped him for a possible traffic violation.
Inspector General Tom Charles says lottery director Michael Dolan showed improper judgment when he sent the tickets to the trooper in January after the traffic stop.
The report released Tuesday in Columbus says the trooper stopped Dolan on Interstate 71 on Jan. 26 for driving without a front license plate.
The trooper gave Dolan a verbal warning about the violation and for not wearing a seat belt.
The report says Dolan sent a letter to the trooper on Jan. 28 thanking him for the courtesy he showed during the stop and enclosing the promotional lottery tickets.
The report says Dolan regularly gives promotional tickets to police departments.
NBC 4's Mike Bowersock spoke with Dolan today who said he often gives away promotional lottery tickets.
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland released the following statement regarding the inspector general’s report on the use of promotional lottery tickets by the Ohio Lottery Commission and Executive Director Michael Dolan: “I have expressed to Director Dolan my disappointment in the lack of good judgment exhibited in this instance. I have directed the immediate suspension of distribution of all lottery tickets for marketing or promotional reasons until appropriate new policies and procedures can be implemented.
“In particular, I have instructed Director Dolan to eliminate all distribution of ‘live’ lottery tickets as part of lottery marketing efforts and to suspend the distribution of all promotional tickets until he provides a report demonstrating that the distribution of promotional tickets is an effective marketing strategy for the lottery and that he has developed new procedures for the distribution of promotional tickets, incorporating the Inspector General’s recommendation and containing adequate controls to better guard against the misuse of such tickets.”
IG Charles did not recommend any prosecution but said the lottery procedures needed to be changed so no state employees are given free tickets.
The Associated Press contributed information to this story.
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