Former Ohio official who sued to get his job back will not be reinstalled

Posted by author September 26, 2024 Jobs

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A former Ohio county auditor who sued to get his old job back will not be restored to the position, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled.

On Wednesday, the state’s highest court ruled against former Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds, who sued the county’s current Auditor Nancy Nix and accused her of “usurping” his position. Nix was appointed to auditor by the Butler County Republican Party in 2023 after Reynolds resigned from the post because he was convicted of a felony.

She is now running, unopposed, for reelection. The Supreme Court of Ohio also said it will not halt the election.

Former Butler County auditor sued current auditor to get old job back

Reynolds was convicted in December 2022 of unlawful interest in a public contract stemming from his attempts to sway Lakota Local Schools to build a golf school at a golf course community where his family lives. He was acquitted of three felonies and one misdemeanor, but convicted of one felony.

However, that conviction was recently overturned by an appeals court, meaning he can lawfully hold office again.

Reynolds sued Nix earlier this month to return to his $115,188-per-year position as auditor for the remainder of his term, which would have ended in 2027.

“Having been fully vindicated and statutorily restored to competency, Mr. Reynolds is overjoyed to be able to honorably serve his duly-elected term in the Butler County Auditor’s office,” his lawsuit read. “However, when he contacted Ms. Nix (and other local Butler County officials) about resuming his duties, it became clear that the office would not be voluntarily returned to him.”

Reynolds himself was appointed county auditor in 2008 after his predecessor Kay Rogers pleaded guilty to two federal felonies. He was elected to complete the remainder of Rogers’ term, and re-elected in 2010, 2014 and 2018. He was also re-elected in 2022 while being under indictment.

Nix previously told The Enquirer she had no intention of leaving office and called Reynolds’ suit “unconscionable.”