AP Report: Bennett Reaches Deal With Inspector General Over Ethics Violations

The AP's Tom LoBianco is reporting that former state Superintendent of Education Tony Bennett has reached a settlement agreement with the state's Inspector General over charges that he misused state employees and resources in his office for his failed re-election bid in 2012. The State Ethics Commission will review the proposed settlement agreement at its regularly-scheduled meeting this Thursday. Earlier, Bennett's hearing had been pushed back until next month. Bennett's attorney refused to disclose the contents of the proposed settlement. In 1985, former Supt. Harold Negley was forced to resign his office and agreed to plead guilty to official misconduct and ghost employment charges brought against him by then-Marion Co. Prosecutor Steve Goldsmith when similar charges were made against him. There has been no indication that Marion Co. Prosecutor Terry Curry has opened a criminal investigation of Bennett.