Death of a Retiree in Ohio

Embattled Acting U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of Indiana, Timothy M. Morrison, should now be held responsible for the death of Willie Pearl Russell.

Morrison has refused to prosecute members of the Rove Republican Racket who allegedly were involved in a Ponzi scheme that swindled millions of dollars from retirees and others in Ohio. Timothy S. Durham, the alleged mastermind of this Ponzi scheme, is one of the highest donors to the Republican Party in Indiana, and Morrison let Durham keep his cash and assets.

A week ago Friday, Morrison let another alleged co-conspirator proceed with an estate sale and keep the proceeds.

Willie Pearl Russell (pictured), a Ohio retiree who invested $125,000 in Fair Finance Co., the alleged Ponzi scheme company operated by Durham, suffered congestive heart failure just days after the raid in November.

The (Wooster, Ohio) Daily Record reported this heart-breaking story yesterday:

Willie Pearl quilted on Mondays for missionaries and loved her flowers. She worked at Yoder Brother Flowers in Barberton for 20 years and was the mother of five children, and grandmother to 11 grandchildren. "She was salt of the earth, is what she was," Don Russell [her son] said. "A fine neighbor, a fine friend."

She was admitted to the hospital two days after Fair Finance's Akron headquarters was raided by the FBI. Doctors said it might be congestive heart failure, Don Russell said. When they asked if she knew why she was in the hospital, Don Russell said his mother told them her money was due. She was due a $100,000 interest payment Dec. 6. She died Dec. 23.

Now, Don Russell, along with his wife, Lori, want answers. They're frustrated with what has happened and the lack of information about the investigation of Fair Finance. Now they've made it their mission to figure out what's going on. "I don't think about anything other than this, 24 hours a day," he said.

Morrison owes Russell's family and the thousands of other investors answers. Morrison dismissed a civil lawsuit in November that let Durham keep his cash and assets.

"I can't believe they are letting them do that," Don Russell said of the dismissal. "That is such a slap in the face."

The slap in the face is also at the legal process for Morrison has a history of protecting Republicans in trouble.

Politics should not let swindlers off the hook no matter how much money they have given to a political party or state governor.

In the name of Mrs. Russell and other retirees who poured their life savings in this scam, our blog will continue reporting and investigating Morrison and his corrupt political friends.