Voinovich to Return Rogers Contributions

After earlier resisting pressure to return campaign donations from convicted insurance fraudster Larry Rogers, Ohio Sen. George Voinovich has changed his mind, according to the Associated Press.

Rogers, co-founder of now bankrupt of PIE Mutual Insurance Co., gave $85,000 to Voinovich over a period of seven years in the 1990s while he was governor of Ohio.

Rogers is serving a three-year federal prison sentence for insurance fraud, tax evasion and illegal political fund-giving.

Previously, Voinovich had said he could not return the money since his gubernatorial campaign accounts have been closed. He announced that he will write the Federal Elections Commission to seek permission to use funds in his current U.S. Senate campaign account for the refund.