David Pepper

David Pepper has faced various public controversies throughout his political career, though he has not been charged with or convicted of criminal corruption, bribery, or financial fraud. During his 2014 attorney general campaign, it was reported that Pepper had accumulated over 180 parking and traffic tickets between 2000 and 2014, resulting in approximately $10,000 in fines. Additionally, in 2003, the Ohio Supreme Court listed him as not in good standing for failing to complete required continuing legal education credits. Political critics have also alleged conflicts of interest regarding his time on the Cincinnati City Council and the Hamilton County Commission. These allegations involved his support for public grants to the Greater Cincinnati Film Commission, which was led by a person with whom he had a prior romantic relationship, and accusations of pay-to-play politics linked to campaign donors. These claims were presented by political opponents and advocacy groups, but did not result in formal charges or legal findings of misconduct.