Scandal rocks GOP star, making way for Boehner

It was the scandal that catapulted John Boehner in position to be where he is today — sworn in as speaker of the House for the 112th Congress.

In February 1989, then-U.S. Rep. Donald “Buz” Lukens, R-Middletown, was recorded by a Columbus television station admitting to paying a 16-year-old girl $40 for sex. Lukens, a Congressman who was elected to the 8th Congressional District in 1988, was politically ruined. Lukens had previously served as the representative for the 24th Congressional District (which has since been redistricted) from 1967 to 1971.

Lukens was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in May 1989.

According to the NYTimes.com, a week before Lukens’ trial, a Detroit television station reported that the congressman had been arrested decades before for child molestation but the parents chose not to press charges.

In a contested 1990 Republican primary, Boehner, a political up-and-comer, took the GOP contest garnering 49.3 percent of the vote, or more than 25,000 votes. Tom Kindness, who preceded Lukens as the 8th Congressional District representative, finished second with 16,360 votes (32.2 percent).

Lukens finished third with 8,686 votes (17.1 percent) and Mort Meier rounded out the four-man race with 719 votes (1.4 percent).

Boehner won the 1990 general election with 99,955 votes (61.1 percent), beating then-Hamilton Mayor Greg Jolivette, who received 63,584 votes (38.9 percent).

Lukens planned to serve out his term, but after an accusation that he propositioned a House elevator operator, he resigned on Oct. 24, 1990, according to NPR.

Lukens also was linked to the House bank scandal, where investigators noticed he made some questionable deposits, according to NYTimes.com. He was convicted of taking a bribe from two Ohio businessmen and sentenced to 30 months in prison.

Lukens died in Dallas Texas on May 22, 2010. He was 79.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or mpitman@coxohio.com. Follow at

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