By Fletcher Word
The Truth Editor
David Karmol, Republican candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives, District 43, (the seat currently held by Democrat Michele Grim, who is running for re-election) has filed a civil lawsuit against Lucas County Probate Court Judge Jack Puffenberger accusing him of misapplying public funds.
The source of controversy, claims Karmol, are ads that Puffenberger ran during the last quarter of 2025 through the first four months of 2026 on WTVG, abc13, advocating public awareness of a particular education initiative.
Now while Judge Jack Puffenberger is not a candidate for office during this election cycle, his son, Tom Puffenberger, is and Karmol claims that since the judge plastered the name of “Puffenberger” across the screen during the time that his son was conducting a campaign, that helped to raise awareness for his son and to his son’s benefit.
Karmol took his request for civil action first to the Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney in July. In that letter, Karmol urged Julia Bates, the Lucas County prosecutor, to take action and “institute a civil action to recover funds of Lucas County” by Puffenberger. In response, the prosecutor said in a July 13 letter: “Your request is declined for the following reason: the expenditure is legitimate under Ohio law.”
The prosecutor’s response to Karmol cited an Ohio Supreme Court case – State ex rel. Grendell v. Walder – which held that, as Julia Bates, Lucas County prosecutor wrote: “a probate court judge may properly spend money on ‘projects that apprise the community of court-related information’ such as advertising, even during the course of that judge’s re-election campaign.”
Nevertheless, Karmol’s lawsuit alleges that Judge Puffenberger misused taxpayer funds through that series of televised ads that were “purportedly for public education.”
Ohio Revised Code Section 9.03(D)(8) “prohibits any person from knowingly expending public funds to the benefit of a candidate, and provides a penalty therefor” noted Karmol in his civil lawsuit.
“The only question is – did these ads benefit a candidate?” said Karmol during a press conference he held on Thursday, August 27, outside the entrance to the Lucas County Courthouse. Karmol described the ads as “flashing hundreds of times” and that they benefited the candidate – Tom Puffenberger – because his father Judge Jack Puffenberger was able to place the family name in the consciousness of viewers – all at taxpayer expense. According to the open records request Karmol filed, that cost to taxpayers was $60,000.
“I hope he does the right thing and pays the taxpayers back but if he doesn’t, I’m prepared to go to trial,” said Karmol. “I would love to put this in front of a jury of people in Lucas County and have them decide whether spending taxpayers’ money to support your son’s campaign is a good use of tax dollars.”
“Any citizen can bring a taxpayer lawsuit when the prosecutor declines,” said Karmol of the answer he received from Bates. He also noted that a lawsuit isn’t necessary.
“All [Judge Puffenberger] has to do to get rid of the lawsuit is to pay back the money,” he said.
The judge has declined to do that. He said in a statement:
“As a judge, I am urged by the Code of Judicial Conduct to initiate and participate in activities promoting public understanding of the administration of justice. The Lucas County Probate Court’s Public Education Program is a perfect example of the fulfillment of that goal.
“This highly successful program has significantly increased public awareness of probate issues and has provided our citizens with valuable information regarding the probate process.
“I stand behind this endeavor 100% regardless of any political gamesmanship designed to discredit the program or the Court.”