As TPM muckraker's Paul Kiel wrote yesterday, Ohio Republicans are seeking a ruling from Secretary of State Ken Blackwell on whether State Sen. Joy Padgett can run for Congress in place of disgraced outgoing Rep. Bob Ney.

Guess what's happened now? Blackwell's office has referred the state GOP's request to the office of the Attorney General, Jim Petro. And who's Jim Petro? He was the gubernatorial candidate earlier this year when Padgett lost her bid for Lieutenant Governor -- yep, he was her former running mate. So we can expect ironclad impartiality on Petro's decision, then.