ATHENS, Ohio -- A special prosecutor has accused the head of the Athens County Democratic Party of using her personal checking account to launder $27,000 in campaign contributions.

An attorney for Susan Gwinn, however, suggested in a news release yesterday that the money was from personal loans to Gwinn from her brother and a longtime friend, and she did nothing wrong when she used it to support her bid for county office last year.

Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost, who was appointed to handle the case, filed a complaint Wednesday with the Ohio Elections Commission.

The complaint, relating to Gwinn's 2008 run for county prosecutor, alleges that she funneled political donations through her personal account to hide the source of the funds.

Athens County Prosecutor C. David Warren, an incumbent who fended off a challenge from Gwinn in the primary, said he recused himself as soon as a tip about Gwinn came to his office.

"The situation looked a little odd, and I just said, 'I'm not going to get into this,' " Warren recalled.

Yost declined to comment on the case yesterday.

The elections complaint alleges that $27,500 from two unnamed donors was deposited in her checking account.

Gwinn then wrote $27,000 in checks to her campaign, later listing the money in a campaign finance report as a loan, but not including the donors' names, the complaint said.

Yost has asked the elections commission to rule that Gwinn broke the law, and to fine her and/or refer the matter for prosecution. A preliminary review of the complaint has been scheduled for June 11.

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