CLEVELAND-- North Canton businessman Ben Suarez' daughter was on the witness stand Thursday morning.
Suarez is accused of illegally funneling nearly $200,000 into the campaigns of Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel and U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci.
Sharon Suarez-Cook talked about an article in the Toledo Blade, dated Aug. 19, 2011. That's after Suarez-Cook made donations to the two campaigns.
The article titled "Canton firm's workers making unusual donations," noted that employees of Suarez's direct marketing company made several campaign contributions. She said she wondered why a Toledo paper reported the story when she lives in Stark County.
Suarez-Cook said after the articles, an FBI agent came to her house. Then she got a lawyer, who she said is being paid by her father's company. She said she knew of other articles about the donations to Mandel campaign.
"The main thing I remember is people saying we didn't do anything wrong. We didn't know we did anything wrong. Why was this a big deal?" Suarez-Cook recalled of conversations at Suarez Corporation Industries.
In May 2012, Suarez-Cook said she received a letter from Mandel refunding her campaign contribution.
"We have decided to issue refunds for any contributions that appear to be under investigation by federal authorities," the letter said.
Then in July 2012, Suarez-Cook received a letter informing her that the donation to the Renacci campaign was also being refunded. The letter said the $5,000 was refunded "in light of the ongoing inquiry."