The State of Ohio says it has no plans to pursue revoking Marge Schott's dealership license despite General Motors' allegations she faked 57 car sales.
''There is nothing in GM's motion or the accompanying affidavits which appears to constitute violations over which the Bureau has any jurisdiction,'' said Jeffrey L. Coleman, chief of dealers licensing for the Ohio Motor Vehicle Dealers Board, ''or which may prompt charges by the Bureau against any of the Schott dealerships.''
Generally, Coleman said, the state can only take away a dealer's license if, ''any dealership, partner or officer of a dealership, found guilty by a court. ... of a fraudulent act.''
Schott also got good news Monday from GM, the automaker that has tried to take away her Chevrolet-GEO dealership several times in 16 years.
With a sale of the Montgomery dealership imminent to Joseph Auto Group, a GM lawyer told state hearing examiner Larry H. James his company will drop its complaint against Schott if her Chevrolet-GEO
GEO dealership is sold by Feb. 20.
''GM is not going after Marge Schott,'' said GM spokesman Kyle Johnson. ''Our focus is to get a new dealership so we can better serve our customers. That's what would satisfy us.''
It's expected GM will approve Schott's sale to Joseph. A sale to an existing dealership, the Ohio dealer board said, makes this ''a moot point and there would be no hearing.''
If the deal falls through, Schott would have to answer GM's complaint by Feb. 20. A hearing is scheduled for June 2.
GM brought the case because it wants to dissolve the relationship with Schott after the company says she violated a 1995 agreement and failed to meet quotas.
As part of the Dec. 4, 1996, complaint, GM said Schott used names of acquaintances and friends to fake 57 sales in September, 1995, while hiding cars at her Indian Hill estate.
Schott still faces review by Major League Baseball.
One baseball owner said Monday night he expected the issue to be raised this week when the owners meet in Scottsdale, Ariz., but he doesn't expect a resolution.
National League President Len Coleman told The Enquirer last week MLB wants to look into GM's allegations Schott used the names of seven current Reds' employees to help falsify sales.
Previous stories
BASEBALL INVESTIGATING SCHOTT AGAIN Jan. 9, 1997
SCHOTT TO SELL DISPUTED DEALERSHIP Jan. 8, 1997
BOWDEN, ALLEN DENY SALES CLAIMED BY SCHOTT Jan. 4,
1997
GM'S LIST OF 57 ALLEGEDLY FAKED SALES Jan. 4,
1997
BASEBALL TO EXAMINE GM ALLEGATIONS Jan. 2,
1997
GM SAYS SCHOTT FAKED SALES Dec. 24, 1996
