CLEVELAND -- About one of every $3 that Tim McGinty raised for his 2012 campaign for Cuyahoga County prosecutor came from a single source.
And as McGinty campaigns this year for a second term, he's expecting even more money to flow from his chief benefactor, local businessman Robert Kanner.
"He believes in what I'm doing," McGinty told the Investigator Tom Meyer.
When asked if Kanner will make more contributions in this year's highly-contested race, McGinty was evasive.
"Wait and see. He has," said McGinty.
The extent of Kanner's donation, he said, would be revealed when campaign finance reports are filed for this year's election cycle.
Campaign finance reports from the 2012 election cycle show Kanner made three different donations: one for $50,000 and a second for $10,000. He also loaned McGinty's campaign $30,000.
The loan was subsequently marked as "forgiven" after McGinty won the election, according to the campaign finance reports.
Other top, non-family member donations include $10,000 from businessman Sam Miller, $20,000 from attorney Tim Misny and $12,500 from attorney John Climaco.
In all, McGinty raised about $280,000 during the 2012 campaign cycle.
To a state watchdog group, and to McGinty's rival in this year's election, Kanner's generosity is concerning.
"The reason you worry about a large contribution is because of favoritism," said Catherine Turcer, policy analyst for Common Cause Ohio, a non-partisan government watchdog group.
"People do not make large contributions, generally, because they like a candidate. They make them because they want something specifically," said Turcer.
Kanner, the president and CEO of Pubco Corp., a diverse investment company based in Cleveland, did not return a message seeking comment. In campaign finance reports, Kanner's listed address is Palm Beach, Fla.
McGinty described Kanner as a long-time friend and supporter. Not coincidentally, Kanner's vice president of marketing is another McGinty friend, disgraced Democrat Benny Bonanno.
Bonanno was convicted of theft in office 20 years ago, after it was revealed that he was running campaigns out of his Cleveland Municipal Clerk of Court's office.
One of those campaigns, according to the judge who sentenced Bonanno in 1996, was McGinty's judicial campaign.
McGinty and other Democrats said they were unaware of Bonanno's campaigning efforts.
Michael O'Malley, a former assistant county prosecutor, is challenging McGinty's re-election bid.
He questioned Kanner's donations and the appearance such large contributions give to the public, many of whom are already distrusting of the judicial process and still reeling from the county corruption probe.
"I don't think it's appropriate for any prosecutor to be taking $90,000 from any individual, anywhere in this country, particularly Cuyahoga County, given the nature of what occurred here in the last decade," said O'Malley. "I think it sends the wrong impression."
County judicial candidates are barred from accepting donations in excess of $600 from individuals and $3,600 from organizations. But candidates for prosecuting attorneys, who wield great power and influence, are under no restrictions in Cuyahoga County.
McGinty said Kanner has never asked for anything in return for his campaign contributions. Indeed, Kanner and his companies have not been involved in any civil litigation in nearly 10 years, county court records show.
Kanner has been a supporter of McGinty's campaigns dating back to 1992, when McGinty won a seat as a common pleas judge. But this year's campaign may be McGinty's greatest challenge.
In the past year, he has angered Cleveland police for his prosecution of Patrolman Michael Brelo.
"Mr. Kanner is a very close friend of mine, close friend of the family," said McGinty. "He's helping me because he believes in the system I'm trying to put into the criminal justice system."