This just in...
COLUMBUS - The Ohio Republican Party called today on State Rep. John Boccieri to immediately remove misleading information being presented to voters through his congressional campaign website.
More than four months after the March primary, the Democratic candidate for Ohio's 16th congressional district continues to claim several endorsements as though they were made in the general election. In fact, the endorsements were made during his primary campaign.
Boccieri's offense can be brought before the Ohio Elections Commission as a violation of state election law. Ohio Revised Code Section 3517.21 specifically prohibits "false statements" made during a campaign:(B) No person, during the course of any campaign for nomination or election to public office or office of a political party, by means of campaign materials, including sample ballots, an advertisement on radio or television or in a newspaper or periodical, a public speech, press release, or otherwise, shall knowingly and with intent to affect the outcome of such campaign do any of the following:
8) Falsely identify the source of a statement, issue statements under the name of another person without authorization, or falsely state the endorsement of or opposition to a candidate by a person or publication;
Boccieri's official campaign website claims multiple "Endorsements for Congress" which do not apply to the general election. Those endorsements include the Akron Beacon Journal, the Buckeye Firearms Association, and the National Rifle Association, along with other groups which have not yet issued endorsements for the general election campaign between State Sen. Kirk Schuring and Boccieri.
"Either John Boccieri doesn't understand the law or he's intentionally trying to deceive voters," said Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett. "This misleading information is insulting to the people of the 16th district and disrespectful to the organizations making the endorsements. We're asking Mr. Boccieri to immediately remove the false statements and to issue an apology for the offense. I'm confident he'd rather explain it to the voters than to the Ohio Elections Commission."
7/30/08 UPDATE: The Ohio GOP issued a follow-up statement:
COLUMBUS - After five months of misleading the voters of Ohio's 16th Congressional District by claiming false endorsements on his campaign website, John Boccieri's campaign frantically updated the site within minutes after the Ohio Republican Party exposed their violation of Ohio law.
"This is something the campaign should have done the day after the primary," said Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett. "Once again, John Boccieri has to be taken to the woodshed to do the right thing in this campaign."
Boccieri had falsely claimed the general election endorsements of a variety of groups that endorsed him in his primary campaign, among them the Akron Beacon Journal, the National Rifle Association, and Buckeye Firearms Association. Within minutes, and with no apology or explanation, the campaign had updated their official website.
"John Boccieri is establishing a pattern," Bennett added. "It took him 442 days to register to vote in the district he wants to represent, and it took him more than 120 days to make sure his website wasn't violating Ohio law. Voters have no interest in these dishonest tactics."
John Boccieri's Endorsements at 2:46 pm, July 28, 2008:
John Boccieri's Endorsements after the ORP Release, July 28, 2008:
