Krikorian Steps In It

The Angry Armenian displays his usual temperment and judgement...

Sidenote: Don't think I don't see you Nate Noy...

Why I am NOT Voting Cindy Carpenter for Butler County Commissioner

We need a commissioner who is independent of fellow office-holders and Sheriff Jones wants to be able to control his budget.  It is just that simple.

Just say no to Cindy Carpenter AND Jose Alvarez...

Even Democrats Know Krikorian is a Liar

When Democrats call the Angry Armenian a LIAR you know the game is ON!

Here is a litany of issues that "Chili" has with the Angry Armenian:

- At a recent campaign event we both attended, my opponent spoke out strongly against the right of public employees to unionize. Though this was caught on film, it has come to my attention that Mr. Krikorian has been spreading the lie that these were not his full, accurate comments. We've put up the full-video where you will see me having the courage to express my support for the rights of all workers to unionize despite being shouted at by the audience. Mr. Krikorian then agrees with the shouting audience member and makes his stance against the rights of all workers to organize clear.

- My opponent, David Krikorian has had a campaign advisor/volunteer (Geoffrey Sea) put up a blog post full of lies and has attemped to cite the article as independent. Regardless, his major claim is that I have run a negative push poll. This is a 100% lie. My campaign has never run and has zero knowledge of any kind of negative push poll. We are operating on the assumption that this poll never existed, and if it actually does, it has nothing to do with my campaign, period. We expect a formal apology from Mr. Krikorian's campaign now that we have clarified this for him.

- Lastly, my opponent has again resorted to using "press release polls". We are ecstatic with the recent polling data that we've analyzed. The data that we have seen is apparently not from the same universe as Mr. Krikorian's, but regardless we are highly confident that our campaign will be victorious on May 4 thanks to your support.

Oh, those polls are STILL a riot...

Journal Picks Alvarez

In a move that has me scratching my head, the Journal has endorsed Jose Alvarez for Butler County Commissioner. Again, this is the guy that the Butler County Good Old Boys Club (No Girls Allowed!) backed for the Butler County GOP endorsement so I have to confess to a certain amount of disbelief that the 527 Media outlet is willing to go along with it.

By the way, there have been whispers of Jose falling out of favor with the Good Old Boys Club, but I never believed it for a minute. Granted, after their miserable failure to capture the endorsement, one could see why they'd ditch Jose (who came in second) but I have no reason to believe that they would back Cindy Carpenter for the position either (she finished near the bottom).

Basically, I'm looking for "None of the Above" on the ballot...

OEC Dismisses Complaints, But...

The Ohio Elections Commission (OEC) dismissed the complaints filed against the Ohio Republican Party (ORP), but I have yet to see any coverage of the decision (apparently Gongwer has something, but I am not a subscriber). Could it be because notice of the meeting went out about an hour before the proceedings in what some are calling a violation of Ohio's Sunshine Law (which states that any business conducted, especially votes taken, are null and void if the meeting was improperly called)?

My gut tells me that the OEC passed because they don't want to get involved in "internal" politics of a primary.

A Mike DeWine / ORP Fundraising Question

We have all been told that Mike DeWine can not only self-fund his race, but through his mere presence on the ticket, he can force Rich Cordray to spend money instead of spreading it around.

If this is actually the case, why did the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) give Mikey $60k in the last filing?

EXIT QUESTION: Why is Mikey getting this money in the first place, he wasn't endorsed and therefore shouldn't have access to party resources like funding.

It looks -- more and more every day -- that my "Shenanigans!" call on this whole charade was right on target all along...

More Complaints Filed Against ORP's "Deem and Endorse" Shenangians

Release:

Four more candidates for the Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee have filed charges with the Ohio Election Commission, charging the Party with breaking its own rules and Ohio election laws by endorsing candidates without the required authorizing vote. George Momirov of the 16th State Senate District, Jennifer Elicson of the 3rd District and Jack and April Fryman of the 1st District has added their voices to that of Thea Shoemake of the 14th District. Thea filed her complaint two weeks ago. An initial review of her complaint ruled that she had “Probable Cause” and put her case on the calendar for a hearing by the full commission.

Additional complaints may be forthcoming. Although State Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine has argued that a vote is unnecessary to endorse State Central Committee members; the endorsement of incumbents can be “deemed” to have been held. However Bob Rousseau, an incumbent State Central Committeeman for the 13th Senate District was not endorsed by DeWine; his opponent was. Mr. Rousseau’s strong opposition to a vote to endorse a candidate and limit the voters’ choice in the Party primary is known to have angered party officials. Moreover there are several non-incumbents that appear to have been recruited from the ranks of Party loyalists for the purpose of opposing candidates involved in the Tea Party movement. These loyalists also have secured the Party endorsement without an authorizing vote as required.

According to Jim Woods of the Medina County Friends And Neighbors (MCFAN) organization, a candidate himself in the 22nd State Senate District, “This is the very kind of self-serving, back room manipulation of the political process that the Tea Party movement has been fighting. It is bad enough when Speaker of the House Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Reid treat the rules with contempt. To see a Republican Party Chairman doing the same is shocking.”

Of greatest concern to the Party is that the Tea Party candidates are not just keeping their campaign “in house”. The Party has taken steps to portray the battle for State Central Committee seats as a “family argument”. Steve Christopher, one of the spokesmen for the Tea Party participants in the battle said, “That comment illustrates the problem - that the Ohio Republican Party considers itself to be closed and private. We believe that it should be open and inclusive, and urge all those Independents who have given up on the Party to come back on May 4, ask for a Republican Party ballot, and vote for Republican Party candidates that want to give a voice back to the people, instead of ignoring them and doing what they are told.”

Yost "Proud" of 527 Lamestream Media Endorsements

Release:

Huber Heights, Ohio - Dave Yost over the past two weeks has been exuberant over being unanimously endorsed the most liberal newspapers in Ohio for Auditor of State. Yost has received the endorsements from the Youngstown Vindicator, Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, and the Dayton Daily News.

In Sunday's Dayton Daily News endorsement editorial, they described Seth Morgan as "tightly wound" and "ideologically rigid" insinuating he is more conservative than Dave Yost. And the newspaper criticized Seth Morgan saying "Morgan's conservatism extends even to the point of voting against the Third Frontier."

These same newspapers endorsed Ted Strickland for Ohio governor, Marc Dann for Ohio attorney general, Barack Obama for U.S. President, and have claimed the conservative and Tea Party movements are made up of racists. "We congratulate Dave on getting Ohio's liberal mainstream media behind him. The liberal media like Dave because they view him and David Pepper as two peas in a pod," said Rob Scott, Communications Director for Friends of Seth Morgan.

"The difference is clear. Seth Morgan is the people's candidate supported by numerous Ohio grassroots organizations that represent thousands of conservative Ohioans. Whereas Dave Yost is the liberal media's candidate and he's proud of it," Scott said.

Good for Dave Yost, but there are reasons why I call them the 527 Lamestream Media, folks...

Medina GOP Chairman = Moron

I don't have words to express how completely stupid this is... Leave it to Ohio Republicans to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!

Dispatch Fails to Understand the Morgan-Yost Fundraising Story

Tip o' the hat to Jon Keeling for pointing this out, even though his gut reaction was to buy the Dispatch's spin on it. (Thanks for having an open mind and commenting further on it, Jon.) (Dispatch):

Morgan did not report the employer or occupation for 62 percent of his contributors, compared with 4 percent for Yost.

Morgan did not report the employer or occupation for 62 percent of his contributors because he didn't have to...by law:

(ii) If a political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party that is required to file campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission under section 3517.106 of the Revised Code or a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or candidate for the office of member of the general assembly receives a contribution from an individual that exceeds one hundred dollars, the name of the individual’s current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual’s occupation and the name of the individual’s business, if any;

Emphasis added.

Now, you might ask, were 62% of Morgans donations under $100? Consider this, Yost only outraised Morgan by a mere $500 but Morgan had a 4-to-1 ration of donors.

Morgan raised his money from FAR more donors than Yost did meaning the contribution levels were smaller.

But here is the real story that will keep Dave's handlers at the ORP up at night: if somebody is willing to donate to a candidate, they are likely to vote for them too...4-to-1...now that won't hold as we get to real results, but it sure has to be giving somebody indigestion and it ain't in the Morgan camp.

Mandel Outraises Incumbent Boyce for Third Consecutive Filing Period

Release:

LYNDHURST – Continuing his energetic campaign style and powered by his grassroots donor base, Marine Veteran and State Representative Josh Mandel (R-Lyndhurst) yesterday announced that his campaign for State Treasurer reported more than $2.16 million cash on hand — raising $317,655 since the last reporting period. Mandel, the challenger, maintains a nearly 3:1 cash advantage over incumbent Kevin Boyce.

“Yesterday's report once again shows the strength, energy and momentum behind our campaign to bring integrity and accountability back to the Treasurer’s office,” said Mandel. “Our message is resonating with Republicans, Democrats and Independents from all across the state and the response has been overwhelming. I am very grateful for the outpouring of support in these tough economic times,” Mandel continued.

Mandel earned his reputation as a grassroots campaigner in his first election for State Representative, knocking on 19,679 doors and wearing out three pairs of shoes. Continuing his energetic and grassroots style in the campaign for State Treasurer, Mandel has visited 78 of Ohio’s 88 counties and has traveled over 80,000 miles across the state listening to the concerns of Ohioans.

Mandel has amassed more than 3,200 individual campaign contributions with approximately 87 percent of those coming from Ohio. Boyce, however, reported that more than half of his total contributions this period came from the Ohio Democratic Party and Political Action Committees.

“With the cloud of scandal over his office and his candidacy, Kevin Boyce has once again relied on massive bailouts by the Ohio Democratic Party and Political Action Committees to bolster his financial numbers. Ohioans demand more from their public officials,” said Mandel’s political director Joe Aquilino. “Josh is proud to garner the vast majority of his support from individual donors who live right here in Ohio. A substantial amount of these donations were made on the internet from folks who have never before contributed to a political campaign,” Aquilino continued.

Third Lawsuit Against ORP on Fake SCC Endorsements

Release:

Columbus, Ohio - GOP State Central Committee candidate George Momirov today filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission alleging the Ohio Republican Party has violated campaign laws with an ongoing postcard campaign promoting his opponent, Michael F. Colley.

According to Momirov, the state party has included false or misleading wording in their postcard campaign stating that Mr. Colley is endorsed by them when he is not. "The Ohio Republican Party readily admits that they are promoting State Central Committee candidates in violation of the own rules, and Ohio Elections law, yet they continue this postcard campaign," says Momirov.

In his complaint, Momirov states, "There are dozens of contested races for Republican State Central Committee throughout the State of Ohio where the Ohio Republican Party has made similar false statements promoting certain candidates in those races, claiming that one was “endorsed by the Ohio Republican Party,” when the same is not true in those races either." Ms Jo Ann Davidson in District 3 race is just such an example.
State Central Committee candidate Thea Shoemake, of Cincinnati, has recently filed a similar complaint, and other candidates across Ohio are considering the same action.

Yost vs. Morgan: The Machine's Fundraising is Unimpressive

If Dave Yost was expecting that the ORP Machine was going to help him seriously outraise Seth Morgan and the Tea Party, he has to be seriously disappointed.

In filings today, Yost raised $102,142.25 on hand while Seth Morgan has raised $96,306.74 for a difference of $5,835.51. $10,000 of Yost's dollars came from the ORP...so Seth has actually raised MORE from actual voters than Yost has (on first glance, subject to further review).

This one is going to be a whole lot closer than Kevin DeWine and the ORP fraternity was counting on...

Another Lawsuit Against ORP for Fake SCC Endorsements

Release:

Columbus, Ohio - GOP State Central Committee candidate Jennifer Elicson today filed a complain with the Ohio Elections Commission alleging the Ohio Republican Party has violated campaign laws with an ongoing postcard campaign promoting her opponent, Jo Ann Davidson.

According to Elicson, the state party has included false or misleading wording in their postcard campaign stating that Ms. Davidson is endorsed by them when she is not. "The Ohio Republican Party readily admits that they are promoting State Central Committee candidates in violation of the own rules, and Ohio Elections law, yet they continue this postcard campaign," says Elicson.

In her complaint, Elicson states, "There are dozens of contested races for Republican State Central Committee throughout the State of Ohio where the Ohio Republican Party has made similar false statements promoting certain candidates in those races, claiming that one was “endorsed by the Ohio Republican Party,” when the same is not true in those races either."

State Central Committee candidate Thea Shoemake, of Cincinnati, has recently filed a similar complaint, and other candidates across Ohio are considering the same action.

OH-18: Moll's Family Values

I haven't said a whole lot about the GOP primary for OH-18, but I simply can't let this go...

Tonight is the FOURTH debate between candidates vying for the right to smack around Zack Space in the general. Jeanette Moll is claiming that Bob Gibbs "backed out" of the event. The truth is that Gibbs is travelling out of state for his son's wedding.

Now we know all we need to know about Jeanette Moll and her family values...

Darke County T.E.A Endorsement of ORP Slate a Total Sham

Nate Nelson has the full story over at his blog, including the character of Dave Yost's friends out there. I mean, seriously, dropping an f-bomb in a church in front of children. The real story here is that the ORP-owned bloggers who have been trying to sell you the story that it was Team Morgan that flipped out is ridiculous and totally false.

On Facebook yesterday, I asked if any other Tea Party organization in the state had endorsed Mike DeWine and near as I can tell, the answer is no. That tells me all I need to know about the sham in Darke County. It was rigged...Nate has the details on that too.

Exit Question: Is the ORP now in the business of directly taking over local Tea Party organizations?

Sheriff Jones Costs Butler County $100K

Next time we hear Sheriff "Spotlight" complaining about his budget getting cut, maybe taxpayers ought to remind him that it is HE who should be paying $100,000 instead of the county. I mean seriously, how do you -- as a law enforcement leader -- not understand the constitutional issues involved in a case like this? Probable cause first, my friend...you have to have probable cause. This is STILL America even in Butler County.

Hamilton County GOP Update: Endorsements

The Hamilton County Republican Party chooses to make no official endorsements in any of the contested primaries at the county or state level. This includes races for elected office as well as state and county central committee. The Party intends to fully support whichever candidates emerge from the primary election of 2010.

However, the Hamilton County Republican Party did endorse the following judicial candidates who are unopposed in the primary, but who face Democratic opposition in the fall.

1. Judge Sylvia Sieve Hendon for Ohio First District Court of Appeals

2. Pat Fischer for Ohio First District Court of Appeals

3. John M. Williams for Juvenile Court

4. Megan E. Shanahan for Court of Common Pleas

5. Jon H. Sieve for Domestic Relations Court

Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou said "I am pleased with the decisions of our Executive Committee. There are several spirited contests for seats at the state and county level and the Party has decided to leave these decisions to the voters without any endorsement from the Hamilton County GOP. We believe this decision gives us our best opportunity to embrace the new energy of fellow conservatives coming into politics because of the disastrous policies of the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C. We welcome that new energy and we look forward to working with the candidates who emerge from the May 4 primary. As for our judicial slate, I am proud of the slate we have endorsed as we continue a tradition of fielding strong candidates for judicial office."

Portman Blasts Brunner and Fisher On Their Support of Cap and Tax

Release:

Marion, OH - Following a tour today of Nucor Steel mill and meetings with Nucor employees yesterday, U.S. Senate candidate Rob Portman criticized Congress' plan to impose a cap-and-trade energy tax that will punish Ohio's working families, factories and small businesses. Portman also criticized both Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

"Congress has failed to provide any meaningful help for Ohioans suffering through this historic economic crisis. Instead, Washington continues to pursue an agenda of record deficits, higher taxes and other job-killing proposals. Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner blindly support one of Washington's biggest job-killers for Ohio like the cap-and-trade energy tax.

"The cap and trade energy bill that has already passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and is being debated in the Senate will be devastating for Ohio's workers and small businesses. Ohio is particularly hard hit because 86 percent of us get our electricity from coal, and Ohio has more energy intensive manufacturers who would be subject to these new costly regulations. The cap-and-trade proposal will raise energy costs for all working families and increase the cost of many goods and services as businesses are forced to pass higher energy costs onto consumers. This will lead to more job losses at a time when Ohio's unemployment rate is the highest it's been in 27 years.

"Unfortunately both Lt. Governor Fisher and Secretary Brunner enthusiastically support Washington's wrongheaded energy policy. Rather than levy a job-killing cap and trade tax on the kind of energy Ohio depends on we should aggressively use renewable energy, nuclear power, clean-coal technology, lower-emission natural gas and conservation in a way that leads to a cleaner environment, less foreign oil and more jobs in Ohio. We can deal with these climate issues without hurting Ohio working families and sacrificing jobs in a bad economy."

Portman made his remarks during a visit to NUCOR Steel in Marion, Ohio. NUCOR employs 253 people in Ohio and has a production capacity that exceeds 26 million tons, making it the largest producer of steel in the United States. Nucor is also the world's foremost steel recycler and one of the largest recyclers of any kind.

"Nucor Steel is concerned that this cap and trade bill will result in dramatically higher prices for all types of energy and hamper our global competitiveness because other countries like China and Brazil are not legislating against their manufacturers and as a result jobs will move off shore to those countries where more CO2 will be emitted," said David Sumoski, Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Marion. Sumoski noted that the domestic steel industry in the US has already lowered CO2 emissions 30% since 1990 by using state of the art electric furnace technology that was pioneered by Nucor.

Sumoski continued, "Rob Portman understands that higher energy costs would have a devastating impact on local manufacturers and will lead to more job losses in Ohio. His opposition to cap and trade demonstrates his understanding of the challenges facing the steel industry and manufacturers during this tough economy."

Cap and Trade is Expensive to Ohio Families and Businesses

· Higher energy prices would have ripple impacts on prices throughout the economy and would impose a financial cost on Ohio families. According to the National Association of Manufacturing, Ohio would see disposable household income reduced by $133 to $261 per year by 2020 and $873 to $1,419 by 2030 because of increased energy costs. (http://www.accf.org/media/docs/nam/2009/Ohio.pdf)

· A study of Waxman-Markey issued by the National Black Chamber of Commerce found that retail electricity rates will increase increase by 12% (1.3 cents per kWh) relative to 2015 levels, by 24% (2.7 cents per kWh) in 2030, and by 48% (5.8 cents per kWh) in 2050. (http://www.nationalbcc.org/images/stories/documents/CRA_Waxman-Markey_Aug2008_Update_Final.pdf)

· The Energy Information Administration (EIA), which is the government agency responsible for providing official energy statistics, concluded that cap-and-trade could result in up to 2.3 million fewer jobs in 2030 and 800,000 fewer manufacturing jobs in 2030, after including new green jobs. (http://eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/hr2454/excel/hr2454nibiv.xls)

· EPA estimates the House bill would cost the average household 22 cents to 30 cents per day, or $80 to $111 per year in energy costs. (http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090623/hr2454_epasummary.pdf)

· The Congressional Budget Office projected a cost of 48 cents per day for the average household in 2020 ($175 per year). (http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090623/hr2454_epasummary.pdf)

Cap and Trade will Cost Ohio More Jobs

· The National Black Chamber of Commerce commissioned a study that concluded cap-and-trade would result in approximately 1.5 million fewer jobs in 2015 and 3.6 million fewer jobs in 2050, after new green jobs were considered. (http://www.nationalbcc.org/images/stories/documents/CRA_Waxman-Markey_Aug2008_Update_Final.pdf)

· The National Association of Manufacturing estimates that under Waxman-Markey, Ohio jobs decline by 79,700 under "low cost" scenarios and by 108,600 under "high cost" scenarios. The primary cause of job loss is due to lower output because of higher energy prices, the cost of complying with emissions reductions, and greater competition from overseas manufacturers with lower energy costs. (http://www.accf.org/media/dynamic/3/media_387.pdf)

· The National Association of Manufacturing estimate that high energy prices, fewer jobs, and loss of industrial output will reduce Ohio's gross state product (GSP) by between $1.3 and $2.3 billion per year by 2020 and $13.9 and $18.9 billion by 2030. (http://www.accf.org/media/docs/nam/2009/Ohio.pdf)

Cap and Trade is Anti-Competitive

· Ohio's major economic sectors will be affected by emission caps. According to the National Manufacturing Association, Ohio's current two largest sectors-chemical manufacturing and transportation manufacturing-show decreases in output of 6.1% to 6.7% and 8.0% to 8.5%, respectively in 2030. (http://www.accf.org/media/docs/nam/2009/Ohio.pdf)

· All Ohio manufacturing sectors will suffer output losses of between 5.4% and 6.0% by 2030, while output from energy intensive sectors falls between 10.7% and 11.7%. (http://www.accf.org/media/docs/nam/2009/Ohio.pdf)

· Ohio's coal production would fall between 70.5% and 76.8% and electricity production would fall by 15.1% to 18.6% by 2030. These continued losses will have a lasting effect on the economic base of Ohio. (http://www.accf.org/media/docs/nam/2009/Ohio.pdf)

Ohio House Republicans Oppose Cap and Trade

Release:

COLUMBUS—Ohio House Republican Assistant Whip Cheryl Grossman (R-Grove City) today was joined by her fellow caucus members in signing and delivering letters to U.S. Senators George V. Voinovich and Sherrod Brown, regarding deep concern of the cap and trade and other impairing regulations.

“We support efforts to diversify our energy portfolio and protect the environment. However, these proposals would have a negligible impact on world temperature and would punish consumers with unaffordable increases in energy costs,” Grossman said. “With Ohio’s economy struggling to revive amid a recession and a whopping 11 percent unemployment rate, now is the wrong time to put into action any plans that would lead to overwhelming job losses and increased energy costs.”

In the letters, House Republicans outlined growing concerns of the economic consequences of legislative or administrative efforts to implement cap and trade policies or to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as pollutants. Moreover, concerns in the letter also expressed that Ohio is so reliant on these energy producers that these increased costs are really another tax in disguise that will impact all Ohioans. The implementation of these policies would be extremely damaging to Ohio’s long-term success and budget sustainability.

House Republicans hope to encourage Senators Voinovich and Brown to oppose cap and trade and other proposed greenhouse gas regulations and assert that as the state budget continues to face ongoing revenue shortfalls, establishing new taxes on traditional energy sources as a way to subsidize will lead to a steeper economic downfall.

Cap and Tax is a Job Killer. Here is hoping that our Senators in DeeCee do the right thing and vote it down.

Kevin DeWine Is At It Again

In his latest "Leadership Update" email, The Chairman says this:

Finally, I've seen and heard a lot of ridiculous accusations lately about the role of the Ohio Republican Party in this primary election. Understandably, much of it is motivated by the heightened emotions of political primaries and too often spread with little to no accountability through email, blogs, and social media sites. Unfortunately, most of it is flat out false, and it's typically generated by people who find the truth just too inconvenient for their agenda. I want you to know you can always contact my office or email me directly if you want answers to any rumor or accusation about something we're doing. This election is too important to let "noise" distract us from the real goal of winning in November.

Mr. Chairman, I've told you this MANY times, but I'll repeat it again: If you have a problem with something that appears on this blog, you can feel free to write in just like everybody else.

The only "noise" I hear is coming from you and your fraternity up in Columbus. The facts are quite clear: You sent out a mailer claiming that folks were endorsed who in fact weren't. Now you and the boys can fall all over yourselves making up new excuses and telling all the ridiculous stories you like, but the facts are the facts.

Nice to see that you failed to mention that the complaint against you and the Ohio Republican Party was found to have cause on these issues. Doesn't sound like we have the credibility issues at all, Mr. Chairman.

EXIT QUESTION: Kevin, do you want us to vote Republican or not? I can't really tell...

Meranda v. Gusweiler: Failed Sheriff Candidate Driving Bus to Run Over Little: Sour Grapes Edition

Some people just think they are God's gift to humanity. Some people can't get over the fact that they have been rejected, that they have lost. This turns them into vindictive conspiracy kooks who have to make all sorts of excuses. Such is the case with Dennis Varnau, failed "so-called independent" candidate for sheriff. Word has it that he has been helping drive the bus to run over Jessica Little because she won't prosecute Judge Gusweiler as a criminal, and in fact thru some internet digging I have found him or someone close to him to be one of the anonymous commenters throughout the coverage of this story. Geez, man, give me a break. Well, now failed sheriff candidate and conspiracy kook Varnau has decided to send WMD an email. We will get to the Meranda v. Gusweiler stuff from Varnau in a later post when I get a reply from some legal eagles. Before I get to that, he had a problem with a story I wrote ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO regarding his race and playing interesting politics by using Jessica Little's picture on a billboard. Here is what Dennis the Menace had to say:

Your article "Brown County Update: Varnau playing dirty?" published in your blog back on October 3, 2008, was totally lacking in fact, mainly because you did not attempt to investigate at all before you published your opinions.

Um, ok Dennis. Most of the cited material comes from a newspaper article (see link) that quotes Jessica Little and yourself. Jess Little said at the time this was done without her endorsement. Are you calling her a liar, sir, or are you saying the newspaper I got the quotes from misquoted both yourself and Ms. Little? As to the comments about you using tape recorders, this is a known fact as you advertised in your newspaper ads and on your website. And, I did talk to people about you showing up in your, ahem, uniform. So, where, exactly, did I fail to "investigate"? Hmmm...Sounds like more kookery. But now let's get to the really arrogant, self serving, and revealing part about Mr. Varnau.....

One of my supporters asked if I too would respond to this debate over this Gusweiler/Meranda matter on your website.

I'll add my opinion, seeing as how I was the one who got Jessica Little elected with my billboard, which billboard she was completely aware of at the time, coordinated between the two of us well before its installation date, which billboard lost me a lot of Democrat votes in the process. Thus, I feel somewhat responsible for her lack of judgment, what I consider to be inappropriate conduct, as prosecutor in this matter.

As I said, I will get to Mr. Varnau's legal arguments and rebuttals in a later post. What I found striking was Mr. Varnau's arrogance and lack of being in touch with something I call reality. Mr. Varnau, the people of Brown County got Jess Little elected, based on her working and travelling all over the county to event after event. While all you did was try to get your opponent thrown out despite settled past cases involving qualifications and alleging conspiracies going all the way to the General Assembly, Jess Little was attending events and assembling a team of hard working volunteers and workers. You besmirch their efforts and the voters by your arrogant claim. Also, you claim this was coordinated. Jess Little has gone on the record, and you alluded to it in your statement that this was not necessarily the case in my earlier article....Are you calling the Press, Jess, and in ways, yourself, liars?

And funny, I thought you were an independent candidate, not a Democrat candidate. Are we showing our real true colors, sir? And since we are speaking about votes, do you know that you cost Jess Little quite a few Republican voters yourself? Sheriff Wenninger is not perfect, and I have my disagreements with him, but he remains a popular figure in some circles and this cost Jessica a bit of support. Also, sir, if your one billboard got her elected, in your godlike power, how well did you do? Hmm...let's see....From the Brown County Board of Elections, which must be in on the "conspiracy against Dennis because he got his butt handed to him...boohoo", as certified by Democrat Jenny Brunner, Secretary of State (I guess she is really just a Republican conspirator too, right Dennis?):

Sheriff
(Vote For Not More Than ) 1
(WITH 35 OF 35 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Dennis John Varnau . . . . . . . 7,232 37.08
Dwayne Wenninger . . . . . . . . 12,274 62.92

Wow, Dennis, those Democrat votes really would have made a difference, considering you got beat by 5000 votes. Wow. You really are an influence maker, sir. Congrats.

Seriously, the arrogance of this guy...and at first I thought at least this letter is sent to respond to the article and he is taking a great deal of time with me. Not so much, except for the words website and the part about the previous mention of Dennis the Menace, this whole thing was a form letter he sent to the editors of the local papers. What an arrogant turd!

Aside from some legal arguments, the rest of Dennis's letter deals with parsing words regarding his action to try to get Dwayne Wenninger thrown off the ballot due to qualifications, something which had been taken up in court before and again and again. Talk about an obsessed sore loser! And to think this is the type of person Tina Meranda is getting the thumbs up from.....makes you think about what HER motivations may be....

More to come on Dennis and his legal Unabomber/Ted Kazinsky-esque ramblings "arguments"......

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Team Yost Attacks Even More Republicans

The Yost campaign has resorted to attacking Republicans now...  Previously, Team Yost has attacked Small Towns, Ward Councilmen, Josh Mandel, John Kasich, and Jon Husted as well as County Parties and Grassroots organizations, but this is a step too far:

Dave's opponent is a member of the state legislature, the very place responsible for the out-of-control spending of Columbus. With tax day upon us, let's rise up and say "no more!". Let's get to work fixing the mess in Columbus and holding government officials accountable.

Team Seth responds:

"This attack on Seth Morgan, all Republican members of the Ohio House, including Treasurer Candidate Josh Mandel, as being responsible for the out-of-control spending in Columbus is nonsensical, reckless and is inaccurate," said Rob Scott, Communications Director for Friends of Seth Morgan.

Seth Morgan, was handpicked by one of the most respected conservative leaders around Ohio, Minority Leader William Batchelder, to serve as the House Republican Caucus' Policy Committee. Morgan has been one of the most aggressive and outspoken members of the Ohio Legislature, leading the charge on holding Columbus accountable and implementing conservative ideals.
On Nov. 17, 2009, Ohio House Republican Policy Committee Chairman, Seth Morgan, CPA along with his colleagues, unveiled a package of ten proposals to spur government reform, streamline efficiency, and strengthen accountability and transparency in state government, while working to reduce the economic turmoil suffered by families across Ohio.
"Yost is clearly uneducated about Seth Morgan, House Minority Leader Bill Batchelder, Treasurer-candidate Josh Mandel, Ron Maag, John Adams, and other members who are fighting to cut spending in the state budget," said Scott.
Contained in the proposals are plans to reestablish the Legislative Budget Office to provide nonpartisan financial oversight; restructure state government by streamlining the executive branch; examine Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse; require conference committee reports to be publicly available for 48 hours prior to being considered by the House or Senate; and identify other areas of wasteful, inefficient spending. The Ohio House Republican Caucus offered these proposals as bills in the Ohio House and as amendments to the Ohio budget. These ideas have been silenced or ignored by Democrats, the House Majority Party.
The April 14th campaign communication is another example of Dave Yost and his campaign misleading Ohioans or simply using a "ready, fire, aim" approach to communicating.
· First, Dave Yost and his campaign were misleading on campaign literature and websites in February when Yost was described as "the only auditor in the race." As a Certified Public Accountant, by definition, Seth Morgan is an auditor. We applaud the Yost campaign for changing their phrasing.
· Second, Dave Yost and his campaign associated themselves with an individual who pled guilty to public corruption charges. After the Friends of Seth Morgan drew attention to the problem, Yost fired back and aggressively defended the spokesperson. The individual, who served as an advisor and spokesperson for Dave Yost and his campaign, is apparently no longer the spokesperson for the campaign. We applaud the Yost campaign for apparently removing this spokesperson.
· Third, Dave Yost sent a scathing statement via email on March 20, 2010 attacking the Summit County Republican Party Central Committee members for endorsing Seth Morgan, CPA by saying, "Summit County is widely regarded as one of the last true "machine" counties in the state, and there was no doubt that the fix was in." Unlike the endorsement process used when Yost garnered the endorsement by the Ohio Republican Party and four of the five County endorsements he has won, it is our understanding that both candidates were invited to participate in the endorsement process in Summit County.
· Fourth, Dave Yost's proposed Ohio budget commission would create a conflict of interest for the Ohio Auditor's office. Morgan expressed concern over his opponent's proposal. Several days later, the current Auditor of State, Mary Taylor, voiced concerns over keeping the independence of the Auditor's office if Yost's plan was enacted in an interview airing on Sunday, April 11, 2010.
"It is our hope that Dave Yost and his campaign exercise caution before sending communications attacking Seth Morgan, fellow Republicans in the Ohio House, as well as a Republican statewide candidate, for the direction of the Ohio House, of which they do not control the agenda," Scott said.
"It appears that Dave Yost is running an off-the-cuff, nonsensical campaign. Seth Morgan is the most qualified candidate for the Auditor of State office and is the best candidate to run against Democrat David Pepper in November."

NRSC on Ohio Job Czar's Spat with Jenny Brunner

The Democrat candidates seeking the right to lose to Rob Portman in November had a "debate" today according to the columbus Dispatch.  Here is a highlight:

Brunner went first and asked Fisher why he remained as lieutenant governor but resigned as development director in February 2009, when the state was reeling with job losses and other economic problems during the recession.

"Can you explain why it is that you abandoned the state of Ohio at a time you were needed most?" Brunner asked.

Fisher joked that in legal terms, that was a leading question. But he rejected the suggestion, saying he was proud of his record and that federal policies have been undercutting state efforts and need to be changed.

Here is a response from the NRCC's Amber Marchand:

“Apparently Lee Fisher is ‘proud’ of the hundreds of thousands of jobs that have been lost under his watch as Ohio’s Jobs Czar and he’s ‘proud’ of the state’s skyrocketing unemployment rate? While Ohio was hemorrhaging jobs, Lee Fisher was too focused on vying for a promotion than to bother paying attention to the people in his state who were struggling to make ends meet. Fisher is pointing fingers instead of taking responsibility for his failed record, but voters in the Buckeye State will hold him accountable for ignoring the Ohio’s economic development on Election Day.”

Zinger...

More on the ORP's SCC Lawsuit and "Tea Party Values" Fake Logo

Release:

Throughout the state Tea Partiers are up in arms about the Ohio Republican Party violating its own rules and potentially election laws, in order to promote its own preferred candidates for State Central Committee.  The Party is reputedly spending $330,000 to defeat Tea Partiers who are running for State Central Committee.  Jim Woods Medina County Friends And Neighbors (MCFAN) founder commented “I’ve been involved in party politics since I volunteered to be a Ronald Reagan precinct leader in 1976.  This is the first time I’ve seen the Party spend money to purposely remain closed, exclusive, and unresponsive to the conservative majority.”

The Republican Party is distributing “slate cards” throughout the state to inform Republican voters of its preferred candidates.  Many people are not happy about the Party trying to make their decisions and limit choices for them, but prefer to choose for themselves in an open, competitive primary election.  The Party’s own rules prohibit the endorsement of candidates prior to the primary election, and those rules must be voted to be “set aside”, in order to endorse a candidate.  The Ohio Republican Party has scheduled a State Central Committee meeting for April 16 for the apparent purpose of voting on whether or not to set aside the rules and endorse themselves.  The fact that hundreds of thousands of cards have already been mailed endorsing the Party’s preferred State Central Committee people prior to being authorized by a vote is being characterized as “Misconduct”.  Tea Partiers are still incensed about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s setting aside Senate rules and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s threatening to “deem” the Health Care Bill to have been passed without a recorded vote, and see State Republican Chairman’s actions as equivalent to their cavalier and arrogant disregard for the rules, and majority opinion. 

In another desperate move, Republicans who have never attended conservative events, such as TEA Party meetings and candidate forums, are attempting to jump on the popularity bandwagon of these groups.  For example, this pseudo-TEA-Party logo has been placed on campaign literature. 

Noted Steve Christopher, a Tea Party organizer who recently ran for Attorney General “This is an attempt to scam and confuse potential voters into believing that these candidates are endorsed by TEA Party organizations, when in fact, they are not.  In many cases, the supporters of these candidates are actively fighting against Tea Party members seeking election to State leadership positions.”

ORP SCC "Endorsements": The Lawsuit

Thanks to the folks at COAST for publishing this...

Thea Shoemake v, Ohio Rep. Party

Shelby County GOP Endorses Morgan for Auditor

Release:

Huber Heights, Ohio - The Shelby County Republican Party endorsed Seth Morgan, CPA for Auditor of State today. The county party required greater than 2/3rds of the vote in order to endorse a candidate.

"At the end of the day, members voted for the candidate who in their view had the best chance of winning the seat in November. We were happy to trust Seth with our greater than 2/3rds majority vote to endorse," said Christopher R. Gibbs, Chairman of the Shelby County Republican Party.

"This endorsement is a validation that Seth Morgan continues to receive a tidal wave of support across Ohio and he is the most qualified to be Ohio's next auditor," said Rob Scott, Communications Director for Friends of Seth Morgan.

UPDATE:

Way to Go ORP: Still Snatching Defeat From Jaws of Victory

I was wondering which newspaper was going to get a hold of this story first...

We had State Central Committee Member John Becker on the radio show this weekend and he confirmed for us that the state party issued these mailings without consulting the candidates. (The episode with John will running in repeats all week long on TIB Radio.)

A complete and total fraud is being perpetuated by our friends in Columbus as they attempt to use a fake "Tea Party Values" logo to confuse the rank-and-file.  That is right...the Ohio Republican Party thinks you are stupid and that they can pull one over on you.

It sure would be nice if our "endorsed" candidates would condemn this shameful act publicly, but I'm not holding my breath.

This is the latest of a aset of sure signs that the Ohio Republican Party is STILL not ready to Lead Ohio.

UPDATE:  Start looking for this logo...

Portman's Amazing Journey Thus Far

When Rob Portman announced last year that he was running for the United States Senate, he said he would campaign in every one of Ohio's 88 counties. Well, on Friday, that milestone was reached! Along the way, Team Portman has hosted lunches with grassroots supporters, toured small businesses (some struggling, others doing OK), visited manufacturing plants, met with workers and working families, connected with small business owners, attended county fairs and spoken at numerous Lincoln dinners (upwards of 20 at last count) in an effort to learn about the various needs throughout a state as diverse as Ohio and to listen to people.

The packed travel schedule has not in any way slowed down the pace of fundraising. What is clear is that Ohioans are responding to Rob's positive, pro-growth message and rejecting the status quo that both Fisher and Brunner would enthusiastically support if they went to Washington.  (See Rasmussen polling charts here.)

Our initial concerns with Portman was a lack of  anything substantive to say about issues other than jobs or the economy, but we have noticed a modest increase in statements and positions being taken by Rob and the campaign, most recently, Portman issued this statement regarding the retirment of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens:

"Justice Stevens has honorably served on the U.S. Supreme Court for 35 years.  I wish him the best of luck in his retirement.  It is my hope that President Obama will nominate a jurist who does not have a record of legislating from the bench."

That last sentence gives us the first glimpse in to what Portman's judicial philosophy is and we at WMD encourage more of this type of issues-oriented thinking.

Make no mistake, Rob Portman is going to make a terrific United States Senator representing the good people of our great state and he will work hard on solutions for moving Ohio forward.

TIB All Stars -- Show Notes and Live Blog

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Will Team Yost Now Call Mary Taylor a Strickland-Redfern Compadre?

The usual suspects who either get their marching orders from Kevin DeWine in Columbus or are phoning it in from Virginia have been desperate to deflect appropriate criticism aimed towards Dave Yost and his expansion of government idea he is calling the Budget Commission.

Current Auditor Mary Taylor has expressed reservations about Yost's plan as well. The Columbus Dispatch has this story:

State Auditor Mary Taylor says an Ohio Budget Commission proposal unveiled this week by auditor candidate Dave Yost could create a conflict-of-interest problem for the office.

“We would be concerned that their might be an independence issue if the legislature were to approve legislation…that required the auditor of state to participate in any budgeting process, and then after the fact would be required to go in and audit,” Taylor said Friday during a taping of ONN’s Capitol Square, which will air Sunday at 10 a.m., noon, and 7 p.m.

Question: Will the Usual Suspects now try to damage our Lieutenant governor candidate too? Haven't these clowns done enough damage?

Meranda v. Gusweiler: Judge Named, and Good News for Taxpayers

Well, it appears this debacle is going to go forward. Tina Meranda, full of self-righteous pride and fury cheered on by kook conspiracy theorists like Dennis Varnau (look for more about this soon) and others, has sunk her money into Eric Deters (after, I am told, she asked the commissioners to pay for her expenses and was smacked down). Judge Gusweiler, who has remained mum during this whole thing, has retained attorneys.

From Wayne Gates and the Brown County Press:

The case now has a judge and Gusweiler has attorneys of record.

A Notice of Appearance of Counsel for Gusweiler was filed Tuesday, April 6.

The Judge will be represented by attorneys George Jonson and Lisa Zaring of the law firm of Montgomery, Rennie and Jonson.

The firm is based in Cincinnati.
Jonson said that he would comment on the case after the matter is resolved.

The next step in the case is for Gusweiler's attorneys to file an answer in the lawsuit.

The deadline for filing the answer is April 28.

A retired Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge will be hearing the case.

The Honorable Thomas Nurre was assigned to the bench by the Supreme Court of Ohio.

That notice was filed with the Brown County Clerk of Courts office on Monday, April 5.

As the case moves forward, common procedure in civil lawsuits is for one or both sides to petition the court with motions of Summary Judgement.

A Summary Judgement is when the judge decides if a side wins or loses as a matter of law.

The judge can find for one side or the other and the case is then over.

Or the judge can deny any motions for judgement and allow the case to move on to trial.

Meranda has asked for a jury trial.

Meranda wants a jury trial to play the victim card. This whole matter should have been done as it was intended, by filing a motion with the 12th district court of appeals and having them make a judgement on the properness of the orders and procedures. However, Meranda wants to make a name for herself as well as smacking others down. She and Deters have already tainted the jury pool by releasing information to the press presented without a chance for rebuttal by the Judge, especailly since Gusweiler by law cannot say anything. But, back to the article:

He added that Gusweiler is bound by state law prohibiting judges from commenting on any pending case, including any that he is personally involved with.

So, see, there is no guilty conscience or secret cabal or conspiracy, rather Judge Gusweiler is following a little something called the law....so there...

On the question of attorney fees, Meranda is paying for the services of her lawyer, Eric Deters, out of her own pocket.

Jonson said Judge Gusweiler is having his legal expenses paid for by an insurance policy provided by judges through the State Supreme Court of Ohio.

Bret Crow, Public Information Officer for the high court, said Gusweiler is eligible for the assistance because the Meranda lawsuit is seeking monetary damages from him as an individual.

Crow said under the current circumstances, Brown County will not be liable for any of Gusweiler's legal expenses.

Well, that is good news, that the people of Brown County will not be paying for the legal fees of either one of these two. However, we will have to pay for the court case in terms of the judge, I believe, as well as the lost work hours of Meranda, Little, and Gusweiler. And, Tina Meranda has cast dirt on her own office (which is founded, considering her own record as given by Mary Taylor, auditor of state), Prosecutor Jessica Little's Office (unfounded, since she was just caught in the middle), and Judge Gusweiler's (this remains to be seen).

Legal eagles I have talked to expect this suit to be thrown out on summary judgement and that Little's choice not to prosecute will be vindicated.

Oh, and by the way....I heard that Jessica Little, before this frivolous suit was filed, was looking into getting independent counsels and such for the case before the 12th district, but that Meranda wanted more and didn't want to pursue things like getting the order overturned through the defined legal channel of the 12th district, but rather either wanted Gusweiler charged or wanted to take out a civil suit, which she did. Hmmm...does this sound like she is just going after Gusweiler because he is like, usurping her authorit-ay or something? Not so much....Stay tuned....

COAST Endorses Morgan for Auditor

Release:

Huber Heights, Ohio - COAST, an anti-tax grassroots organization in Cincinnati, today endorsed Seth Morgan, CPA for Auditor of State.

COAST's announcement stated "Like the outgoing State Auditor, Mary Taylor, Seth Morgan is a Certified Public Accountant, the only one in the race so qualified. He also owns and operates a small business in the Dayton area."

"The COAST endorsement is an acknowledgement that Seth Morgan is the people's candidate and more qualified to Ohio's next Auditor of State than anyone from either party," said Rob Scott, Communications Director for Friends of Seth Morgan. "COAST is a grassroots powerhouse in Southwest Ohio. This organization being behind Seth is huge."

COAST exists to limit the rate of taxes and spending at the federal, state, and local level to within the rate of inflation and to stop the abuse of power by government officials.

COAST advances this cause by consistent and principled adherence to limited government and lower taxes in fighting legislation and ballot initiatives that increase taxes and spending beyond the rate of inflation, and by supporting candidates for public office who advance these principles.

WMD Weapons Inspector's Report Coming Soon

This month's Weapons Inspector Report will be released soon...so if you still haven't signed up for our e-newsletter, there is no better time than right now to put your name and wmail address in the form over in the sidebar.

In this issue:

A MAJOR TIB Radio Announcement: The All-Stars snag a guest that regular listeners have been asking for!

ORP SCC Endorsement Shenanigans

Full coverage of another Dave Yost folly

The Unifying Tie That Binds

Looking at the state of affairs in this polarizing political season, I am somewhat taken aback by what I do see. Watching the assault on our Central Committee (even the so called 'dead weight' members deserve a little better) I am saddened by the attack on some of our veteran members. Many of these 'seniors' have given a lifetime of service to the Party and even though they don't move as fast as they used to, they have, in my opinion, great value to impart to us.

I had such a member in my office a couple of weeks ago. He couldn't quite understand why he had not one, but four opponents. As I broke it down for him it dawned on him that some would seize political opportunity because they were tired of waiting for their turn. Some would say this old fellow had outlived his usefulness, but I respectfully disagree. Is there something in our current state of affairs that says that if you are over 65 that you should sent out to pasture and leave the politicking to us younger people?

I wasn't raised up in the party that way. I was and still am being mentored by some of the best people who could ever call themselves Republicans. Maybe I am old fashioned or some would say delusional, but I believe that our elders can teach us a few things. Values such as loyalty, pride and belief in what you are doing. One such member, Don Cotton is a respected member of the party, yet he finds himself with opposition. Mr. Cotton and his generation carried the load of this Party for decades when it wasn't quite so fashionable to be a Republican. He and his wife Jean were warriors and well respected. I encourage anyone who wants to help him to contact him and volunteer. There are many others who could use help, if interested, let me know.

Speaking of dead weight, it is easy to pick and poke at others who do not agree with us 100% of the time. I grew up in a time when if you dared to have a different opinion you were ostracized and even thrown out on your ear for being different or maverick or a rebel. Hopefully, we have learned valuable lessons on that when we can disagree without being disagreeable. However, some people do harbor feelings of spite and hatefulness on issues that are done and over with. What a waste of time, talent and energy!

Someone alluded to the 'call for unity' plea that is going around these days. That is a pipe dream for most people. Those of us who try to effect change understand that consensus is closer to what is needed versus unity. Unity can never be achieved as long as people harbor those grudge like feelings or think they are superior to others. Like it or not, we are all equal in the sight of the Almighty. My goal has always been to be a difference maker and even when I lose I try to see the big picture. My hope is that we truly understand that our influence on others is what makes us leaders, not force fed but done in a spirit of love and harmony. As Lincoln so aptly said, 'Tact is the ability to describe someone as they see themselves".

Meranda v. Gusweiler: Bus to run over Prosecutor Little?

From the Brown County Press, as covered by editor Wayne Gates, who has been on top of this story from the initial "I don't give a F" to the current situation:

Brown County Prosecutor Jessica Little says she's being asked by citizens why she's not prosecuting Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Gusweiler.

Could these people be part of the Meranda crew that worked so hard to spread disinformation before endorsements a couple years ago about Gail DeClaire? Could these folks be people who are looking to get the Prosecutor to fall in line? Bottom line, Tina Meranda has screwed three offices in Brown County--Hers, Judge Gusweiler, and Prosecutor Little. All three are now tainted by this shameful display.

Look, I don't like Gusweiler's ALLEGED language, and think he should have kept his cool. I also think this whole thing could have been done better on both people's parts.

Also, I have not gotten a copy of the lawsuit yet as Eric Deters has NOT lived up to his promise of putting it on his website, though Editor Gates did say that the lawsuit is in the clerk of courts office as of the last Friday in March. I will have to see about getting a copy and checking out the "allegations."

Bottom line: Jessica Little knows the law. I will let Wayne's reporting of Prosecutor Little speak for itself:

Little said she's not filing charges because she does not believe Gusweiler is guilty of a criminal offense.

Concerning the case, Little said "I'm not on anyone's side here. I'm on the side of the law."

Meranda is alleging in her suit that Gusweiler intimidated her into giving up the keys.

Ohio Revised Code prohibits public officials from using the power of their office to intimidate others...but Little said that, in her opinion, the Judge did not break the law.

According to the complaint filed by Meranda, Gusweiler violated Ohio revised Code 2921.03, which covers criminal intimidation.

The complaint continues by claiming that Gusweiler is "civilly liable" to Meranda.

Little was a witness to the confrontation between Meranda and Gusweiler.

Little confirms that Gusweiler threatened Meranda with arrest, but said he did so in a lawful way.

"Ohio Revised Code gives a Judge power to punish someone in their presence", Little said.

In fact, Ohio Revised Code 2705.01 says "A court, or judge at chambers, may summarily punish a person guilty of misbehavior in the presence of or so near the court or judge as to obstruct the administration of justice."

The word "summarily" is important, because it is defined as "immediately" or "without notice".

According to Meranda's complaint, Gusweiler had given Meranda a court order demanding the keys and threatened her with arrest if she did not produce them.

If she had not done so, the legal argument could be made that she was not complying with the Judge's court order and was therefore 'obstructing the administration of justice" and could be found in contempt of court.

Additionally, Ohio Revised Code 2705.02 says that a person guilty of "disobedience of, or resistance to a lawful order of a court or officer" is guilty of contempt.

Once given the court order, a legal avenue appealing the court order to the Ohio 12th Circuit Court of Appeals was open to Meranda.

Concerning the lawsuit, Little said she has not been asked to assist Gusweiler to find an attorney as of yet.

As a defendant, Gusweiler is eligible to have an attorney paid for at county expense.

Now, we may not like the language used by Gusweiler, but it seems to me the law was followed in the particular instance that was first reported by the Press in this matter. I will have to look at the other alleged violations once I get my hands on the lawsuit and read it fully.

But, Tina Meranda appears bent on costing Gusweiler, the county, and the people of Brown County money because she didn't like what Gusweiler said or did. It appears that her ego is once again trampling on others, and that the bus is trying to mow down Gusweiler and now possibly Little. I wonder what the Republican party apparatus thinks of this whole mess? I know what I think.

So, the Clerk of Courts office, the Judge's office, and maybe even the Prosecutor's office will lose work hours because of this suit, and all that will be done will be to help someone's ego and pocketbook at the expense of the taxpayers. Way to think about the people!

4/5/2010 7pm Update

Here is a link from the News Democrat that has the pdf of the lawsuit.

My take continues to be that this is about pride, money, and hurt feelings and political and monetary opportunism. Is Gusweiler squeaky lily white clean in this? Nope. However, does it rise to this level of seriousness, a breach in the very division of labor and powers by law? Not so much. And I agree with other commenters. Stop attempting to smear Jessica Little as ignorant or not doing her job. Unlike her predecessor, she works a bunch of hours and tries to get things moving through the courts when there is cause.

Happy Easter from WMD and TIB!

God bless you all....

He is Risen...He is Risen indeed....

TIB All Stars -- Show Notes and Live Blog

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Clearing the Air on the Yost's "Statist War on Fat" (Includes Audio)

Awhile back, I got an audio file of Dave Yost doing his stump speech at an endorsement function that was characterized as Dave ranting about how we should choose apples over chips or some such nonsense.  The clip is five minutes long and the portion that I have been dubbing "Dave Yost's Statist War on Fat" lasts for about a minute or so and is about three minutes in to the clip.

Having now heard the clip, and heard from Dave directly, I can now discuss the issue and analyze it with some perspective.  But first, folks should really hear this for themselves -- in context, so I am providing the entire clip.


Free website - Wix.com

Context is important, but in our sound-byte driven environment, it is very easy to come away from that section of the speech as "Dave Yost wants to make sure that you chose an apple instead of chips." when that really isn't what he is trying to say at all.  Dave wrote me to explain:

OK. Specifically, Hamilton County has received a federal grant for $6.7 million to make it "eaiser" for people to eat right and exercise more. I use this stimulus-funded boondoggle in every stump speech as an example of what's wrong with our spendthrift government, and the inter-generational theft that's going on in Washington AND Columbus. (Strickland, who cannot legally run a deficit, has simply gotten Obama to do it for him.)

I'd rather be fit than not (at the moment, I'm in the "not category) but the worthy ideal of fitness is none of the federal government's business.

Folks, these speeches are boring enough as it is, but we all have to start doing a better job of listening -- myself included.  Granted, I think Dave chose a very easily misunderstood example and if you listen to the clip, I don't think Dave actually gets to making his point very effectively (if at all).
BOTTOM LINE: Dave isn't a statist hellbent on waging a War on Fat.  Thank goodness...  I still don't know what this has to do with the Auditor's race, but I feel better about it now.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Cliff Rosenberger to Be Guest on TIB Radio

On tomorrow night's TIB All-Stars Show, we will be joined by Cliff Rosenberger on the SkypeLine.  Cliff is a candidate for the 86th Ohio House of Representatives seat.  Rosenberger will be featured in the second hour (&PM) segment.

Be sure to check it out!

CHARTS: US Senate (Ohio)

Source: Rasmussen Reports

Dates: 1) 9/25/2009 2) 12/7/2009 3) 1/12/2010 4) 2/5/2010 5) 3/4/2010 6) 3/30/2010

A Tale of Two Butler County Commissioners

The Enquirer has a pretty interesting article on Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner -- in which there are two quotes from a couple of our Butler County Commissioners that I simply have to highlight.

The first comes from Commissioner Chuck Furmon who has me contemplating an addition to my usual tag for Boehner:

"He's our voice of reason in Washington," said Butler County commissioner Chuck Furmon. "He's the Right Knight of Congress. I totally support John Boehner and what he stands for, and I appreciate the job he's done since he's been in office."

That is seriously high praise!  Right Knight of Congress...I like that...a lot.


The second comes from Commissioner Greg Jolivette and deals with the dreaded and evil practice of earmarking:

Butler County commissioner Greg Jolivette said that while he supports Boehner's fierce opposition to earmarks, he still wishes the congressman would see to it that his home county gets its share once the money is available.

"We need to get our fair share of that," Jolivette said. "I don't like my federal dollars going to a project in Timbuktu when I know we have very important projects in the Eighth District that need attention."

Uh, Greg, earmarking is bad, m-kay?  All that pork is raising the national debt and making it that more difficult for America to get its act together.  I applaud Speaker Boehner for taking this righteous stand and for absorbing the heat from folks who think federal dollars grow on trees.

CHART: Ohio Governor

Source: Rasmussen Reports

Dates: 1) 9/25/2009 2) 12/7/2009 3) 1/12/2010 4) 2/5/2010 5) 3/4/2010 6) 3/30/2010

Analysis: Strickland gains appear to be from people who previously were voting for "someone else" and a small group of Kasich supporters.