Coal Groups Blast Sherrod Brown's Comments

COLUMBUS - The Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia coal associations responded to remarks Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown made as ‘patently false’ during a U.S. Senate debate at the City Club of Cleveland on Oct. 16.

During the debate, a questioner asked Senator Brown how he could support jobs and cheaper energy in Ohio while backing a president that has declared war on coal.

"There is no war on coal. Period. There are more coal jobs and more coal produced in Ohio than there were five years ago, in spite of the talking points and the yard signs," responded Brown.

President Obama’s bullying regulatory measures, such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Utility MACT rule, which Senator Brown supported, while other Democrats from coal states like Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) did not, will have a direct impact on coal and coal-fired power plants in Ohio and other states. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce called the rule one of the most expensive in U.S. history because of the excessive burden it places on power plants.

“Senator Sherrod Brown has been no friend of coal. Period.  Don’t be fooled because the facts don’t lie. President Obama is waging a war on coal with Senator Brown as his lieutenant. Look at the job loss reports this year alone. The truth is that any more job loss might impact our current electric grid and brown outs could be a likely scenario,” said Mike Carey.  

Background

Ohio Manufacturers: “National Economic Research Associates, a firm that evaluates economic impacts for government agencies, associations and businesses, in a preliminary analysis for the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity projects that Utility MACT and CSAPR will result in 1.4 million lost jobs nationally over the next nine years, including 53,500 jobs in Ohio.” (Columbus Dispatch, 10/20/11)  

PolitiFactOhio, Mostly True: Ohio coal industry says Obama promised to bankrupt coal-fired power plant builders The Obama administration has unquestionably angered the coal industry with rules or proposals affecting air quality standards, coal ash, renewable energy and the issuance of permits needed for coal mining. (Plain Dealer, 3/1/11)

With An Estimated $9.6 Billion Price Tag, The Rules Rank Among The Most Expensive In The EPA’s History. Large Ohio coal plants will go dark within a few years. Duke Energy announced that the Walter C. Beckjord Generating Station in Clermont County east of Cincinnati will cease operating coal-fired units in 2015. The plant has produced energy for six decades. (Dayton Daily News, 1/6/12)

Coal Raked by Regulations

• Alpha Natural Resources will cut 1,200 workers (Press Release, 9/28/12)
• PBS Coals Inc. and RoxCoal will lay off 225 workers (Erich Schwartzel, “Tow coal companies downsize,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 7/20/12)
• Arch Coal announced they will be furloughing 500 employees (Jack Latta, “Massive layoffs with Arch Coal mine closings,” Floyd County Times 7/18/12)
• Peabody to close Indiana mine (Sonja Elmquist, “Peabody to close coal mine on ‘soft market conditions,’” Bloomberg 9/5/2012)
• Patriot Coal goes bankrupt (Study, “Obama Energy Policies Are Working: Patriot Coal Goes Bankrupt,” Institute for Energy Research 7/16/12)
• The nonpartisan U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated 175 coal power plants are scheduled to be shut down from 2012 to 2016.

Sherrod Brown Voted to Raise Taxes and Raise His Pay -- But Didn't Pay His Own Taxes

Release:

Columbus, OH – State Treasurer Josh Mandel was joined by homeowners today at press conferences across Ohio and highlighted that Senator Sherrod Brown voted to raise taxes, but didn’t pay his own taxes three times.

“Senator Brown is a serial delinquent when it comes to not paying his property taxes. He voted to raise our taxes more than thirty times, but failed to pay his own taxes three separate times,” Treasurer Mandel said. “Sherrod Brown only managed to pay his property taxes after a reporter asked him about it, and at one point in time he had fallen so far behind that his condo was listed for public auction." 

 

Treasurer Mandel was joined by concerned homeowners in Hamilton, Franklin, and Cuyahoga counties.

 

“To make matters worse, Senator Brown sits on the Banking Committee and the Subcommittee on Housing. When the guy who’s supposed to be writing our banking and housing laws can’t be bothered to pay taxes on his condo, it’s time to send him packing,” Mandel added. 

 

Treasurer Mandel also released a new TV ad to highlight the issue. 

 

Josh Mandel Ad: "Serial Delinquent"

 

 

WATCH

 

SCRIPT

 

ANNOUNCER:  Sherrod Brown caught not paying his taxes.

 

NEWS ANCHOR: According to The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Senator Brown was also delinquent in 2006 and 2007.

 

ANNOUNCER: But Brown had no problem raising our taxes and voting six times to raise his own pay.

 

Sherrod Brown, making Washington work for himself.

 

Marine Veteran, State Treasurer Josh Mandel, has a plan to bring jobs to Ohio and change to Washington.

 

JOSH MANDEL: The only way to change Washington is to change the people we send there.

 

I’m Josh Mandel and I approve this message.

 

BACKGROUND

 

YouTube: WCMH-TV (Columbus): NBC4’s Mikaela Hunt Reports on Sen. Brown’s Tax Delinquency 

WATCH: http://youtu.be/AVGtQUXZKPc   

 

Sherrod Brown Acknowledges He Forgot To Pay His Taxes On Apartment He Has Owned In Washington For Twenty Years. “Sen. Sherrod Brown acknowledged today that he was late paying 2011 property tax on a 400-square-foot apartment he has owned for 20 years in Washington. (Jack Torry, “Brown admits he was late on property tax,” The Columbus Dispatch, 2/25/12)

 

Records Show Sherrod Brown is a Repeat Offender When It Comes To Paying His Taxes. “This was not the first time, records Show … When a reporter noted that it also happened five and six years ago, Brown said: ‘I misplaced it then.’” (Stephen Koff, “Sen. Sherrod Brown was delinquent on taxes for his D.C. condo,” The Cleveland Plain Dealer, 2/15/12)

 

The Associated Press Reports, “Ohio’s U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown Was Late On His Taxes.” “Ohio’s U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown was more than four months late paying a $922 tax bill on his Washington, D.C., condo apartment and got slapped with $123 in penalties and interest.” (AP, 2/15/12)

 

The Cleveland Plain Dealer Awards Sherrod Brown “JEERS” For Failing To Pay His Taxes. “To Sen. Sherrod Brown for forgetting (again) to pay the taxes on the condominium where he stays in Washington, D.C., when the Senate is in session. The Democrat always makes it right, eventually, but being late costs him penalties and interest. In  2007, the local taxman put the place on an auction list for delinquent taxes before he paid up. ("Cheers and Jeers," The Cleveland Plain Dealer, 2/16/12)

 

Brown Voted Six Times In Favor Of A Pay Raise For Members Of Congress. (H.R. 3756, CQ Vote #323: Passed by a vote of 215-207: R 209-20; D 6-186; I 0-1, 7/17/96, Brown Voted Nay; H.R. 2378, CQ Vote #435: Motion agreed to by a vote of 229-199: R 114-110; D 115-88; I 0-1, 9/24/97, Brown Voted Yea; H.R. 4104, CQ Vote #494: Adopted by a vote of 290-137: R 209-15; D 81-121; I 0-1, 10/7/98, Brown Voted Nay; H. Res. 560, CQ Vote #419: Motion agreed to by a vote of 250-173: R 124-94; D 126-77; I 0-2, 7/20/00, Brown Voted Yea; H.R. 5120, H. Res. 488, CQ Vote #322: Motion agreed to by a vote of 258-156: R 128-84; D 129-71; I 1-1, 7/18/02, Brown Voted Yea; S. 1813, CQ Vote #38: Rejected by a vote of 41-57: R 38-7; D 3-48; I 0-2, 3/13/12, Brown Voted Nay)

GUEST COLUMN: "Calling All Conservatives"

Karen Norling

By Karen Norling

Did you know that essentially every time Sherrod Brown has the opportunity to vote in favor of preserving innocent human life, he chooses to do just the opposite? Indeed, throughout his far-too-many years in the House and Senate, he has invariably voted not only to uphold abortion-on-demand, but to continue using our tax dollars to pay for it.

Worse yet, he consistently votes to keep our tax dollars flowing into foreign countries to pay for abortions performed there. (Refer to House Resolutions: 4811 and 2606 -- 106th Congress; 2159, 1757, and 581 -- 105th Congress; 1561 and 1868 -- 104th Congress.)

If you doubt that Sherrod places absolutely no value on the life of the unborn, just take a look at the groups who support him. Among them: The National Abortion and “Reproductive-Rights” Action League (NARAL), Planned Parenthood’s “Women are Watching” (WAW), and the National Organization for Women (NOW).
The folks at NARAL continually give Sherrod a 100% rating. Why? Because he does everything he can to maintain the right of women to end their pregnancies (up to and throughout the ninth month of gestation) for any reason -- again, at taxpayer expense.

Here is NARAL’s statement of purpose, as quoted from the NARAL website: “NARAL Pro-Choice America uses the political process to elect lawmakers who share our pro-choice [i.e., pro-abortion] values and defeat candidates [like Sherrod’s opponent, Josh Mandel] who don’t . . . We are passionate about our work -- and we couldn’t do our job without the great people who stand with us. That’s why Fortune magazine has described . . . [us] as one of the top 10 advocacy [i.e., pro-abortion] groups in America.”

Here is just a small sample of what the NARAL-gals -- and their pal Sherrod -- have so “passionately” fought against (likewise, from the NARAL website): “Targeted Regulation on Abortion Providers,” “Restrictions on Young Women’s [minors’] Access to [out-of-state] Abortion,” “Mandatory-Ultrasound Legislation,” “Personhood Measures,” “Mandatory Parental-Involvement Laws,” the “Federal Abortion Ban,” and “The Bush Administration’s Federal Abortion Ban.”

I might add here, that as troubling as it is that Sherrod makes a habit of voting against such pro-life measures as those listed above, it is far more troubling that he voted against the “District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” less than two months ago, as well as the “Partial-Birth Abortion Ban” Acts of 1995, 1997, and 2003.

The “Pain-Capable” Act sought to eliminate abortions performed after 20 weeks, when the fetus would be capable of experiencing pain; the “Partial-Birth Abortion Ban” Acts sought to eliminate the practice of “partial-birth” abortion. Whereas the Acts of 1995 and 1997 failed to garner enough votes to become law, the Act of 2003 did garner enough votes and was signed into law that same year.
If you’re not sure precisely what Sherrod voted, time and again, not to ban, with regard to each of the partial-birth ban Acts, here are several quotes from a presentation longtime partial-birth-abortion practitioner/enthusiast, Martin Haskell, M.D., delivered at the 1992 “National Abortion Federation Risk Management Seminar,” titled, “Second Trimester D&X, 20 Wks. and Beyond”:

“ . . . The surgical assistant places an ultrasound probe on the patient’s [mother’s] abdomen and scans the fetus” so the “surgeon” can visualize the fetus’ “lower extremities.” Then, the “surgeon introduces . . . large grasping forcep[s] . . . into the corpus of the uterus.” Using the ultrasound image as his guide . . . the surgeon “moves the tip of the . . . [forceps] carefully toward the fetal lower extremities. When the . . . [forceps] appear . . . on the sonogram screen the surgeon “open[s] and close[s] . . . [the forceps’] jaws” to “firmly and reliably grasp a lower extremity. The surgeon then applies firm traction to the . . . forceps . . . and pulls the extremity into the vagina . . . With a lower extremity in the vagina, the surgeon uses his fingers to deliver the opposite lower extremity, then the torso, then the shoulders and upper extremities,” until the “skull lodges at the internal cervix os [opening] . . . At this point, the . . . surgeon slides the fingers of . . . [his] left hand along the back of the fetus and ‘hooks’ the shoulders of the fetus with the index and ring finger (palm down).” Subsequently, the “surgeon takes a pair of blunt-curved Metzenbaum scissors . . . forces the scissors into the base of the skull . . . having safely entered the skull, he spreads the scissors to enlarge the opening.” Then “the surgeon removes the scissors and introduces a suction catheter into this hole” to “evacuate . . . the skull contents.” Finally, the surgeon “applies traction to the fetus, removing it completely from the patient [mother].”

Keeping that in mind, let’s take a peek at what the activists at “WAW” have to say about Sherrod (quoted from the WAW website): “With nearly 40 years of public service, Sherrod Brown has amassed a decades-long record of advancing women’s health care [i.e., women’s access to taxpayer-funded abortion]. He votes consistently on the side of women, young adults, and families . . . Now Sherrod Brown is up for re-election and needs your help to keep his job . . . He always strongly supports Title X, the nation’s family planning [taxpayer-funded abortion] program, and has stood strong to protect Planned Parenthood health centers’ ability to provide health care [i.e., taxpayer-funded abortion] through federal [i.e., tax-payer-funded] programs . . . Ohio will again be a key battleground state in the 2012 election. It’s critical that Sherrod’s allies on the ground show their support for the candidate who fights for our health and security [i.e., our taxpayer-funded access to abortion].”

Finally, no pro-abortion candidate’s arsenal of endorsements would be complete without the endorsement of NOW. According to NOW’s website, that endorsement means that Sherrod “fully supports [providing] access to safe and legal [taxpayer-funded] abortion . . . effective [taxpayer-funded] birth control and [taxpayer-funded] emergency contraception.” Put another way, it means that he “oppose[s] attempts to restrict these rights through legislation, regulation or Constitutional amendment.”
My fellow-conservatives, we are not in the minority in this country, as evidenced by our massive turnout on “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day,” several weeks ago. So let’s stand together and repeat that type of turnout on November 6. Yes, let’s lead Sherrod’s opponent, 100% pro-life Josh Mandel, to a landslide, no-holds-barred, victory -- the likes of which Ohio has never seen.

How can we claim to truly support family values if we choose to do anything else?

AD: "Stop Raising Electric Bills and Cut Spending"

This is a pretty good ad hitting Senator "Charade" Brown for the big three votes that will continue to be the albatross around his neck as this race continues...

The failed stimulus bill...his vote to increase our electricity bills...and...the ObamaCare Tax hike on the middle class... Charade has voted for them all...



It is time we had a senator in Washington who opposed wasteful spending instead of embracing it.

Mandel on SCOTUS Decision

Release:

Columbus, Ohio -- Today’s Supreme Court decision sets the stage for the November election. Now, the only way the American people can stop the federal government’s takeover of health care is to change the people we send to Washington. Sherrod Brown cast the deciding vote for the Affordable Care Act that Ohio voters overwhelmingly rejected last November. Josh Mandel believes that the legislation must be fully repealed in order to reduce costs, protect access, and prevent this bill from doing further harm to the economy.

Please see the below statement:

“Sherrod Brown staked his 38-year political career on casting the deciding vote for what will likely go down as the biggest tax increase in history. This is not just any old tax increase, it is a tax increase that falls squarely upon the shoulders of the poor, the middle class, and small businesses that can least afford to pay it. Even worse, this law increases the cost of care, puts government bureaucrats between patients and their doctors, and hurts the ability of private sector job creators in Ohio to give their workers the benefits they deserve. The voters of Ohio overwhelmingly rejected this one-size-fits-all approach last November, and I am confident they will do so again this November.

We can fix the problems in our health care system without a federal takeover and without a massive new tax on the poor and middle class. As Senator, I will fight for market-based solutions that allow patients to choose their doctor without government interference. I will fight to reduce the cost of insurance by increasing competition, encouraging innovative ideas like association health plans and health savings accounts, and reducing junk lawsuits that drive up the cost of everyone’s medical care. The choice in this election is between taxing the uninsured to pay for a big government plan that takes away freedom and a free market plan that reduces costs, increases access to high quality care, and protects the relationship between doctors and their patients.” -- State Treasurer Josh Mandel, Republican Candidate For U.S. Senate

Sherrod Brown Threatens Coal Jobs In Ohio

Release:

Columbus, Ohio – Today, thirty-eight year politician Sherrod Brown voted against S.J. Res. 37, which would have prevented one of the most expensive Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules in history that threatens coal jobs in Ohio and will lead to higher energy costs for families across the state. S.J. Res 37 was a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act intended to stop implementation of the EPA's Utility MACT rule. Sherrod Brown, who was considered a swing vote on this important issue for several months leading up to today’s vote, dodged media questions about the legislation before ultimately voting against it today.

Please see the below statement:

“Thirty-eight year politician Sherrod Brown’s vote to uphold the expensive Utility MACT regulation is a perfect example of how he has lost touch with the people he represents. Brown is fond of saying that choosing between jobs and environmental policy is a false choice, but today he used his vote on the Senate floor to make his choice clear by opposing coal jobs and coal-fired electricity plants. When it came down to it, Sherrod Brown did not have the courage to stand up to Barack Obama and radical environmentalists in order to protect jobs in Ohio’s coal industry. Ohio families should be concerned about the effect Sherrod Brown's vote will have on energy prices and the reliability of our power supply.

Sherrod Brown’s vote not only means higher electricity bills for families and businesses, it threatens the jobs of our fellow Ohioans that work in or around the coal industry. I have been in the mines and have stood shoulder to shoulder with the very coal miners that Sherrod Brown’s vote threatens to impact, and I will continue to do everything possible to protect their jobs, which begins with voters firing Sherrod Brown and changing Washington by changing the people we send there.” – State Treasurer Josh Mandel, Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate

Sherrod Brown's Vote Against Coal Hurt Ohio

Release:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (June 20, 2012) – Today Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown voted against a Congressional Review Act (CRA), Senate Joint Resolution 37, that would have disapproved and nullified the EPA’s recently issued rule penalizing Ohio’s coal-fired electric power plants.

“Instead of helping Ohio families and workers still reeling from America’s economic downturn, Senator Brown chose to show his support for an EPA rule issued by President Obama that would destroy Ohio jobs and sky-rocket electricity prices for consumers,” said President of the Ohio Coal Association Mike Carey.

The CRA introduced by Senator Inhofe (R-OK) would make sure the EPA writes a sensible regulation that reduces mercury emissions but does not raise energy prices unnecessarily. Senator Brown did not support the measure when it was voted on today.

“The rules issued by the EPA are an unreasonable extension of President Obama’s war on the coal industry and Ohio electricity consumers. Ohio’s coal industry supplies the majority Ohio’s electricity and keeps rates competitive. Dramatically increasing these rates will destroy important economic sectors in Ohio, including manufacturing which needs low energy costs to compete in a global marketplace,” said Carey.

Independent research shows electricity prices could increase by as much as 300 percent in northern Ohio. UBS projects prices will increase at least 60 percent for 2015-2016.

“Ohioans are paying a high price for Senator Brown’s support for the Obama war on coal,” said Carey.

Josh Mandel Endorsed By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Release:

Columbus, Ohio – Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will officially endorse State Treasurer of Ohio Josh Mandel in the race to defeat incumbent U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. Treasurer Mandel is the first candidate to be endorsed by the Chamber this election cycle, signifying how important the Ohio election is to restoring balance in the U.S. Senate. A press conference will take place today at 2:00 p.m. announcing the endorsement at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, 230 East Town St., in Columbus. “I am proud to have earned support from the world’s largest business organization. As a strong advocate for the free-enterprise system, my number one priority in the U.S. Senate will be to help create an environment that allows the private sector to grow and create jobs,” said Treasurer Josh Mandel. “We need to replace Washington failures with common sense solutions like reducing regulatory burdens and fixing our tax code to make America more competitive in the globalized marketplace.” Rob Engstrom, the Chamber’s National Political Director, told The Columbus Dispatch yesterday, "[Sherrod Brown] has one of the worst records in the U.S. Senate on business issues … We're really excited to support Josh Mandel and we desperately need his help in Washington to restore a free enterprise approach to the economic challenges we're facing.” The endorsement comes in the middle of a statewide tour Treasurer Mandel is conducting to discuss his pro-growth agenda with job creators and blue-collar workers in several different industries across 22 of Ohio’s 88 counties

Josh Mandel Launches Statewide Jobs Tour

Release:

Columbus, Ohio -- Yesterday in Akron, State Treasurer Josh Mandel, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, launched a statewide jobs tour to visit and learn from job creators and workers across the Buckeye State. This week, Treasurer Mandel will visit small businesses in 22 of Ohio’s 88 counties and discuss his pro-growth solutions with the men and women who help move Ohio's economy forward and strengthen the middle class. “Ohio is home to small businesses and blue-collar workers that are the backbone of the American economy,” said Josh Mandel. “Yet many Ohio businesses are struggling to survive while politicians in Washington spend hard earned tax dollars like there’s no tomorrow, bankrupt our children's future, and stifle any hope of private sector growth with high taxes and costly regulations.” This week, Josh will make stops in Summit, Trumbull, Mahoning, Jefferson, Knox, Muskingum, Guernsey, Tuscarawas, Wayne, Stark, Lake, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Lucas, Wood, Henry, Fulton, Williams, Allen, Darke, Miami and Montgomery counties. “Politicians want us to believe that Washington has all the answers. My message to private sector business owners and blue collar workers across Ohio is that Washington isn’t the answer -- Washington is the problem,” said Mandel. “Unlike some of the plans out there, my jobs plan isn’t full of new ways to spend your tax dollars. Rather, it talks about common sense solutions that get the government out of the way so Ohio families and business owners can unleash the private sector economy for new job growth in Ohio and across America.” Treasurer Mandel's plan includes reducing federal spending, balancing the budget, overhauling the tax code, and removing barriers to energy exploration. A downloadable version of the plan can be found at Jobs.JoshMandel.com.

Sherrod Brown Voting Record Nets 'F' Grade From National Taxpayers Union

Release:

Columbus, Ohio -- After analyzing 234 Senate roll call votes on taxes, spending and regulations, the National Taxpayers Union (NTU) gave Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown an “F” rating for voting the pro-taxpayer position only six percent (6%) of the time in 2011.

Brown tied two of his colleagues for the lowest taxpayer rating of any Senator. His F-rating also earned him NTU’s designation of “Big Spender."

“Since Sherrod Brown began his spending binge in Washington two decades ago our national debt has increased more than $11 trillion. If we want to change the out of control spending in Washington, we have to change who we send there. State Treasurer Josh Mandel has protected taxpayer money by cutting his office budget by more than a million dollars, returning $400,000 in unspent dollars to the state treasury, and earning Ohio the highest credit ratings possible for the funds he manages. As Senator, Josh Mandel will fight to balance the federal budget and stop the wasteful spending that is burying our children and grandchildren in debt.” – Travis Considine, Communications Director Josh Mandel For U.S. Senate


Treasurer Mandel's Record Of Success

Josh Mandel Protects Hard Earned Ohio Taxpayer Dollars. “‘As the chief watchdog of Ohio’s tax dollars, I feel a responsibility to root out fraud wherever I see,’ Mandel said. He described the allegations of fraud against the two banks as ‘an extreme breach of the public trust.’” (Alan Johnson, “Statewide pension funds drop two banks,” The Columbus Dispatch, 3/20/12)

“Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel severed contracts yesterday with two major banks that handled $41 billion in Ohio pension investments, accusing them of ‘systematically exploiting public pension funds and taxpayers.’” (Alan Johnson, “Statewide pension funds drop two banks,” The Columbus Dispatch, 3/20/12)

Josh Mandel Fulfills Campaign Pledge To Help End Fraud And Corruption. “’The pattern of fraud that has been detailed and alleged across the country against banks entrusted to safeguard funds for Ohio teachers, police, firefighters and retirees is an extreme breach of the public trust,’ Mandel said. ‘I have been fighting against abuse and corruption in banks that serve as international custodians for Ohio pension funds for the last two years, and as treasurer I feel that I have a duty to end custodial agreements with banks being sued for defrauding taxpayers.’” (Laura Bischoff, “Ohio claims fraud involved 2 East Coast banks,” Dayton Daily News, 3/19/12)

“His predecessor, Democrat Kevin Boyce, had hired the wife a State Street lobbyist as an office assistant. Mandel also questioned why Boyce would choose State Street less than a year after California’s attorney general sued the bank, accusing it of overcharging pension funds for foreign currency trades — the same practice DeWine is investigating.” (Joe Guillen, “Ohio treasurer ending relationships with 2 banks,” The Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/19/12)

Josh Mandel Takes On Big Wall Street Banks. “The Ohio move is the first time a state publicly completely has severed ties with BNY Mellon amid the currency-trading investigations; previously, pension funds in Massachusetts and Los Angeles have restricted foreign-exchange trading with the bank.” (Matthias Rieker and Jean Eaglesham, “Ohio Cuts Ties With Mellon, State Street,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/19/12)

Mandel Overhauls The Treasurer’s Office To Save Ohio $1.2 Million. “[Mandel’s] changes helped produce a $400,000 surplus that Mandel returned to the state treasury at the end of the fiscal year on June 30. In addition, he projected an estimated $1.2 million savings in the current biennium.” (Alan Johnson, "Mandel Tightens Money Belt," The Columbus Dispatch, 07/12/11)

Mandel Implements Electronic Bank Transfers, Which Will Save Ohio $100,000. “Until recently, a state treasurer employee was making a round trip to a Cleveland bank five days a week, transporting an average of $11million a day in checks written to the state of Ohio. No more. By converting to electronic deposits, the state is sparing taxpayers the cost and security risk of the weekday trips, plus an estimated $100,000 a year savings in check-processing and related fees and by gaining access to deposits more quickly, Treasurer Josh Mandel said.” (Alan Johnson, "Mandel Tightens Money Belt," The Columbus Dispatch, 07/12/11)



Mandel Saves Ohio $30,000 By Disconnecting Unused Phone Lines. "The treasurer reported saving $30,000 annually by disconnecting unused phone, fax and mobile phone lines; $10,000 by lowering cellphone minutes; and $47,000 by consolidating regional offices." (Alan Johnson, "Mandel Tightens Money Belt," The Columbus Dispatch, 07/12/11) 



Mandel Maintains The Highest Rating Possible For STAR Ohio. "Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel said the state's STAR Ohio investment fund has maintained the highest possible rating, AAAm, from Standard & Poor’s rating agency. The fund is invested by the treasurer for contributing school districts and local governments." (Alan Johnson, "Ohio investment fund retains top rating while others are downgraded," The Columbus Dispatch, 09/08/11)

Ohioans, Don't Be Fooled By Sherrod Brown's "Early April Fools"

Release:

Columbus, Ohio – Sherrod Brown tried an interesting new tactic today to distract voters from the fact that it has been 1,065 days since he and his Senate Democrat colleagues last passed a budget.

Brown sent a press release this afternoon accusing his opponent of “lying about Senate Dems not passing a budget”.

Then, Brown inexplicably tried to cite a PolitiFact article as proof. But the article confirms that: “Indeed, the last time the Senate passed a budget resolution was in 2009 for the 2010 fiscal year, according to a report on the budget process by the Congressional Research Service.”

“We were scratching our heads until we looked at the calendar and realized that this must be Sherrod Brown’s early April Fool's joke on the people of Ohio,” said Travis Considine. “Well, we’re not laughing, because all this twisted new tactic shows us is that the arrogance of two decades in Washington, where politicians still expect people to believe every mistruth they say, has finally caught up to Sherrod Brown.”

Josh Mandel Opposes New EPA Utility MACT Decision, Calls on Sherrod Brown to Join Him in Bipartisan Effort to Stand Up to This Job-Killing Regulation

Release:

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Yesterday afternoon the federal Environmental Protection Agency announced a new job-killing rule known as Utility MACT (Maximum Achievable Control Technology) that is expected to cost Ohioans thousands of jobs, close energy production plants and increase energy rates for Ohioans.

The Ohio Manufacturers Association anticipates 53,500 Ohio jobs will be lost and electricity rates will increase 13% as a result of the Utility MACT rule. Moreover, according to the EPA’s own numbers, Utility MACT will impose an estimated $11 billion each year in new costs for our already struggling economy. Several Ohio power producers representing thousands of Ohio jobs, such as American Electric Power, Duke Energy, and FirstEnergy have announced plant closures and layoffs as a result of this most recent overreach by the EPA.

The Utility MACT regulation has been at the center of intense scrutiny as a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators, including Democrats Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), have called for a delay in its implementation so that its negative economic impact may be fully studied and to allow companies to adjust. The EPA has acknowledged that Utility MACT may be the most expensive rule ever issued for power plants. Ohio will suffer more than most states due to Ohio’s reliance on coal-fired power generation.

This new job-killing regulation bombards Ohio businesses in the wake of yesterday's report by The Columbus Dispatch that, according to population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau, Ohio ranks 48th in growth.

“Republican, Democratic and Independent civic leaders and elected officials have joined together to voice their concerns over this irrational, unnecessary and job-killing EPA rule,” said Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel. “Why is Sherrod Brown standing idly by and doing nothing while Washington bureaucrats issue job-killing regulations for Ohio?” Mandel asked.

Mandel added, "We've already drawn a line in the sand on oil and gas exploration with Sherrod Brown choosing fringe extremists and Washington bureaucrats over jobs for Ohio families. Now we are drawing another line in the sand where Sherrod Brown can either stand with us on jobs for Ohio, or once again stand with fringe extremists and bureaucrats in Washington. This out-of-touch Washington regulation will hit especially hard on Ohioans who work in manufacturing jobs throughout the state and in energy jobs in Appalachia. With families struggling throughout Ohio, the timing could not be any worse."

Sen. Sherrod Brown has refused to speak out against this economically destructive regulation that disproportionately targets thousands of Ohio jobs and will cause energy costs to rise on Ohio's families, senior citizens and small businesses. Brown remains indecisive despite the fact that he stated just last month that he would not be afraid to take a stand on this crucial issue for Ohio's economy and jobs -- he stated , “That’s what my job is, to make decisions.”

“It’s time for Sherrod Brown to do his job, make a decision and tell Ohioans where he stands,” said Mandel spokesman Joe Aquilino. “In Ohio, Sherrod Brown runs around claiming he is fighting for Ohio jobs, but while back in Washington D.C. he is undermining the very economic fabric that sustains Ohio businesses, manufacturing and industry. Where is Sherrod Brown when Ohioans need a voice for jobs in the United States Senate?” Aquilino continued.

“During Sherrod Brown's past decade in Washington, Ohio has lost 600,000 jobs and 3,500 factories. Yesterday, Washington bureaucrats launched a vicious assault on Ohio’s staggering economy and all Sherrod Brown can offer is silence. Sherrod Brown has once again put Washington bureaucrats and fringe extremists ahead of jobs for Ohioans,” Aquilino concluded.

BACKGROUND

"New federal pollution rules will cost Ohio power companies billions", Akron Beacon Journal, 12/22/11

"EPA toughens clear air rules", The Columbus Dispatch, 12/22/11

"U.S. EPA issues tough mercury and other toxic emission standards; some coal-burning power plants may close", The Plain Dealer, 12/22/11

New EPA Regulation Ignores Industry Concerns and Calls for Improvement: Utility MACT, Section 112 of the Clean Air Act, was signed by the Environmental Agency on December 16, 2011 and was published on December 21, 2011. Industry calls for the “EPA to give companies an additional year to comply” were ignored. (“EPA Final Rule for Coal Plants Deemed “Unfortunate” by Industry,” Bloomberg, December 19, 2011 )

New EPA Regulation Kills Ohio Jobs and Increases Energy Costs: The Ohio Manufacturers Association, citing a National Economic Research Associates study, anticipates that 53,500 Ohio jobs will be lost and electricity rates will increase 13% as a result of the Utility MACT rule. (“Impact of regulations is costly,” The Columbus Dispatch, 10/20/11)

New EPA Regulation Will Force the Closing of Power Plants and Job Loss: American Electric Power, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, announced in June that the Utility MACT rule would force it to close parts or all of 11 power plants and eliminate 600 jobs. The Wheeling News-Register reports that American Electric Power’s Muskingum, Ohio Power Plant will close as a result of the Utility MACT rule. Duke Energy says compliance costs with the new Utility MACT rule will force it to shutter six coal-fired generation units at the 60-year-old Beckjord station. (“EPA’s War on Coal Deadlines Irrational,” The Wheeling News-Register, 11/16/11; “Duke Energy Anticipates Ohio Coal Plant Retirement,” Duke Energy, 7/15/11)

New EPA Regulation Will Create “Rate-Shock” for Ohio Ratepayers: The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's comments submitted to the EPA stated, "The current and foreseeable economic environment indicates that Ohio's ratepayers will be hard-pressed to absorb rate-shock due to the implementation schedule advanced in the proposed rule.” (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's Comments submitted 10/1/10)

New EPA Regulation Most Expensive Ever: EPA Has Acknowledged that Utility MACT would be the most expensive direct rule in the agency’s history. (“ERCC Comments on Utility MACT,” Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, 8/4/11)

Bipartisan Group of Senators Seek to Delay Implementation: The Fair Compliance Act of 2011, (Senate Bill 1833), would provide additional time for compliance with the new Utility MACT rule and help preserve jobs and protect consumers from increased utility bills. The bipartisan bill, introduced on November 8th, is co-sponsored by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Sen. Daniel Coats (R-IN), Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Sen. John Thune, (R-SD).

Sherrod Brown Refuses to Take a Stand Despite Exclaiming “That’s what my job is, to make decisions”: According to a recent Bloomberg interview, Brown is “in a bind” and is “facing demands from two of his key supporters, labor unions and environmentalists.” The article details that Brown is “waiting for the Environmental Protection Agency to issue its final rules…before taking a position.” (“Obama’s $11 billion rule roils Democrats who see lost jobs,” Bloomberg, 11/9/11)

Sherrod Brown Has Previously Voted Against An Amendment Which Would Have Blocked The EPA From Regulating Carbon Dioxide And Other Greenhouse Gasses: “McConnell, R-Ky., amendment no. 183 that would block the EPA from regulating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.” (S. 493, CQ Vote #54: Rejected 50-50: R 46-1; D 4-47; I 0-2, 4/6/11, Brown Voted Nay)

Sherrod Brown's Dismal Jobs Record: During Sherrod Brown's past decade in Washington, Ohio has lost 600,000 jobs (The Plain Dealer, 9/5/11) and 3,500 factories (Dayton Daily News, 10/22/11).

The Scream Coming to Stump for Senator Charade Brown

Excuse me, I meant Sherrod. No, wait, I do mean Charade. Charade Brown has been a chameleon at times, pretending to be for a balanced budget amendment when it never had a chance of passing, then speaking against it now that he is a Senator. He shifts his views with the winds, does this Mr. Connie Schultz. Yes, he is married to "journalist" Connie Schultz, so don't take anything she writes as objective. Of course, this is Charade's second marriage. His first one ended badly, with allegations of abuse and drugs. Well, Sherrod is having a fundraiser and Dr. Dean is coming. From the Ohio Republican Party:

Ohio is 700 miles from Vermont, but it seems a lot closer when you look at Sherrod Brown's pals.



Sherrod Brown was recently rated by National Journal as one of the most liberal members of the U.S. Senate. In fact, Brown received the same liberal vote score (two years in a row) as the self-described socialist Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders. While Brown's voting record is clearly outside of the mainstream, it's his affiliation with another highly controversial Vermonter which is particularly noteworthy.



Howard Dean has not gone away; in fact he is headlining a private $1,000 per plate fundraiser this evening to benefit Brown's reelection to the U.S. Senate. Some of the words Howard Dean has used to describe Republicans are "evil," "bad for democracy," "selfish," "self-absorbed," and "brain-dead." In fact, Howard Dean went so far as to say that he "hates Republicans, and everything they stand for."



Ouch! That's a pretty scathing attack on 1.6 million Ohioans.



What's so disturbing about these comments is that many Democrats have proactively, and very publicly, distanced themselves from Howard Dean's disturbing rhetoric - however, Sherrod Brown is not among their ranks.



Seeing that Howard Dean is coming to Columbus to fundraise for Brown, and endorse his reelection campaign, shouldn't Brown provide some insight as to whether or not he agrees with Howard Dean's long history of controversial comments?



In fact, just three weeks ago, the former Vermont Governor actually claimed that the U.S. credit downgrade was a "good thing." A GOOD THING? SERIOUSLY?



Liberal Howard Dean and socialist Bernie Sanders may share some pretty extreme viewpoints with Sherrod Brown, but they are not from Ohio. They don't have to face Ohio voters next year, or even be held to account for their records or radically extreme rhetoric. Sherrod Brown does, and Ohioans deserve to know if he embraces Dean's rhetoric as much as the campaign dollars the former governor brings in for his reelection campaign.



Does Sherrod Brown Agree With Howard Dean That the U.S. Credit Downgrade Was a Good Thing?



"The firebrand Democrat and former Vermont governor said the Standard & Poor's downgrade of the nation's credit is 'a good thing' because it underscores the need to raise revenue to address the nation's fiscal crisis." (Julie Mason, "Dean: What's the tea party smoking?," Politico, 8/7/11)



Does Brown Agree with Howard Dean's Divisive Views On the Republican Party?



"You know, the Republicans are not very friendly to different kinds of people. They're a pretty monolithic party. Pretty much, they all behave the same, and they all look the same. ... It's pretty much a white Christian party.'' (Carla Marinucci, Dean: The mouth that won't stop roaring," The San Francisco Chronicle, 6/8/05)



Dean: "I hate Republicans and everything they stand for." (Dana Milbank, "Dean's Past As Prologue To DNC Future," The Washington Post, 1/29/05)



Dean: "The Republican Party is a party of self-absorption and selfishness ..." (Susan McDonough, "Dean, In Oakland, Invokes Morality," Oakland Tribune, 4/2/06)



Dean: "This is a struggle of good and evil. And we're the good." (Joel Mathis, "Dean Roars Into Town," Lawrence [KS] Journal-World, 2/26/05)



Dean: "You think the RNC could get this many people of color into a single room?" [Dean] marvels. "Maybe if they got the hotel staff in there." (Mark Leibovich, "The Special-Interest Group Hug," The Washington Post, 2/12/05)



Dean: "These guys [Republicans] are bad for democracy. They are not interested in ideas but interested in power and they are not interested in the best interest of the American people." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 10/6/05)



Dean: "[R]epublicans ... a lot of them have never made an honest living in their lives." (DNC Chairman Howard Dean, Remarks at Campaign for America's Future "Take Back America Conference," DC, 6/2/05)



Dean: "Republicans are all about suppressing votes ..." (DNC Chairman Howard Dean, Remarks At Campaign For America's Future "Take Back America Conference," DC, 6/2/05)



Dean Called Republicans "Brain-Dead." (Peter Gorrie, "Spreading the Message," Toronto Star, 3/20/05)



Does Brown with Howard Dean's Views on National Security?



Dean: "I still have this old-fashioned notion that even with people like Osama, who is very likely to be found guilty, we should do our best not to, in positions of executive power, not to prejudge jury trials. So I'm sure that is the correct sentiment of most Americans, but I do think if you're running for president, or if you are president, it's best to say that the full range of penalties should be available. But it's not so great to prejudge the judicial system.'" (Lisa Wangsness, "Dean's Secure In His View Of Saddam," Concord Monitor, 12/26/03)



Dean: "We've gotten rid of him [Saddam Hussein], and I suppose that's a good thing" (William Saletan and Avi Zenilman, "The Gaffes of Howard Dean," Slate.com, 9/25/03)



Does Brown Agree with His Fellow Democrats on Howard Dean?



"Republicans and Democrats alike have criticized Dean for the unnecessary harshness of his comments. Democratic senator Joe Biden distanced himself from the comments, saying that Dean 'doesn't speak for me with that kind of rhetoric and I don't think he speaks for the majority of Democrats.'" ("Republicans "Never Made An Honest Living In Their Lives" Says Howard Dean," LifeSiteNews.com, 6/8/05)



"On Wednesday, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said that while Dean was 'doing a great job' as party chairman, 'I don't think the statement that the governor made was a helpful statement.' She later added that it 'is not a fair assessment to characterize the Republicans' the way Dean did." ("Dean defends view of GOP as 'Christian party'," Associated Press, 6/8/05)



"Democratic New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Tuesday that Dean is doing a good job, but is not the party's spokesman." ("Dean defends view of GOP as 'Christian party'," Associated Press, 6/8/05)



"[Joe] Biden, asked about Dean Wednesday during an interview on the Don Imus radio show ... said that Dean 'has views that are slightly different than mine ... But look, he's a lightning rod. ... It's probably good that there's a guy out there that's a lightning rod ... .' Biden, however, added that he thinks 'the rhetoric is counterproductive.'" ("Dean defends view of GOP as 'Christian party'," Associated Press , 6/8/05)

Congressman Jim Jordan endorses Ohio Treasurer and Marine Veteran Josh Mandel for U.S. Senate

Release:

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH) today announced his endorsement of Josh Mandel for U.S. Senate in Ohio, recognizing Mandel for his leadership as current State Treasurer of Ohio and commitment to restoring fiscal sanity to government.

“Our nation’s AAA credit rating was downgraded because liberals like Sherrod Brown, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi think we can borrow and spend like there's no tomorrow,” said Jordan. “In order to stop the out-of-control borrowing and spending before it bankrupts our country, we need to change control of the Senate and the White House. I believe Treasurer Josh Mandel is a fiscal conservative who is committed to changing the deficit culture in Washington. Josh understands that the federal government should balance its budget just like families and small businesses have to do every day – just as Josh did as State Treasurer,” Jordan continued.

Treasurer Mandel ended the fiscal year with a $400,000 surplus in the Treasurer’s office and reduced general revenue fund operating expenses by $1.2 million over the next two years.

"Jim Jordan is a tireless advocate for fiscal restraint and pro-growth policies in Congress and I am truly honored to receive his endorsement,” said Mandel. “I was proud to lend my vocal support in favor of the ‘Cut, Cap and Balance’ plan championed by Rep. Jordan. It is crucial that we stop spending money we don’t have by mortgaging our children and grandchildren’s future to do it,” Mandel continued.

Representative Jim Jordan’s endorsement adds to the many endorsements Mandel has received from conservative grassroots leaders and Tea Party leaders throughout Ohio and nationally. Mandel has also earned the endorsements of Senator Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund, the powerful free-market organization Club for Growth, and Ohio’s Republican Senator Rob Portman.

Jordan’s endorsement helps build upon momentum Mandel gained by outraising ultra-liberal incumbent Sherrod Brown, $2.3 million to $1.5 million, in the last fundraising quarter. As a conservative from the heavily Democratic Cleveland area, and as the top-vote getter of all statewide executive candidates in the last election, Mandel is well positioned to beat the vulnerable Brown in the increasingly anti-incumbent environment.

OhioGOP: Sherrod Brown "No Brain Surgeon" When it Comes Obamacare

Release:

Columbus - Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine released the following statement this morning in regard to Sherrod Brown's support for the extremely flawed Affordable Care Act of 2010.

"The more we learn about Obamacare, the more flaws emerge.  Objective news sources agree that Sherrod Brown supported legislation which reduces access to affordable health care, misspends taxpayer funds, and places undue burdens on the backs of small businesses and our already cash-strapped state."

"I know taxpayers agree with the Columbus Dispatch when they said, it doesn't take a 'brain surgeon' to determine the harmful effects of Obamacare which lay ahead.  That's why in 2012 Ohio will retire Sherrod Brown and replace him with a Senator who will work to repeal this disastrous piece of legislation once and for all."

Background Information:

Obamacare Was About Securing Political Legacy for Obama and Sherrod Brown.  "this law was never about sound policy. It was about politics and presidential bragging rights. A Democratic congressional majority used a moment of dominance to impose a hugely expensive and widely opposed new social program on the nation. The president saw it as the keystone of his legacy." (Editorial, "Extreme Demand," Columbus Dispatch 6/29/11)

Obamacare Decreases Access to Affordable Health Care. The United States faces a daunting shortage of doctors, a problem that President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul would critically exacerbate as it seeks to provide 32 million additional people with health insurance. (Editorial, "Extreme Demand," Columbus Dispatch 6/29/11)

• "The Association of American Medical Colleges projects Obamacare will worsen physician shortages by more than 50 percent, starting in 2015. By 2020, the nation will be short 45,000 primary-care physicians and 46,000 surgeons and specialists." (Editorial, "Extreme Demand," Columbus Dispatch 6/29/11)

Rush to Implementation Led to a Lack of Preparedness. "The real problem is that the issue of doctor supply should have been studied before the health-care overhaul mandated a huge increase in demand, not after." (Editorial, "Extreme Demand," Columbus Dispatch 6/29/11)

Obamacare Places Onerous Burden on Cash-Strapped States & Businesses

Health Care Reform Killing States' Already Strapped Budgets.  "States already can't win. They've been shifting funding from education, safety and all other programs to pay for their share of Medicaid and Medicare, which is often the largest chunk of a state's budget. Many states have found themselves in the position of cutting benefits for patients and lowering reimbursement rates to providers, which likely will cause more doctors to turn away Medicaid patients, as rates don't come close to covering their costs."  (Editorial, "Worse and Worse," Columbus Dispatch, 6/26/11)

• State's Certain to Feel the Effects Financially.  "Officials project the law will cost Ohio $2.3 billion from 2014 to 2019. Overhauling health care isn't supposed to add to the federal deficit - a highly suspect claim - but the states are certainly going to feel the pinch."  (Editorial, "Worse and Worse," Columbus Dispatch, 6/26/11)

Health Care Reform Written with Lies, "Arm-Twisting and Political Horse-Trading."  "But what else can one expect from a bill that was more than 1,000 pages long, cooked up behind closed doors without input from doctors and hospitals, justified with dishonest accounting and rushed through using arm-twisting and political horse-trading? Nothing in the law improves health care itself; it simply shoehorns more Americans into the already crowded and deeply flawed health-insurance system."  (Editorial, "Worse and Worse," Columbus Dispatch, 6/26/11)

Reform Will Actually Raise Rates on Financially Strapped Americans and Businesses.  "Already, companies that provide health insurance have seen a rise in premiums, as insurance companies now are forced to extend coverage to adult children of working parents."  (Editorial, "Worse and Worse," Columbus Dispatch, 6/26/11)

The $450 Billion "Glitch"

$450 Billion "Glitch" Allows Middle Class People to Get Nearly Free Insurance under Medicare. "President Barack Obama's health care law would let several million middle-class people get nearly free insurance meant for the poor, a twist government number crunchers say they discovered only after the complex bill was signed." ("Glitch in Obamacare Could Give Middle Class Insurance Coverage Intended for Poor," Associated Press, 6/21/11)

OhioGOP: Will Sherrod Brown Call for Weiner's Resignation?

Release:

COLUMBUS - Ohio Republican Party Communications Director Christopher Maloney released the following statement after calls by national Democrats for New York Congressman Anthony Weiner to resign:

"Talk is cheap. It's time for Sherrod Brown to walk the walk when it comes to draining Washington's 'ethical swamp;' it's time for him to join his fellow candidates for U.S. Senate and Democratic Party peers in calling for Anthony Weiner's resignation," Maloney said.

"Sherrod Brown sits on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics. As long as Senator Brown intends on continuing to incorporate ethics and good government into his 2012 campaign platform, he should join with his Democratic colleagues and provide Ohioans with an answer on whether Anthony Weiner should resign his seat in Congress."

Background Information:

Sherrod Brown on former Ohio Attorney General's embattled sex scandal: "I am always disappointed when there are problems like that with an elected official." "Gov. Ted Strickland joined seven other top Ohio Democrats in an extraordinary effort to oust the attorney general. They said Dann no longer can function in that office because of a litany of management failings and ethical breaches..." (Alan Johnson,"Quit or be impeached, Democrats tell Dann," Columbus Dispatch, 5/6/08)

At last count, two U.S. Senators and seven members of the U.S. House --all Democrats-- have called for Weiner's resignation: "House Democrats who called for Weiner to step aside: Niki Tsongas of Massachusetts, Larry Kissell of North Carolina, Michael Michaud of Maine, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Mike Ross of Arkansas, according to various news reports. Democratic Sens. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Mark Pryor of Arkansas also said it is time for Weiner to go." (Jonathan Allen, "Democrats Starting Bailing on Weiner," Politico, 6/9/11)

Former DNC Chairman & 2012 U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine calls on Weiner to resign: "'Lying is unforgivable,' said Kaine, the first Democrat to call outright for Weiner's (D-N.Y.) resignation." (Daniel Strauss, "Former DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Says Rep. Weiner Should Resign," The Hill, 6/8/11)

U.S. Senate Candidate and Congressional Democrat Joe Donnelly calls for Weiner resignation: "In a statement in response to an inquiry, Donnelly, who is running for Senate said that the Brooklyn congressman has "disgraced the Congress" and indicated he would give away the campaign contributions he's received from him." (David Catanese, "Donnelly Calls for Weiner's Resignation," Politico, 6/8/11)

Anthony Weiner asked a porn star to lie for him: "Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and porn star Ginger Lee exchanged 'scores of emails' and that he offered her public relations help -- a possible ethics violation -- and asked her to lie. ...'" (Taegan Goddard, "Weiner Asked Porn Star to Lie for Him," Political Wire Blog, 6/7/11)

Weiner emails show he proactively attempted to lie to American Public: "Rep. Anthony Weiner encouraged a porn star to lie about their on-line relationship and offered her the help of his public relations team, according to a report on Tuesday." (Jennifer Epstein, "Report: Anthony Weiner Coached Woman to Lie," Politico, 6/7/11)

Weiner's support from Democratic colleagues "collapses" after "embarrassing" House of Reps: "No sooner had Mr. Weiner delivered a startlingly abject admission and apology - carried live on television Monday from a circuslike news conference in Manhattan - than top Democrats on Capitol Hill began distancing themselves from him and his behavior." (David Halbfinger, "Democrats Shy From Weiner As G.O.P Seizes on Scandal," NY Times, 6/7/11)

Tressel for US Senate?

We could do worse...and probably will.....

A Word on Ken Blackwell

I just caught a link to this April 22 piece on Ken Blackwell's arrogant presumption in trying to muscle out Josh Mandel for the right to beat Sherrod Brown like a bongo drum.  Here is a quote:

"I reminded young Josh what the word 'senior' means," Blackwell said.

...which is pretty darn funny coming from the guy who told Jim Petro, et al, that there was no such thing as "my turn."  Ken, buddy, your day is done.  Pack it in.  Enjoy the book-writing and whatever else it is that you do.  Stay off the stage here in Ohio though, we've had enough of your nonsense.

UPDATE:  I do think Josh Mandel ought to say for sure what his plans are and start taking positions on issues, but for Ken Blackwell to say, "Step aside, sonny, it's my turn." just takes some serious stones.

12OHSEN: Coughlin Signs Taxpayer Protection Pledge

Release:

Grover Norquist and Kevin Coughlin

Washington, DC - Former Ohio State Senator Kevin Coughlin has signed the Americans for Tax Reform's Taxpayer Protection Pledge.  

Coughlin has formed a campaign committee to raise money and give careful consideration to a run against incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown. 

In making the pledge,  Coughlin promises to:

1)   oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses; and

2)  oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.

"Our government taxes too much, spends too much, and listens too little," Coughlin said.  "As I did for fourteen years in the Statehouse, I will stand by the principles of less government and fiscal responsibility should I be elected to the United States Senate."

Coughlin was a signer of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge during his entire service as a state legislator. Known for standing strong on fiscal conservative issues, Coughlin was once removed from the Ohio Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee for refusing to vote for a tax increase.

"Sherrod Brown and the spenders in Washington are mortgaging our future and saddling our children with debt," Coughlin said. "The culture of unlimited government and unsustainable spending must end if we are to reclaim America and get our country back on the right track."

Photo:  .

A Message From Kevin Coughlin About US Senate

Email:

For the last few weeks, I have been going through a process to determine whether to enter the race for United States Senate.  

I've had a few conservative organizations approach me about making a run against Sherrod Brown.  Though I'm not leaning toward or against it, I owe it to myself and my supporters to give it careful consideration. I have been meeting with party and opinion leaders around the state and in Washington, racking up mileage and securing commitments from contributors.

Having won in and represented a Northeast Ohio district were Democrats outnumbered Republicans 3:1,  I am a tested campaigner.  I would bring a depth of experience and knowledge on keys issues like health care reform and fiscal responsibility to the Senate.  And my long-established record of sticking to conservative principles even under pressure is what we need more of in Washington.

That said, I have some exploring to do on the feasibility of a campaign and the vulnerability of Sherrod Brown.  As I move toward a final decision I hope to get your thoughts and hear what's important to you.

If you'd like to speak to me or ask any questions please feel free to email me here or let me know a good time and a number where I can reach you.

Thanks and hope to see you soon,